30 amp with microwave oven

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AgileDobe

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Nov 11, 2007
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30 amp with microwave oven
? on: Today at 08:14:25 PM ?

I want to buy a microwave oven, preferrably 900 watt to use with shore power in
my 30 amp popup. So...am I right...900 divided by 110 v service= 8 amps?
And to further clarify, I just need to remember not to run the a/c when its on, right?
And  would this same microwave run for a several minutes off my battery, or pull to much on start up?
AND, since I don't have permanent gray water storage, can someone recommend a good reasonably priced
portable tank of about 20 gal range that is easy to move and empty?
Thanks, Anne
 
You're correct on the 110 volt current draw and will be fine as long as you don't run the air conditioner at the same time.

You'll need an inverter and a second battery to run the microwave on battery power.  The inverter converts the battery's 12 volts DC to 120 volts AC.  The problem is you'll pull about 80 amps from the battery and trying to draw that much current out of a single battery will drop the voltage below the inverter's low voltage shutoff point.

Water weighs 8 1/2 lbs per gallon, so a 20 gallon tank will weigh 170 lbs when full.  You'll probably want one you can attach to your tow vehicle's hitch.  PPL Motorhomes has pretty good prices.
 
I run my AC and microwave all of the time on 30amp without problems. The AC pulls about 13-15 amps and, as you said, the microwave pulls about 8-10. I've never had a breaker trip while running both.

Woody
 
You're right, Woody.  My apologies - I was thinking of a 20 amp circuit, not 30 amp.  Like you said, 30 amps will support both the microwave and air conditioner.  But you need to use either one or another with a 20 amp reducer.
 
Caution: The advertised wattage of a microwave is normally the OUTPUT cooking power, not the input. Some microwaves draw nearly double their output power, so check the power rating plate on the back or bottom to find how much power it really draws. Many are 13+ amps.

Even at 8 amps your microwave will kill your battery almost instantly when you use an inverter. It takes 80 amps @ 12v to produce 8 amps @ 120v and your battery can produce 90 amps for only a few seconds before the voltage drops too low for the inverter to continue working.
 
Gary:

Our GE works fine on inverter for heating soup, etc. We use it sparingly if boondocking but have never had a problem on inverter. The output is lower than if we are hooked up but still gets the job done.
 
Jeff, that's true for us with our 440AH battery banks, but the OP has a popup and will have, most likely, a single 12V battery with perhaps 80AH or so.
 
My 06 Fleetwood Niagara pop up has the built in Dometic microwave, and in reading the literature, the rated power consumption is 1,500W, output is 1,100W and no it cannot be operated on 12 volt battery power - there isn't enough oomph!

If one were to purchase a 120v. microwave, one might consider purchasing a generator rated to provide the power if boondocking.  It's my understanding that the converter/inverter only converts 120-v to 12-volt but not the other way around.  (I'm attempting to find this info in my FCCO Ultra Distribution Panel operators manual)

In reading my Fleetwood folding trailers manual, the converter changes the 110 volt AC park supply to +12VDC for the operation of interior +12volt lights and certain +12 volt appliances (ie., furnace).  When 'unplugged' from park supply, lights/applicances must be services by the external battery (auxillairy or tow vehicle).  IF THE CONVERTER IS NOT PLUGGED INTO 110 V AC SOURCE, THE 110 V AC OUTLETS WITHIN THE TRAILER WILL NOT OPERATE.

Hope this info helps.
 
PattieAM said:
My 06 Fleetwood Niagara pop up has the built in Dometic microwave, and in reading the literature, the rated power consumption is 1,500W, output is 1,100W and no it cannot be operated on 12 volt battery power - there isn't enough oomph!

If one were to purchase a 120v. microwave, one might consider purchasing a generator rated to provide the power if boondocking.  It's my understanding that the converter/inverter only converts 120-v to 12-volt but not the other way around.  (I'm attempting to find this info in my FCCO Ultra Distribution Panel operators manual)

In reading my Fleetwood folding trailers manual, the converter changes the 110 volt AC park supply to +12VDC for the operation of interior +12volt lights and certain +12 volt appliances (ie., furnace).  When 'unplugged' from park supply, lights/applicances must be services by the external battery (auxillairy or tow vehicle).  IF THE CONVERTER IS NOT PLUGGED INTO 110 V AC SOURCE, THE 110 V AC OUTLETS WITHIN THE TRAILER WILL NOT OPERATE.

Hope this info helps.
Click to expand...

Patti:
A converter does produce 12v from 120v source while an inverter provides 120v from a bank of 12v batteries but as Ned stated it takes a good bank of battteries (I have four) to provide the power required.

Most Pop ups do not have inverters or have small ones to power Tv'S, etc.
 
Converter converts 120 volt AC to 12 volt DC
Inverter is the inverse (of course) converting 12 VDC to 120 VAC
Converter/inverter is both in one case, Example Xantrex Prosine 2.0

And the Prosine will run your Microwave... The Prosine likes at least 4 golf cart batteries but will run on 2, And check the label on that microwave, My Dometic is really a Lucky Goldstar, and I've never been lucky enough to have a Goldstar product work properly
 
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