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Old 06-23-2003, 11:19 PM   #1
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Question Thinking about replacing oven with microwave

Hi all, I'm just starting to toy with the idea of replacing the stovetop/oven with a 3 burner cooktop and microwave underneith. I figure I never use my oven at home, what are the odds of needing one in the trailer? The microwave however, I think we would use. I was thinking about pulling out the stove/oven, and building a shelf for the microwave, and getting one small enough to hopefully hide it behind a door that would match the rest of the cupboards, so it wouldn't stick out and look too modern.

So, any suggestions, or has anyone done this and have ideas? I'd love to see pictures. I guess I'd have to get someone who knew about propane to handle the propane lines, and I'd have to somehow get power to the microwave. Anyway, I'm just beginning to think about doing this, probably wouldn't dig in and do anything until winter. Who knows, by then maybe I'll think the oven is indispensible!
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Old 06-24-2003, 05:18 AM   #2
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We love our 3 burner stove/oven. We go in more rustic sites at times more than 50% of the time, so as for microwave, for us, it's dead weight half the time (like the factory AC unit)!

I have seen the factory units replaced with just "cooktops" and they really came out nice, I just can't remember who dunnit!

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Old 06-24-2003, 06:09 AM   #3
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Check out the link in Diana Langley's post in the thread "retro re-creation". They put in a two burner cooktop and have a micro that looks like and old front loading washer installed right under it. The darn thing is even silber. I think it looks great!!
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Old 06-24-2003, 07:06 AM   #4
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I replaced our oven for the same reason. Never used and would create lots of heat in the summer if you did use it. I replaced it with a small microwave and a small toaster oven.
My situation was a little different as the stove and oven were separate units and the oven sat over the counter and not under. I pulled the oven, caped the gas line and put in two shelves spaced just for these units then added a mirrored door and it looks good. The only down side is I pull the microwave off the shelf and place on the floor while traveling. I will come up with a tie down for the micro and toaster one of these days.
If I can get a digital camara I will post a picture.

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Old 06-24-2003, 07:35 AM   #5
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Retro Micro

Here's a better shot of the microwave that replaced the oven.
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Old 06-24-2003, 02:00 PM   #6
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I just posted a request for a burner cover for my cooktop and realized I missed this post. If the unit you're taking out is a 4 burner, perhaps I can buy it off of you!

PM me if you're interested.


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Old 06-24-2003, 08:06 PM   #7
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Keep the stove and add a microwave

My wife and I like using the stove so we kept it in our Argosy 26 TT..We did however add a microwave in the trailer..
I cut a hole in the wall to the right of the sink which would be the curb side... We then installed a shelf through the wall to hold the microwave..We bought a G.E. micro which we used for sizing for the hole, which is low and wide.. I then ran the plug to the wall socket above the bed in the bed room..I bought these plastic cord mounters which keep the cord out of the way and neat.. I then fabricated a box to cover the back of the micro and added a couple of vents...The top of the box became a handy shelf and the micro is used quite often..
The microwave is about 12" deep and 24" wide..It is 12" high..
I mounted the shelf so that there is 4" of micro in the kitchen and 8" in the sleeping area..We then added some trim..THe addition of the micro looks good and added a good cooking feature to the trailer..
Down the road and in the wind....
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Old 06-24-2003, 10:15 PM   #8
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Cool. Well, I'll have to think about it a bit more. I think I would like the microwave, but the Caravel is too tiny to add anything that big without taking something else out :-)

Tripp, the stove and cooktop I have is not original, and it doesn't have a burner cover. Sorry I can't help you there.
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Old 06-25-2003, 08:57 AM   #9
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We do use the gas oven in our coach, on every camping trip. This spring and summer, it has been in the high 50's on each trip so biscuts in the morning help warm the inside up. Only thing I have used the microwave for is warming up cups of coffee, or re-heating a dish.
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Old 06-25-2003, 09:12 PM   #10
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I always thought a microwave was a must-have, all my "white boxes" had them but surprisingly enough I have done ok without it. Due to the the shell design on both my Argosy and my Overlander as you all know the typical upper cabinet microwaves won't fit. Being a purist I really didn't want to gut my cool built-in wall oven (Petermh is indeed jealous!!) on my Overlander or do a drop in cooktop/micro on my Argosy. The only thing I really ever used the microwave for anyways was popcorn. Just get the good old fashioned stovetop Jiffy Pop and you're set, problem solved!!

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Old 06-25-2003, 09:22 PM   #11
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On our last trip we spent an evening playing Stratego at the dinette and eating Jiffy Pop Popcorn :-) Makes me smile just thinking about it. I probably haven't done either since I was a little kid, and we used to vacation at my Grandparent's SOB (I mean that in the nicest way) which was permanently parked at the Oregon coast. Good times...
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Old 06-26-2003, 11:24 AM   #12
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oven versus microwave

I used to use my oven at thanksgiving and for lasagne but use the microwave almost everyday from defrosting to heating (never cooking).

I was very surprised when we bought our CCD to see all those modern features yet still an old fashioned OVEN!

We're replacing it with what we consider a perfect solution both practically and stylewise.

Its a convection toaster oven (smaller than AS oven) which bakes, broils, toasts, defrosts and keeps warm.
It is silver/alluminum with a retro look just like our AS. Perfect.
I had one at home and used it for years they're wonderful. You can even roast the turkey in them.

Check them out at Amazon.com :

"DeLonghi - Retro Convection Oven"
model AR690 my choice or
model AR1070 which is slightly bigger and also has a Rotisserie!

enjoy!
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Old 06-26-2003, 12:17 PM   #13
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I guess we're just too hooked on bisquits and cornbread, even when boondocking, not to have a gas oven. We only use the microwave for popcorn, and for scrambled eggs and bacon, but I don't want to start the generators in the morning where there may be late sleepers. So that'll be done out on the gas grill to keep grease out of the trailer, while the bisquits are baking in the gas oven that doesn't require a generator.
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Old 06-26-2003, 05:04 PM   #14
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Hmm, I hadn't thought about that. Are microwaves pretty big power hogs? I don't know how much camping we're going to do without hookups, but it's nice to be able to when you can, and to make the betteries last as long as possible. We don't have a generator.
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Old 06-26-2003, 05:37 PM   #15
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A small microwave like ours, with 1000 watts of cooking power, draws 1500W when the magnetron is on. On the "high" power setting, that's about 2/3 of the cooking time, hence the 1000W rating. On "medium" it still draws 1500W, but for maybe 1/3 the cooking time.

1500W provided by an inverter draws 150 amps from the batteries. That's the current a starter motor of a small car draws, and if you've ever had a car that wouldn't start, you know the battery charge life is on the order of minutes instead of hours at this heavy of a discharge.

I'll spare you the math, but that microwave powered by an inverter will use nearly 2% of the usable capacity of a pair of T-105 golf cart batteries (or equivalent pair of 12V batteries) for every minute of operation. It will REALLY eat up a single 12V battery, not to mention possibly overheat it.

Making heat requires a LOT of energy, and batteries store very little compared to that contained in very little propane or gasoline. And even at that, it gives one Honda EU2000 generator a good, hard workout.
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Old 06-26-2003, 05:49 PM   #16
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convection

steph

i would highly reccomend a convection/microwave oven.

i have a magic chef unit that came with my trailer from the factory.

very nice, you can even run both features at once. it is a relatively small unit.

you can bake with it just fine. potatoes, pizzas and muffins etc.

saves alot of space.

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Old 06-26-2003, 05:53 PM   #17
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We have installed a microwave convection oven in our MH, we enjoy it, but it needs shore power.

I have baked muffins and even a birthday cake in it.
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Old 06-26-2003, 06:15 PM   #18
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And that's full shore power... not rally power, where you're sharing one circuit with other trailers.
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Old 06-26-2003, 08:05 PM   #19
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That is correct, no muffins on rally power! Of course at a rally, they usally provide muffins!
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Old 06-26-2003, 11:51 PM   #20
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So once again I'm coming to the conclusion that this little camper has basically everything you need to be a happy camper, and that's why no one has made any real changes to it in 35 years! Guess I'd better leave it just like it is. Maybe I'll even learn to make muffins :-)
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