Your opinion ,will it work??

Robmac said:
Microwaves usually only run for 2-3 minutes Kev. Fit an invertor and run the engine whilst the microwave does it's stuff.
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Roast jacket spuds take 18 mins for 3 big ones in a sealed steam container, spuds are a must for me.
 
barryd said:
You would need a beefy inverter though for the initial surge and I thought running the motorhome engine or any engine for a short time not under load is not a good idea.
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Dunno Barry. I've often seen motorhomes running when parked though, sometimes for a good length of time.

I gave a mate a 1500w inverter to do exactly that.
 
I wouldn’t want a can of petrol inside let alone an engine.

My van has a 2500w under slung geni. Happily runs the 2000w aircon and 700w microwave at the same time (if ac has been running for a few minutes).
But tbh it’s too noisy and noxious to use when camping. The only time I use it now is in remote lay-by (when we go out for a walk) to charge an ecoflow lithium inverter pack in about an hour, it also tops up the habitation battery.
I’ll probably add solar at some point soon to avoid needing to run the generator at all.
 
Solar is fantastic. Best addition we have had and since I swapped to that AGM battery I got off Richard off here it's twice as good as before.

Having a rest day today. Been in the same spot for a week. It's overcast today and been raining but we have had two laptops on all day a TV for a while and two smart phones fully charged. Last I checked the battery was still reading full.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
We went to look at a Hymen a few years ago as Liz reckoned they were nice vans, it had a genny built in under the floor somewhere, and the seller said all you have to do is press this button and it fired right up, you could just about hear it, but I didn't like the van.
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It had not been used then ?
 
barryd said:
You would need a beefy inverter though for the initial surge and I thought running the motorhome engine or any engine for a short time not under load is not a good idea.
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I use my Microwave whenever I go away be it with EHU or not.
Making breakfast of 'Oats so simple' has it running for around 3 minutes. You can make very nice Poached eggs in a microwave as well (around 5 minutes for a pair). Microwave chips are nice for a quick chip butty (around 2-3 minutes). Reheating meals is usually under 5 minutes.
So all very short bursts of power and not taking a lot out the batteries.

My Microwave is an 800W model (1200W input power) and I run it through a Victron 12/1600 Easyplus, which is a 1300W Inverter. The Victron Inverters do have a very impressive surge capability however (much better than any other make - my 1300W Unit will surge to 3000W for upto 30 seconds) but it doesn't actually go into overload when I use the Microwave (when you use the surge capability of Victron Inverters, they are in a controlled 'overload'. real overload is a 'fault' and power-off).
Only actually seen overload a couple of times which is when the fridge kicked in while the 850W water heater has been on.
 
Did any ever notice that ice cream vans run at a fast idle to keep the genny/alt running to cool the lollies etc, mind you when they drive off there is a haze of thick blue oily smoke from them?
 
chrishunter said:
My idea is to purchase a 1100watt generator from machine mart,set it up in the van against the back door (dont want to put it outside)and feed the exhaust outside.It`s going to run a 700watt microwave from argos as we never go on sites. Now reading the small print it says 1200watts input and 700watt output,question is will it work.With not having any experience with generators what else can i power with it.
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Been there bought the t shirt. I had an old Hymer brownie and put a two stoke genny in with an exhaust and extra silencer. Chucked it out as an inverter did all I wanted. I now have a low wattage electric kettle which runs off the inverter in my a little bit newer Hymer, briliant, put in on in the sink and hot water as soon as you stop. Trying to save gas now! It’s £5/kilo if you buy bottles at the local garage and a lot of lpg stations are no longer available, very few in Cornwall now.
 
chrishunter said:
My idea is to purchase a 1100watt generator from machine mart,set it up in the van against the back door (dont want to put it outside)and feed the exhaust outside.It`s going to run a 700watt microwave from argos as we never go on sites. Now reading the small print it says 1200watts input and 700watt output,question is will it work.With not having any experience with generators what else can i power with it.
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I have had experience of generators built into work vehicles, completely steel enclosed / sealed from the internal environment, safety .. (fumes, fuel, heat, fire risk and exhaust gas leaks), plus of course noise and vibration transfer. Cheapest alternative, not as quick, but quiet, less space, and weight, lpg oven.
 
I use a generator quite a lot in the 5 months of the year solar doesn’t do the job in the U.K. definitely don’t run it inside, never mind the risk of escaped gasses the noise and heat would make it unbearable pus the smell of petrol. Don’t care how silent a genny is it would soon be unpleasant in an enclosed space.
To run your microwave an inverter or EHU. I only use my genny to charge battery bank so can chose a time when anyone close isn’t bothered, if they are they can move though but unless they get close they won’t hear it, certainly less noise than their diesels and less harmful. 👍
 
I bought a second hand wind turbine which, with a pole fixed to the rear roof ladder is extended above the camper during my longer stays. This in combination with a large solar panel the six gel batteries salted around the camper in unused area's give me sufficient daily power to run an inverter and my microwave.
Being a Weekend festival goer where in effect its wild camping and definitely no generators allowed ,the turbine and solar panel combination running through a combined charge controller keeps my camper fully charged throughout the day and night! The number of batteries storing 600amps allows for those od moments in the uk when there is no sun or wind sufficient to cover charging needs. May be OTT but it keeps me fully running during the times i'm off grid! So much stored energy i'm considering getting rid of the 3 way fridge and putting in a 2 way absorption fridge in replacement which will then minimise the gas usage to hot water heating only. Just a matter of finding one on ebay and getting my maths right regarding consumption!
 
I don’t know what your budget is but I would prefer a power bank if you need more power. This is worth a watch.
 
suneye said:
I don’t know what your budget is but I would prefer a power bank if you need more power. This is worth a watch.
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Eco flow are brilliant, but a lot more money and if your completely off grid they take ages to change via 12v.

If your away from home (or other power sources) for a few days only that’s exactly to way to go, but you need to spend many more drinking vouchers.
 
CleverTrevorUK said:
I bought a second hand wind turbine which, with a pole fixed to the rear roof ladder is extended above the camper during my longer stays. This in combination with a large solar panel the six gel batteries salted around the camper in unused area's give me sufficient daily power to run an inverter and my microwave.
Being a Weekend festival goer where in effect its wild camping and definitely no generators allowed ,the turbine and solar panel combination running through a combined charge controller keeps my camper fully charged throughout the day and night! The number of batteries storing 600amps allows for those od moments in the uk when there is no sun or wind sufficient to cover charging needs. May be OTT but it keeps me fully running during the times i'm off grid! So much stored energy i'm considering getting rid of the 3 way fridge and putting in a 2 way absorption fridge in replacement which will then minimise the gas usage to hot water heating only. Just a matter of finding one on ebay and getting my maths right regarding consumption!
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Small counter top sealed units work well, no vents required, though I fitted them anyway. and 250mA power to run it.
fridge a.jpg
fridge b.jpg
fridge c.jpg
fridge d.jpg
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Almost every van we've bought has had a microwave in it as we wildcamp we never use them, I wish we did as Liz can't cope with the heat of cooking even in winter, but with only 85w of solar not sure what the best option might be to make her life better.
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Why don't you cook?
 
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