can i do this?
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can i do this?
ok, been taking the kids snowboarding alot lately, and the trouble is, they are always cold and want hot chocolate, or they get hungry every 2 hours. so i was thinking of hitting up walmart and getting a power inverter and a cheap microwave and run it off my truck (at idle of course). can i do this or will i mess something up? does my truck have the power to run a micro? kids have been spending over 100 bucks a day at the hill, with a micro, i could cut it down to 15 or so. thanx.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Bloomfield Hills, MI
You will need a heavy duty inverter! Im not very good with electrical but these are some of the inverters offered
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...atchallpartial
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...atchallpartial
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From: Millbrook Alabama
Yes, you can, but you will need to figure out how many watts the MW pulls and then over compensate with the inverter. it will not be a cig lighter plug in model, but rather a model with aligator clips to go directly to the battery. IIRC a MW pulls a pretty large load on start up. also if you can afford it get a good inverter rather than a cheapy.
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Originally Posted by messeswithtrux
ok, been taking the kids snowboarding alot lately, and the trouble is, they are always cold and want hot chocolate, or they get hungry every 2 hours. so i was thinking of hitting up walmart and getting a power inverter and a cheap microwave and run it off my truck (at idle of course). can i do this or will i mess something up? does my truck have the power to run a micro? kids have been spending over 100 bucks a day at the hill, with a micro, i could cut it down to 15 or so. thanx.
My guess is you will need a 1000 Watt Converter that Power's up to 8.4 amps. Sam's Club has some nice ones by *Power On Board* for low prices. "I think" Walmart only sells the 500 Watt by *Power On Board.*
Good Luck.
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Originally Posted by messeswithtrux
ok, been taking the kids snowboarding alot lately, and the trouble is, they are always cold and want hot chocolate, or they get hungry every 2 hours. so i was thinking of hitting up walmart and getting a power inverter and a cheap microwave and run it off my truck (at idle of course). can i do this or will i mess something up? does my truck have the power to run a micro? kids have been spending over 100 bucks a day at the hill, with a micro, i could cut it down to 15 or so. thanx.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Samsung-Roadmate...QQcmdZViewItem
Good Luck.....
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: North of Greenville
Brandon, you're completely correct about the startup load. We have a large 1400 or 1600 watt MW at the house, and they say to not plug it into anything less than a 20-amp circuit, and they are correct. When I plug it into a 15-amp circuit, even with no other load, it will trip the breaker within 10 seconds every time. I had to run a dedicated 20-amp circuit just so we can use the thing.
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From: Charlotte-Fairbanks-Bflo
I have a 3000 watt inverter in my motor home. It will run just about anything I can throw at it. In my truck I have a 450 watt and it has its' hands full just running my laptop and cell charger. It may do more for me if I were to hard wire it, but it just goes to the power plug on the dash. I would get at least a 1000 watt for your needs and forget alligator clips. Wire it right, with at least 8 guage cable.
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Fleet Mechanic
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I think you have to take a really good look at the numbers. A 1000 watt inverter, even if it were 100 percent efficient (it won't be), would pull 72.5 amps at 13.8 volts (motor running). You would definitely want to hard-wire this.
So figure the wattage actually drawn by the microwave, multiply it by about 1.25, and then divide that number by 12 volts, and that is how much current you'd draw out of the batteries. A LOT, in other words.
I think a Coleman gas stove on the tailgate would be a better solution.
So figure the wattage actually drawn by the microwave, multiply it by about 1.25, and then divide that number by 12 volts, and that is how much current you'd draw out of the batteries. A LOT, in other words.
I think a Coleman gas stove on the tailgate would be a better solution.
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From: Charlotte-Fairbanks-Bflo
I'd like to hard wire mine but do not want to drill any holes in my firewall. So seeing how as someone else has brought up the subject do any of you know of a good way to snake 8 to 10 gauge wire up to one of the batteries and not look like it was done at Disneyland?
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From: Charlotte-Fairbanks-Bflo
Originally Posted by guitarpicr
Coleman single burner propane -LOL- Much cheaper
Now you've managed to get me giggling. How about a campfire and we can put marshmellows in the hot chocolate, maybe a smore or two.
