I bought a small 0.7 cu ft microwave online from Target on Ebay for $49. Very small and compact to be used in a Palomino Bronco Pop-up truck camperhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/281370539791I have a Xantrex Prowatt 1000 true Sine Wave inverter. 900 watts continuous / 2000 watts surgeI hooked up the microwave to my "Killowatt" meter to see what kind of wattage it draws....from 48 watts to 1150 watts. It has 10 power settings, but this does not reduce the current requirements. It simply cycles the microwave device on and off. When on it is drawing over 1100 watts. On 100% power the microwave stays on for the entire cooking duration.Looks like I'm going to need to run the generator to heat up a bowl of soup!

Can you return the microwave and get a Panasonic Inverter Series microwave?These actually reduce power consumption at the lower settings.Otherwise 2000 watt sine wave inverter and four batteries is generally needed to run a microwave.

Rbertalotto wrote:I bought a small 0.7 cu ft microwave online from Target on Ebay for $49. Very small and compact to be used in a Palomino Bronco Pop-up truck camperhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/281370539791I have a Xantrex Prowatt 1000 true Sine Wave inverter. 900 watts continuous / 2000 watts surgeI hooked up the microwave to my "Killowatt" meter to see what kind of wattage it draws....from 48 watts to 1150 watts. It has 10 power settings, but this does not reduce the current requirements. It simply cycles the microwave device on and off. When on it is drawing over 1100 watts. On 100% power the microwave stays on for the entire cooking duration.Looks like I'm going to need to run the generator to heat up a bowl of soup!My guess the one you bought is a 1000 watt one! :WIt should say right on the box and on the micro how many watts it is. Take that one back and pick up a 700 watt micro. I bought a 700 watt and used it for years it will nuke whatever you want. Just might take a minute more for anything big which you rarely do anyway big food wise in an RV.

The reason I bought this one is that it stated it was a 700w microwave! They weren't lying....It does 700 watts and more!!!

for most of us..even me with solar and a large battery bankusing the generator for the MW is a good ideait takes more generator run time to put back what you take out of the batteriesthan it does to run the generator to do the actual cooking/heating

That is how a standard microwave works, the power level just dictates the ratio of on vs off time of the magnetron. An "Inverter" model will actually reduce the energy with power level. You can also find lower power standard units. The watts printed on the box are just the "cooking power" It takes power for the rotating plate, the light, the control board. Also, a microwave is not just a resistive load, they usually have a poor power factor and thus create a higher apparent load to the device providing the power.

Small RV Microwave | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

Rbertalotto
Explorer
Apr 02, 2015
You really need a microwave for camping?? wrote:

Camping?....NO

RVing?......YES

RVing for me is a means to an end. Race Track, Shooting Match, Grandkids Sport event.....And I'd rather my TC than a hotel.

Camping is Backpacking, Kayaking, Back Country Hunting.....
hilldude
Explorer
Apr 02, 2015
tonymull wrote:
You really need a microwave for camping??
Yes I do microwave, ac, satellite tv. Camped the rough way when young now like the comfort.:)
jhilley
Explorer
Apr 02, 2015
Donnoh wrote:
Rbertalotto wrote:

Looks like I'm going to need to run the generator to heat up a bowl of soup!

Maybe it's just me, but why would you run a generator to heat up a bowl of soup? The old timey way of a stove top and a sauce pan works just as well.

A lot of people, my wife included, like to store things on the burner top. Makes using the stove quite a job.
Rbertalotto
Explorer
Apr 02, 2015
Maybe it's just me, but why would you run a generator to heat up a bowl of soup? The old timey way of a stove top and a sauce pan works just as well.

Um...Just a figure of speech.....I don't even use a sauce pan....heat it up in the can it came in!
BFL13
Explorer II
Apr 02, 2015
"RVing" and "camping" are not always the same thing.
tonymull
Explorer
Apr 02, 2015
You really need a microwave for camping??
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Apr 02, 2015
Donnoh wrote:
Rbertalotto wrote:

Looks like I'm going to need to run the generator to heat up a bowl of soup!

Maybe it's just me, but why would you run a generator to heat up a bowl of soup? The old timey way of a stove top and a sauce pan works just as well.

X2
I have a MH and rarely do I ever cook inside it or use the micro.

This 2 burner Coleman stove folds flat like a laptop and fits right into a bay.

Easy peasy, small bottle of propane and you are good to go to cook anything.

That pot is making good ole homemade soup while I kick back on the lawn chair having a cold one. :C
MrWizard
Moderator
Apr 02, 2015
MWs are rated at cooking watts
The input power used watts are listed on it somewhere
On my 1100 cooking watts MW, the label inside says 1685 input watts
Donnoh
Explorer
Apr 01, 2015
Rbertalotto wrote:

Looks like I'm going to need to run the generator to heat up a bowl of soup!

Maybe it's just me, but why would you run a generator to heat up a bowl of soup? The old timey way of a stove top and a sauce pan works just as well.
BFL13
Explorer II
Apr 01, 2015
I run a 700w Danby MW that wants 1050w input from a Xantrex built 1000 PSW inverter rebranded for a store's house brand.

I got mine on sale at half the price shown here. They come on sale every few months.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-1000w-pure-sine-wave-inverter-w-remote-control-0111892p.html#.VRxPq2d0xjo

I don't know what all the spec differences are if any, between mine and the OP's but mine does say it will do 1000w not 900w--maybe that's the difference, no idea.

The inverter runs the little Danby, showing its "overload" light on and the readout on the inverter says 1050w. Trimetric shows a 100 amp draw while that is happening. The inverter stays on like that for over the specified 5 minutes allowed on overload, so no issues cooking something for 15 minutes.