microwaves

[jean and ian]

just curious thinking of using one in the caravan during the winter, and wondering what is the highest wattage you can use,!!!with the fridge running and may be lights on,

we have just found in the co-op a hinari 800w microwave digital for 29.99, will it be ok or will 800w be to much, we have a modern caravan as well thanks

 

[Willy_5041515]

Microwaves are very efficient so you are probably talking 4 amps for a typical mains powered one. Allow 1 A for your fridge and 1 A for lighting, battery charging, pumps, etc and you are looking at 6 A. No problem in this country, but marginal on some French sites. (Water heaters use 2 A, space heaters up 2 - 8 A depending on setting and a kettle 3 - 10 A depending on model).

 

[Sonya1]

I would buy one specially made for caravans. We have one although it did cost about

 

[JohnJory_5040738]

Sorry, but an answer to your question must get a little technical.

Voltage, Amperage and Wattage are related.

Your mains hook up is nominally 240 volts. Your Microwave is plated as 800 Watts. Probably most UK caravan systems and hook ups allow MAX 16Amps to be drawn. You will probably have two circuit breakers in your van. (These trip when a certain amperage has been reached.) You will probably have a 6amp and a 10 amp breaker.

To find out the amperage divide the wattage by the voltage. In this case 800 divided by 240 = approx 3.5 amps

The power supply for you 12 volt system will be about 200 watts. So 200 divided by 240 = approx 1 amp

If you know the wattage of your fridge when on 240v, you can find out the Amperage for that.

Make sure you do not exceed either 6 or 10 amps on the respective breakers.

Hope this helps.

john Jory

 

[stean_5041609]

It's all dependant on the campsite's electric hook-up ampage out-put. If it is low (about 3-4 amps) it will proberley not be enough but if it's high (12-13 amps)you should be OK. If it's somewhere in the middle you may have to turn other things off for the microwave to work.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Jean,

I must take issue with some of the other respondents, as I think you may be being misled about the power rating and efficiency of the Microwave oven. If your oven is rated at 800W of microwave energy, then you must check the data plate on the oven to find its power consumption, which will be more that 800. John Jory's calculations will be slightly wrong, because in the UK we now have a standards mains supply of 230V ac +/- 10% to conform to the European standards.

 

[hymerman_5040835]

I have a cheapy 800W and have experienced no problem thro' Europe, just switch some items off on low amp sites.

I leave the microwave in the awning, if it gets nicked so be it. If site we are going to not on e/l then you leave at home. Will not work on genny!

 

[Brian_5041834]

I had a spare one at home so i use it in my caravan with no problems whatsoever and have been using it for two years

 

[DonDavidson_5040293]

We've been looking for a compact (smaller than normal domestic) microwave for some time now but can only find normal size ones. Price is'nt a problem (as long as it's not ridiculous) - anyone any ideas?

 

[Steve L]

We have a daewoo model (800Watts) bought it from safeway for 30 quid and it works fine. Bob and John are on the right track with the consumption figures. We go to places like comet for instance and look for the lowest wattage kettle and that works fine even on a 10 amp hookup so long as you don't have the kettle, toaster and microwave on all at the same time. I have wired my van so that you can have either a 10 amp or 16amp circuit breaker on and so far this has been the one that trips and not the site trip. Even on 10 amp we can have the water heater, mirowave and kettle on without it tripping. We have come across a couple of site hookups where people have put rubber bands on the trip to hold it on because they are over loading their consumption (very unsafe and naughty) You just have to do your sums and work with the power given and you'll find you can live home from home.

 

[RogerL_5041474]

The rated power of a microwave, in this case 800w, is the output. The input power consumption is about double, say 1500w in this case, the rating plare will give an exact figure. At 230V this will draw about 6.5 amps. If the site gives 10 or 16 amps this shouldn't be a problem, we've caravanned like this for years. On sites with only 5 amps, then it's obvoiusly too much.