Microwave to run off inverter

[maiki724]

I have the inverter option with power to all outlets on my Escape 19 and was thinking about adding a simple, small microwave. For those of you who have this, what microwave model would you recommend?

 

[Mike Lewis]

On my maiden voyage in 2014 I bought a 700W Rival microwave for $50 at a Walmart. It's still working.

 

[fudge_brownie]

If you can find the wattage, and believe what it states, look for ones 700 watts or less. Your results may vary depending on the model but the brand is not important. Do you have an idea of how to mount it?

 

[Brian B-P]

I don't know why there would be concern in determining or believing the power output of a microwave oven - it is tested by a well-established, consistent, and easy-to-perform method. Basically you heat some water in a suitable container and check the temperature rise.

While microwave ovens are normally identified by the power output, the power consumption is higher than the output, and it is important to inverter capacity (any countertop microwave should be fine with Escape's optional 1500 watt inverter if not much else is running) and to the rate of power consumption from the battery. Of course if you have a higher-power microwave you'll run it for shorter periods or at less than 100% output, so you won't use significantly more energy for a given cooking task. 700-watt microwave run at 100% and a 1000-watt microwave run at 70%, both for the same time, will do the same cooking and use about the same energy.

The power consumption is normally listed on a sticker just inside the oven door, or on the back of the appliance. Expect the power consumption to be up to 50% higher than the power output.

 

[vermilye]

Another useful microwave is a inverter type. I replaced the 700 watt RCA microwave Escape installed in my 21 with a Panosonic Inverter, a NN-SD372S. It is rated at 950 watts, and, of course, will run at full power when the trailer is connected to a pedestal. A couple of other Escape owners have done the same. I believe Tom (tdf-texas) was the one that discovered the Panasonic & http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8/0-9-cu-ft-microwave-to-fit-a-21-a-12511.html.

I've run it for short times with a full battery at full power on the inverter without problems, but if you try to run it with a low battery, you will get low input voltage warning buzzer from the inverter, or, even have it shut down if the voltage drops to 10.5V.

The advantage of the inverter microwave is when you select a lower power than full, it only draws that much. i.e. at a power selection of 5 (the range is 0 -10) it only produces 475 watts. A standard microwave when run at 1/2 power still runs at full, but shuts off & on. With a lower than full battery, it may not run even at low power settings. As Brian noted, the end result to provide the same amount of heat will draw the same battery amp hours, but the advantage of the inverter type is you can use it in the morning when your batteries are low by running at a reduced power setting.

Another advantage is using defrost. Most standard microwaves "cook" the thin edges of meat, etc before they defrost the center. Running the defrost setting on the inverter microwave evenly defrosts food.

All in all, a big improvement over the stock microwave. It is more expensive, and while it fits in the 21's microwave cabinet, you do have to trim about 3/4" off the side of the opening. A photo of my installation is at my Escape 21 Modifications page.

 

[maiki724]

I don't plan on permanently mounting it; probably storing it under the bed since it would be used infrequently. Looking at some 700 watt ones on Amazon.

 

[jennykatz]

inverter microwave

We bought a 700 watt Microwave that fits into the cabinet space and we also put in an extra plug that goes to the 2000 watt inverter So we can use it for boondocking