Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > THE OWNER'S CORNER FORUMS > National RV Owner's Forum
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-10-2019, 05:09 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Kahoona's Avatar
 
National RV Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Conch Republic
Posts: 2,495
Microwave on Inverter Power-does yours do it?

We got a National Tropical 33' DP. We got it used. The dealer told us that the Microwave worked with the 4 batteries through the 200w Zantek inverter. We hired a tech to help us Install a new inverter and make sure that there we rent any surprises in the electrical system. When he got it going the kitchen outlets and Microwave did not work. They do work on shore. He said that those outlets weren't made to work. on inverter. Does anyone have one of these models and does your inverter power the kitchen? I was so looking forward to not waking up the wildlife while boondocking just to get coffee!!
__________________
33' 2008 National Tropical on a Freightliner chassis.We tow a 2001 XJ (Cherokee) RVM#189
Kahoona is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 08-10-2019, 05:33 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
gfs1943's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Whitney, TX
Posts: 437
Not the same model coach, but my inverter powers the microwave just fine. However, if your inverter is only 200 watts, that's not enough. Check it -- I suspect you have a 2000 watt inverter. If so, it should power the microwave.
__________________
USAF, Retired (1962 - 1983)
2006 Monaco Diplomat 40 PRQ
2006 Honda CR-V Toad
gfs1943 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2019, 06:51 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
DKStall's Avatar
 
National RV Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Fayetteville, TX
Posts: 197
We have a National RV Tradewinds and the convection oven / microwave works on the house batteries / inverter (2000w). Not so well when the batteries got to be about 10 years old! But with our new batteries it works like a champ again!
__________________
David (AE5DS) & Linda Stall - F452322
1999 Tradewinds 7372 - Freightliner XC - Caterpillar 3126B - Generac IM-72LP
2013 Fiat 500 (Blue Ox) Visit the: National RV Club Website
DKStall is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2019, 06:52 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,134
Although your inverter is likely powerful enough to run the microwave, most RVs are not wired for it. The GFCI protected outlets are generally shore/generator power. In ours, the non kitchen/bath side of the coach has inverter power.
__________________
2016 Fleetwood Bounder 33C. Towing 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.
Elwood58 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2019, 08:57 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
DKStall's Avatar
 
National RV Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Fayetteville, TX
Posts: 197
I believe that most National models were wired that way from the factory. Can't speak to other makes.
__________________
David (AE5DS) & Linda Stall - F452322
1999 Tradewinds 7372 - Freightliner XC - Caterpillar 3126B - Generac IM-72LP
2013 Fiat 500 (Blue Ox) Visit the: National RV Club Website
DKStall is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2019, 05:55 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Kahoona's Avatar
 
National RV Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Conch Republic
Posts: 2,495
Interesting. GFCI no, others yes. That is the way ours is I'll have to see if the Nuke is on a GFCI or not though. I may be able to rewire it to be powered if it is not then since I know know it is possible. I can limit inverter use for when at a location that prohibits generators before or after specific times then. I can always add 2 more batteries and panels if needed. I did get it to Boondock after all. Thanks for the info.
__________________
33' 2008 National Tropical on a Freightliner chassis.We tow a 2001 XJ (Cherokee) RVM#189
Kahoona is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2019, 04:07 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 220
I have a 2004 Tropical any the microwave does work with the Inverter on. Not sure how much power is drained from the batteries though.
__________________
2019 Tiffin Open Road 34pa
2018 Jeep Wrangler toad.
Mogulite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2019, 06:06 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Kahoona's Avatar
 
National RV Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Conch Republic
Posts: 2,495
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mogulite View Post
I have a 2004 Tropical any the microwave does work with the Inverter on. Not sure how much power is drained from the batteries though.
I have a feeling it is a lot! I have 4 new NAPA's and a solar array. It seems that mine is not wired for it so I will have to make it so. I need to be able to run the coffee maker too. Lots of national parks won't allow the generator till 8.
__________________
33' 2008 National Tropical on a Freightliner chassis.We tow a 2001 XJ (Cherokee) RVM#189
Kahoona is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2019, 06:31 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
Lets say it's a 1600 watt microwave.

1600 watts ÷ 120 volts is 13 amps. Converting that to 12 volts equals 10 times that, plus inverter losses, about 15%.

That means your drawing about 150 amps while running it. That sounds bad until you calculate how many AH you are drawing from your batteries.

5 minutes of microwaving uses 13 AHs. Even 15 minutes is only 40 AH or 10% from your 400 AH battery bank.

Any more then that, start the generator.
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2019, 06:43 AM   #10
Community Moderator
 
Spdracr39's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Central, Arkansas
Posts: 11,223
My 2000 watt will do it but I had to lower the low voltage cutoff on the inverter because the load drew the battery voltage down below the preset limit for too long.
__________________
2004 Beaver Monterey Laguna IV
Cummins ISC 350HP Allison 3000 6 speed
2020 Chevy Equinox Premier 2.0t 9 speed AWD
Spdracr39 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 09:51 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Kahoona's Avatar
 
National RV Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Conch Republic
Posts: 2,495
Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat View Post
Lets say it's a 1600 watt microwave.

1600 watts ÷ 120 volts is 13 amps. Converting that to 12 volts equals 10 times that, plus inverter losses, about 15%.

That means your drawing about 150 amps while running it. That sounds bad until you calculate how many AH you are drawing from your batteries.

5 minutes of microwaving uses 13 AHs. Even 15 minutes is only 40 AH or 10% from your 400 AH battery bank.

Any more then that, start the generator.
That sounds like exactly how I want to use it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by spdracr39 View Post
My 2000 watt will do it but I had to lower the low voltage cutoff on the inverter because the load drew the battery voltage down below the preset limit for too long.

Interesting. I feel that the preset cutoff is too high anyway. I think it is only using a tiny bit of the power when I would like to take them down to 60%. Last night I left the water heater on 12v and the inverter shut down overnight. 4 new golf cart batteries should run that fine.
__________________
33' 2008 National Tropical on a Freightliner chassis.We tow a 2001 XJ (Cherokee) RVM#189
Kahoona is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 10:19 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
You don't measure battery voltage under load. They can be pulled down to 10.5 volts under load and will do no harm.

Unless you have a actual battery monitor measuring AH, you would need to wait at least a few minutes after all loads are removed to check the battery voltage.

Once the load is removed, the battery will rebound and that's when it means something.
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 10:21 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
You could measure voltage at the battery and the inverter to see if your getting a true battery voltage drop or a voltage drop thru the cables.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spdracr39 View Post
My 2000 watt will do it but I had to lower the low voltage cutoff on the inverter because the load drew the battery voltage down below the preset limit for too long.
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 10:37 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Kahoona's Avatar
 
National RV Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Conch Republic
Posts: 2,495
Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat View Post
You don't measure battery voltage under load. They can be pulled down to 10.5 volts under load and will do no harm.

Unless you have a actual battery monitor measuring AH, you would need to wait at least a few minutes after all loads are removed to check the battery voltage.

Once the load is removed, the battery will rebound and that's when it means something.
I wonder how the Xantrex does it to determine when to cut off. The other night I left it with a fully charged set of 4 NAPA golf cart batteries and I set the water heater to 12v. The inverter had tripped the low battery cutoff. I should have checked the voltage then.
__________________
33' 2008 National Tropical on a Freightliner chassis.We tow a 2001 XJ (Cherokee) RVM#189
Kahoona is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
inverter, microwave, power



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Dash Air -- how well/long does yours work ? PanJH Newmar Owner's Forum 17 12-07-2017 09:59 AM
Does yours look like this?? TexasTwoStep Excel Owner's Forum 9 04-13-2013 08:34 AM
RV's with names, does yours proudly showing its name honkytonkinn iRV2.com General Discussion 28 03-15-2013 07:29 AM
My Dip has an aluminum roof.....does yours? InflatableBoats4Less Monaco Owner's Forum 10 07-03-2011 01:29 PM
HydroHot - Does yours also provide engine preheat? RVDude Newmar Owner's Forum 3 05-15-2007 06:55 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.