12v microwave - low current

[ChattingLil]

When we bought Ocean Lady, she came with a 12v microwave. It's never worked and we can't figure out why.
It comes on and looks like it's doing something, but after a few seconds, half a minute or so it shows an error code that means 'low current' or 'no current'.

It's connected to the engine battery, so we have tried it when the engine is running, but still get the same error.

Any ideas? Worth trying to fix? I think it's quite expensive kit.

 

[prv]

Undersized cable or dodgy connection.

Pete

 

[JumbleDuck]

Any ideas? Worth trying to fix? I think it's quite expensive kit.

An 800W microwave with typical efficiency (~65%) will need 100A at 12V. That implies pretty hefty wiring and pretty good connections. The first stage has to be to stick a voltmeter across the microwave input to see what's happening. If the volts are low there, have a look at the battery. If the loss is in the wiring, get bigger wires. If the loss is in the battery get bigger batteries, or better batteries, or bigger and better batteries.

 

[Elessar]

When we bought Ocean Lady, she came with a 12v microwave. It's never worked and we can't figure out why.
It comes on and looks like it's doing something, but after a few seconds, half a minute or so it shows an error code that means 'low current' or 'no current'.

It's connected to the engine battery, so we have tried it when the engine is running, but still get the same error.

Any ideas? Worth trying to fix? I think it's quite expensive kit.

i had one and sold it. FOr what I got for it I bought I 2500w inverter and a microwave/oven/grill combo which runs of shorepower when I have it - and the inverter can run the kettle or toaster too as well as the microwave (albeit not all at the same time, and not with the convection oven on).

Or you could spend £100+ on proper sized cables and still maybe have to run the engine in dock to use it.

 

[sailorman]

The OPs micro is a long way from the batteries in the stern "State Room" .
i would sell it & have a 240v jobbie + pure sine wave inverter for the time when away from base

 

[ChattingLil]

The OPs micro is a long way from the batteries in the stern "State Room" .
i would sell it & have a 240v jobbie + pure sine wave inverter for the time when away from base

do you think that's the problem Roger? Happy to get rid of it, but didn't want to sell it if it doesn't work. LIkewise, didn't want to sell it for peanuts if it does work, but just not the way it's set up on OL.

 

[sailorman]

do you think that's the problem Roger? Happy to get rid of it, but didn't want to sell it if it doesn't work. LIkewise, didn't want to sell it for peanuts if it does work, but just not the way it's set up on OL.

remove it from the galley & make up short wires in the State Room, you will then know
an inverter in the engine rm would then only req lighter 240v cables to the galley

 

[Elessar]

The OPs micro is a long way from the batteries in the stern "State Room" .
i would sell it & have a 240v jobbie + pure sine wave inverter for the time when away from base

wot I said! got £120 for the 12v one on ebay - it went into a lorry.

 

[sailorman]

wot I said! got £120 for the 12v one on ebay - it went into a lorry.

we fitted a mw 8 yrs ago. i went for the 240v & later fitted an inverter. what ever way (12 or 240) one has to invert the supply & its cheaper with lighter cable runs the way i did it. also the inverter can be used to run other items, with the inverter within the mw you cant.
i fail to see why CL has the mw supply from the engine battery rather than her very large domestic bank

 

[CPD]

Mr Strenge Morgana had a mwave on his old boat - worth an ask but I would go with voltage drop/poor connections.

 

[Elessar]

we fitted a mw 8 yrs ago. i went for the 240v & later fitted an inverter. what ever way (12 or 240) one has to invert the supply & its cheaper with lighter cable runs the way i did it. also the inverter can be used to run other items, with the inverter within the mw you cant.
i fail to see why CL has the mw supply from the engine battery rather than her very large domestic bank

agreed bit silly - somone not wanting high current draw on the domestics i guess

 

[Gordonmc]

I have a small MW that runs on 240 AC and 12 V.
However, on 12 V it is hopeless unless I use the croc clip cables supplied, straight onto a battery.
It works with a cigar lighter plug but is extremely slow. Ok to heat a cuppa, but painful for anything else.
On AC and off the battery its fine for MRE and fish.

 

[ChattingLil]

stupid thing is that I have not really used a microwave before anyway and after a year of living on board I certainly haven't missed this one working! But it does take up space and I might as well have something in the space that works. I might become a convert!

 

[sailorman]

stupid thing is that I have not really used a microwave before anyway and after a year of living on board I certainly haven't missed this one working! But it does take up space and I might as well have something in the space that works. I might become a convert!

we bulk cook at home & freeze it.
then bring frozen meals down, this gets the fridge cold faster & nuke the meals as req.
you can also get microwave beds, some swear by them
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v you get 8 hrs sleep in 5 minutes :encouragement: