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Old 05-27-2017, 02:48 PM   #21
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Inverter driven microwave ovens from Panasonic and a few other companies do not cycle full on and off. They will indeed provide proportional power. Alas, the sharp is not inverter based so won't help here.
It is a shame that RV microwaves are not inverter driven. I replaced our old kitchen MW with a more powerful inverter model and the new MW was about half the weight of the old MW. No more big chunk of iron in there. The lighter weight would be welcome in RVs.
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Old 05-27-2017, 06:09 PM   #22
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I agree that using the stove burners IS simple - and ready to work with no cost or delay. Most "microwave" foods can be cooked over the burners easily. Microwave bacon? Stick it on a fork and hold over the flame or cut into short segments and use a skillet or grill pan.

Paula
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Old 05-28-2017, 05:05 AM   #23
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Trying to run the microwave off your coach battery seems excessive even to me, who knows little about such things, and to stress a system not designed for such.

I would suggest finding ways not to use the microwave when not plugged into shore power....use your stove, and perhaps think about getting one of the free standing, butane portable stoves which you can set up outside.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N27XP3W...a-307444503318

Alternately, if you are camping without hookups, plan some generator exercise for when you want to use the microwave...get it running to charge your batteries, exercise it by using the microwave.

I believe it is also generally recommended to run your generator more than a few minutes at a time...we have always gone for 20-30.

Maggie
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Old 05-28-2017, 06:31 AM   #24
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When we upgraded, it was to support multiple days of CPAP use (40-50 ahrs per night). The capability to use AC(short runs) and microwave was an unplanned, but appreciated, benefit.
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Old 05-28-2017, 07:01 AM   #25
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I agree that using the stove burners IS simple - and ready to work with no cost or delay. Most "microwave" foods can be cooked over the burners easily. Microwave bacon? Stick it on a fork and hold over the flame or cut into short segments and use a skillet or grill pan.

Paula
Lifestyle has a lot to do with it. Driving 700 miles per day, or doing paying contract work in the rig as a solo traveler, are examples of two scenarios that do not allow a lot of free time to prepare meals over the stove or to wash the pots and pans that result (especially given the propane restrictions that characterize Interstates). Given an abundance of free time, I suppose I could figure out how to warm my Amy's Kitchen Harvest Casserole (my favorite one) on the stove without turning it into a homogeneous mush. But I don't have that abundance of free time, so I appreciate the ability to run the microwave very much. It turns a half-hour task into a three-minute task and sometimes that half hour is precious.
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Old 05-28-2017, 08:22 AM   #26
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"These 4 minutes would only use about 10AH out of the coach batteries. Did I do my math wrong, or am I missing something?"

The math is right on the face of it, but doesn't take into account Peukert's Law. In a nutshell, when you drain a lead-acid battery at a high rate, its nominal capacity is greatly reduced.

Another thing to keep in mind: microwave ovens are rated in output power, but they are only about 67% efficient. Thus a "1,000 watt" microwave will actually use about 1,500 watts of AC power. Factor in an inverter's 90%-95% conversion efficiency, and you can easily see 1,600-1,700 watts of power drawn from your batteries.
I have a Zamp 1,000 watt inverter. I looked hard to find a microwave that would operate using my inverter. My 700 watt microwave required 1,050 watts. I found a 600 watt microwave that (supposedly) required 850 watts to operate. I connected it to my microwave and it tripped off. I measured the required power level and found that it required 1,020 watts, not 850 watts to operate. I also measured the required power level on my 700 watt microwave and found that it required 1,185 watts, not 1,050 watts to operate. The input/output factor in both cases is 1.7.

I searched for a small inverter driven microwave but came up empty.

I failed in my quest to find a microwave that would operate using my 1,000 watt inverter. My plan is to heat up stuff using the stove or oven until I install lithium batteries which will free up real estate to install the larger 1,500 watt inverter with which to operate my 700 watt microwave.

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Old 05-28-2017, 10:15 AM   #27
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Were the wires to/from the old Magnum long enough so they could reach the new one, or did you have to replace some to make it all work? I think the former would make this a pretty simply DIY, the latter might get a bit more involved, especially with the heavy gauge wire needed as you'd need to buy a special crimper for those. Eventually I'll be making this upgrade, so it's good to know ahead of time what I'm getting into.
I don't know the specifics. I assume that the current battery(s) and inverter are in the same area. You may be able to upgrade the inverter to a 1,500 watt model like the Samlex (12.2 x 8.74 x 3.46) and keep your same battery or if more space is needed upgrade to a lithium battery(s). 1,500 watts should be plenty of power to operate your microwave. I see no need for a 2,000 watt inverter when space is tight and 1,500 watts will do the job. It is less expensive too.

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Old 05-28-2017, 11:17 AM   #28
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Running microwave from inverter

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Originally Posted by FlyFishinRVr View Post
Were the wires to/from the old Magnum long enough so they could reach the new one, or did you have to replace some to make it all work? I think the former would make this a pretty simply DIY, the latter might get a bit more involved, especially with the heavy gauge wire needed as you'd need to buy a special crimper for those. Eventually I'll be making this upgrade, so it's good to know ahead of time what I'm getting into.

Since I added new batteries in a different location I rewired the whole thing. Got 4/0 welding cable off eBay. Also a crimper to handle the large lugs.
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Old 05-28-2017, 03:53 PM   #29
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I don't know the specifics. I assume that the current battery(s) and inverter are in the same area. You may be able to upgrade the inverter to a 1,500 watt model like the Samlex (12.2 x 8.74 x 3.46) and keep your same battery or if more space is needed upgrade to a lithium battery(s). 1,500 watts should be plenty of power to operate your microwave. I see no need for a 2,000 watt inverter when space is tight and 1,500 watts will do the job. It is less expensive too.

Dan
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Since I added new batteries in a different location I rewired the whole thing. Got 4/0 welding cable off eBay. Also a crimper to handle the large lugs.
Thanks guys.

I checked out a few of the contenders for the new inverter/charger job (possibly a 3000W Aims, which can handle a peak load of 9000W for 20 seconds, meaning it will run the existing AC just fine, at least for a short time given my current battery situation), and it's looking like I'll need to put the new unit under the folding bench in the back like Boxster did. That will mean a rewire of the leads to/from the inverter. However, in the "good news" department, I'll be able to relocate my MPPT controller from outside of the rear jumpseat to under it as there will be lots of room under there once I remove the Magnum.

@Dalwyn - I couldn't find a 2000W inverter/charger that would fit under the jumpseat, so to answer your question, and to concur with Boxster, it's definitely do-able as a DIY, but you will need at least one special tool (crimper that will do a good job on 2/0 cable) and a bit of time/material to do the job right.
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Old 05-29-2017, 05:16 AM   #30
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.... it's definitely do-able as a DIY, but you will need at least one special tool (crimper that will do a good job on 2/0 cable) and a bit of time/material to do the job right.
Just FYI, crimpers are discussed on "My Interstate lithium battery adventures". We had to buy two boxed sets, large and small, but they weren't that expensive (at least one came from Harbor Freight). We tend to buy high-quality equipment when we know we'll use it frequently, but this could not be said for crimpers, as this was mostly a one-shot job. They were intentionally chosen to be cheap and the larger pair leaked hydraulic oil like a sieve, but they worked.

The ancillary hardware was a larger-than-expected expense on our DIY. All those little pieces really add up.
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Old 05-29-2017, 11:08 AM   #31
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Finding a larger inverter that is a) small enough to fit in the same space as Magnum and b) has a built-in transfer switch is darn near impossible. The only one I found was courtesy of LB_3 finding the Xantrex 2000 watt inverter. But even that required a lot of rewiring and work to make it fit.
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Old 05-29-2017, 01:01 PM   #32
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Finding a larger inverter that is a) small enough to fit in the same space as Magnum and b) has a built-in transfer switch is darn near impossible. The only one I found was courtesy of LB_3 finding the Xantrex 2000 watt inverter. But even that required a lot of rewiring and work to make it fit.
Will it recharge your lithium batteries? I see it has a Custom setting for the battery type but I don't know if the settings are flexible enough to handle the peculiarities of lithium cells.....
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Old 05-29-2017, 07:53 PM   #33
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Will it recharge your lithium batteries? I see it has a Custom setting for the battery type but I don't know if the settings are flexible enough to handle the peculiarities of lithium cells.....
Actually it does not have a charger. It is just an inverter.

It is this unit: http://www.xantrex.com/power-product...eedom-hfs.aspx

Being flat really helped in getting it into the same space (but it is a lot longer).

For Lithium batteries you want to control charging and discharging independently and this is hard to do with combo charger+inverters.

In my case I have a 50 amp charger that is relatively small and I found a way to fit it in the same space.
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Old 05-29-2017, 08:57 PM   #34
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Actually it does not have a charger. It is just an inverter.

It is this unit: http://www.xantrex.com/power-product...eedom-hfs.aspx

Being flat really helped in getting it into the same space (but it is a lot longer).

For Lithium batteries you want to control charging and discharging independently and this is hard to do with combo charger+inverters.

In my case I have a 50 amp charger that is relatively small and I found a way to fit it in the same space.

Following the link you provided, it says it's an inverter-charger with 55A charging capacity. Maybe I'm missing something???

Anyway, seems like a nice solution if it fits without too much trouble. At 2000W it might do what the OP wants and run his microwave, but at $800, he'd have to pop a lot of popcorn to make it worth it.
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Old 05-29-2017, 11:07 PM   #35
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Following the link you provided, it says it's an inverter-charger with 55A charging capacity. Maybe I'm missing something???
My great, late grandfather-in-law was fond of saying, "it is hell getting old!"

Sorry about that. This is the one I bought: http://www.xantrex.com/power-product...reedom-xi.aspx

At the time there was no charger combo of it so I thought the link I gave was one in the same.

Quote:
Anyway, seems like a nice solution if it fits without too much trouble. At 2000W it might do what the OP wants and run his microwave, but at $800, he'd have to pop a lot of popcorn to make it worth it.
It comfortably runs the Sharp microwave. We take frozen food for our dogs and use the microwave all the time. It is nice to stop in a parking lot and feed them and not run the nasty generator to thaw out their meat. I just keep the engine running which makes the deficit just 20-30 amps or so.

We also use it in the mornings to heat up water to make tea and such. With two large dogs running around in the AI, I just don't feel like having open fire, hot pans, etc. around.

We also added a toaster oven and can run that the same way.
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Old 05-29-2017, 11:20 PM   #36
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My great, late grandfather-in-law was fond of saying, "it is hell getting old!"

Sorry about that.


No worries, it beats the alternative.....

I hear you about 2 big dogs running around. My big guy is 120lbs and his little sister is 90.

Good to know the 2kW will handle those loads. Seems like a nice option. Did it fit OK under the jumpseat? Seems that extra 3" in length might cause a problem.....
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Old 05-29-2017, 11:49 PM   #37
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Good to know the 2kW will handle those loads. Seems like a nice option. Did it fit OK under the jumpseat? Seems that extra 3" in length might cause a problem.....
We have the dual bunk so no jumpseat. It was a very tight fit in a small compartment under one of the beds. I will post pictures sometime in the future.
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