Microwave ovens.

[GrahamE]

Hi all, on the want list for our caravan is a microwave, i found the thread on here from 2011 sayining about buying a cheap supermarket item and i understand about the variying outputs from the EHU. I have found an advert for a 500w version for caravans from Kitchenware online for a reasonable price of apprx £50. Now time and tecnology has moved on as the post i read was from 2011. Does they same idea of buying one from a supermarket still stand, or has anyone bought one of these 500w versions. Oh and yes i know its a case of will it fit in alloted cupboard, guess who forgot his tape measure when nipping down the storage site today. Graham.

 

[RogerL]

Microwaves are sold on their output wattage - but it's the higher input wattage that's important to caravanners.
In their early years, some 700w output microwaves needed 1500w input so the extra 6A load on site electrics was often too much. Modern microwaves are much more efficient, needing less energy input for the same output.
Don't forget the compartment will need ventilation - some built-in microwaves get vents under the compartment and a full-size fridge vent on the outer wall. Lack of adequate microwave ventilation has been troublesome on some recent caravans.

 

[GrahamE]

The cupboard for the microwave has had one in befor plug socket lokks OME rails on the bottom and a surround fixed in, looks like i need to measure up first to see how much space there is for ventilation and to see if there's a vent to the outer wall.

 

[Sproket]

Graham.
I fitted one from Asda into a normal cupboard & i fitted a computer fan above the microwave to blow the hot air out of the cupboard, & have used it many times with out any problems due to heat build up..

This looks like the same one for £35

 

[RogerL]

Graham.
I fitted one from Asda into a normal cupboard & i fitted a computer fan above the microwave to blow the hot air out of the cupboard, & have used it many times with out any problems due to heat build up..

This looks like the same one for £35

The gaps around the microwave in your original thread do lend themselves to fan ventilation, especially as it only operates with the locker door open - but many microwave spaces are much tighter.

 

[Gafferbill]

You could not better Sproket's fitment which is brilliant.

I take a free standing microwave/ grill if I am using a site with EHU and transport it in the tow car to keep the weight out of the caravan.
When set up, it is sits on top of a 1.3cu ft compressor freezer with plenty of space around so suffers no overheating problems.
If I have a non EHU pitch I am free to leave the microwave(and freezer) at home.

......just a different point of view that will not suite most people, especially if they do not have a free surface to put the microwave on.