Micro wave or not to Micro wave

[skipmac]

I find a microwave incredibly convenient and in the long run an energy saver. Cook up a large batch of rice, soup, whatever and freeze or just refrigerate. Only takes seconds to have a hot, nutritious meal and can be done even when it's really nasty out.

Sure it takes AC and a good bit of power but for a very short time. A relatively small inverter will do the job plus give you AC for a lot of other jobs as well.

[sailorboy1]

I don't really understand the anti-microwave argument of it using so much power that it is going kill a boats batteries. At home the longest my microwave probably even runs is to make a baked potato and that is only 10 minutes. What good is all the extra solar that people are always talking about here if you can not run a microwave for 10 minutes?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I find microwaves very useful at home and I've had them on several boats including one under 22feet. I cook all sorts of things in them , they're great for fish, steaming vegetables, baked/jacket potatoes, scrambled eggs, soups and gravies

An all round wonder machine

Dave

Same on my boat. I use the microwave more than the propane stove, especially when Im alone on board. Tremendously useful. But as others have said - it depends on how you cook.

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned how useful they are for reheating food. They can also even help save water since you often cook or reheat in the dishes you serve or eat from, instead of pots or pans.

As Jedi said in an earlier post, you need a 2kW (more or less) inverter to run a 1000 watt microwave, plus appropriate battery and charging capacity.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I don't really understand the anti-microwave argument of it using so much power that it is going kill a boats batteries. At home the longest my microwave probably even runs is to make a baked potato and that is only 10 minutes. What good is all the extra solar that people are always talking about here if you can not run a microwave for 10 minutes?

To be fair, 10 minutes at full power is going to be about 1/4 of a kilowatt hour, and Peukert requires a disproportionate amount of your battery capacity. So one baked potato might do in up to 7% or 8% of the useful capacity of even a biggish battery bank like mine. Or most of the daily production of a 250 watt solar panel.

Not a big deal on a boat like ours with a diesel generator and lots of other power demands, but could be a problem on some boats.

[sailorboy1]

the baked potato as an upper use period as an example at home, but so what if it takes 7%, the question is whether a microwave is useful on the boat and the answer is yes

PS - I don't have a generator or shorepower connected and can use mine without a problem