We are meeting a few friends on a camping weekend soon and we where looking a some kind of microwave for the youngest child's meals. Could anyone advice on what we could use. We have an electric hook up with is SunCamp 3 plus hook up but are unsure what we could you.
why not save the hassle an warm up food in a pan of hot water, I presume your taking a gas cooker? put water in pan to boil with a bowl with the food in to heat it up, best if bowl has a lid to save steam getting in
We didn't have microwaves when my brother was young, mum just used a vessel with boiling water in it to heat up his meals, why not go back to basics instead of using space in the car and tent with a microwave?
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Quote: Originally posted by Johnbw83 on 27/8/2018
We are meeting a few friends on a camping weekend soon and we where looking a some kind of microwave for the youngest child's meals. Could anyone advice on what we could use. We have an electric hook up with is SunCamp 3 plus hook up but are unsure what we could you.
Thanks in advance.
No problem using a microwave if you wish to. Check out
this page which will give you a Watts to Amps conversion chart.
Check the plate on the back of the microwave and it will tell you the total wattage. That is not the same as the cooking wattage i.e. 750, 800 or what have you, but the wattage of the microwave itself.
Most campsites provide 10 amps, ask when booking, but regardless of what the campsite provides, most EHU leads are only rated for 10 amps.
10 amps equates to 2300 watts so providing the wattage of your microwave is no more than 2300 watts it is safe to use.
You can use as many electrical appliances as you like on EHU providing when added together the total wattage of them all does not exceed 2300. The rule of thumb is don't use two high wattage appliances together...switch one off while you use the other.
Quote: Originally posted by Johnbw83 on 27/8/2018
I was also wondering for fridge storage for milk ect. Does this still apply
Yes, all electrical appliances will have a plate on them, or sometimes stamped into the plastic which gives the Wattage. Convert that to amps. I believe the typical camping mini fridge or electric cooler box are around 40 to 60 watts which is only 0.17 to 0.26 amps (less than half an amp) so you will have around 9.5 amps left to play with. Obviously a fridge would be left running permanently and with such low power wouldn't need to be switched off.
I sometimes use a microwave and can't remember the wattage off-hand but I think it's about 1800 or something. Likewise the electric kettle. 1800+1800= 3600 watts so obviously I can't use both together without tripping the campsite supply or the EHU lead.
If you find 10amp limiting, then you can up the EHU to 16amp by replacing the MCB.
Obviously the EHU has to be up to the job to do this, our Suncamp EHU states 16amp on the rear of the case, although it did come with a 10amp MCB, which was very easy to whip out and pop a 16amp in.
The easiest way to tell if your EHU is up to the job, is from the main cable, which should be 2.5mm rather than the lower rated 1.5mm that some EHU's come with.
Of course using a 16amp EHU when only on a 10amp electric supply, means you have to keep a close eye on the amps to save tripping the supply.
Check out my EHU amp monitor post, along with EHU Modification post, one begets the other.
Quote: Originally posted by Johnbw83 on 28/8/2018
I will have a look for a camping fridge. I had one of those beer fridges but might be to powerful for the hook up.
Look for mini fridges in Argos. They have a good selection. I don't see why a beer fridge wouldn't work. You need to check the wattage. Some people (with plenty of room in the car!) use table top fridges which have a little freezer compartment.
Mini fridges usually have a little fan working all the time and although they are not loud it is something you have to become immune to at night, although you could switch it off on a cooler night and it should be fine until the morning providing you don't open the door.
You can sometimes pick up good mini fridges second hand on eBay or Gumtree.
We took a table top fridge for the first time this summer, very low wattage, had it on all the time and had no problem with using fridge, lights, phone charger and the kettle :)
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: `Microwave advice
