Microwaves

[Jo_5080540]

My husband and me are interested in getting a microwave that we can use in our awning in the summer holiday. We've looked at ones in caravan shops but they're about 3 or 4 times the price of one in the shops. Is it possible to use a 'normal' microwave in a caravan? Is it okay to use one of a low wattage? If so, what wattage would be best?

 

[Parksy]

Hi Jo
Yes, although proper low powered 'caravan' microwaves are available it's quite ok to use a normal fairly inexpensive microwave bought from a supermarket.
A lot depends on what you want to cook in your microwave but if it's to be used for quickly warming pre-cooked food such as pies and pasties, warming soup and cooking jacket spuds then a fairly bog standard 750 watt microwave should be fine.
Bear in mind that the power available from ehu bollards can vary from site to site and in most cases you will need to switch off other appliances such as the tv and electric water heater when using the microwave to avoid tripping the rcd on the bollard.

 

[forestgump]

we have a daewoo £29 from morrisons 700w this does us.

 

[JohnGriffiths]

Jo, most of these special camping appliances are just rip offs. Use a cheap supermarket brand, as suggested 700-750 watts. But be aware that they apparently draw quite a bit more power than the 750 watts, especially when switching on, maybe twice what you would expect so yes its a good idea to switch off other stuff if necessary.

 

[John_miller]

Just about all the factory-fitted microwaves I have seen in various manufacturers 'vans have been cheap domestic microwaves - usually 700 watts output. There will be a plate or similar somewhere on the appliance which will tell you what the 230v input power is - on a 700w it will vary between 1000w and 1200w dependingon the brand and model.

John M

 

[Dustydog]

we have a daewoo £29 from morrisons 700w this does us.

This is virtually the same one that came as OME in our Wyoming. It does the job but needs a few seconds longer than the one at home.

 

[John_374564913]

Parksy

Although this is not relevant to the microwave question I thought I would let you know what I do
Instead of the normal lead to the caravan I connecy a cable roll to the EHU supply point on my cable roll I connect the caravan and all my cooking appliances in the awning.

On the cable roll each socket has its own RCD then if I forget and draw too much power by having the micro wave on at the same time as water heater, television, or heater in awning the RCD on my roll trips out and not the one on the EHU

John

 

[Brian_374582181]

Parksy

Although this is not relevant to the microwave question I thought I would let you know what I do
Instead of the normal lead to the caravan I connecy a cable roll to the EHU supply point on my cable roll I connect the caravan and all my cooking appliances in the awning.

On the cable roll each socket has its own RCD then if I forget and draw too much power by having the micro wave on at the same time as water heater, television, or heater in awning the RCD on my roll trips out and not the one on the EHU

John

Just like to point out that a RCD (residual current device ) does not offer over current protection and will not trip out if overloaded. They only trip when their is an earth leakage fault. A mcb (miniature circuit breker) will trip when a current about 10% greater than the breaker rating is drawn

Brian