Welcome, from Sunny Phoenix AZ

[HaldorEE]

New member.

My background: I am 60+, male and an electrical engineer by profession. my hobbies include: dual sport motorcycle riding, camping, shooting and astronomy.

I am primarily interested in solar for RV applications. I just bought an Ford E-350 van that I am going to be converting into a camper van and I plan on installing a solar power system. The van will be used for trips and weekend use, not full time living.

I would love to build a DIY power system, but the heat here in Phoenix just cooks batteries and leaving a battery pack permanently installed in the vehicle just seems like a bad idea. Typical temperature inside an unoccupied car in the summer here is between 160 to 180 degrees. Starter batteries typically die after 2 to 3 years of use and I bet any battery left inside the cab is not going to last that long.

My current thinking is to use a Delta 1300 Power Station for the battery, inverter and solar charger. I would carry this inside the air conditioned house when the van is not in use. I would actually rather get a 2400 WH Bluetti, but its 1000W AC output power limit makes me concerned I won't be able to run a microwave oven which is one of the primary reasons I want to have AC power in the van.

I am willing to be convinced if anyone has a microwave oven suggestion that is able to comfortably operate from a Bluetti or better yet, directly from DC battery voltage.

I will also be installing a small DC powered compressor refrigerator as well.

 

[MisterSandals]

concerned I won't be able to run a microwave oven

I think you are WILDLY overestimating the Delta and Bluetti "power stations".

How long are you hoping to run a microwave each day with one of these?

And how many watt hours does a small DC powered compressor refrigerator use in a day?

 

[HaldorEE]

I have seen 700W rated microwave ovens. These claim to operate on 1200W input power. This works out to 100 A from a 13V source. I estimate I will want to run the microwave for less than 20 minutes of per day which adds up to 500 WH.

Fridge will use 3A for 10 hours per day (400 WH).

I plan on having 400 W of solar panels.

2000 WH solar input, with 1300 WH useage per day (including lights).

I would prefer the battery capacity of the 2400 WH Bluetti over the Delta 1300. Problem is I doubt if I will be able to find a microwave I can operate from the 1000W inverter in the Bluetti. The Delta 1300 has a 1500 W inverter which should be just big enough (at least on paper) to operate a 700 W microwave oven.

 

[MisterSandals]

Okay, looks like you have a good grasp of the numbers.
400w of panels does not necessarily put out that much. Being active in getting them facing the sun early morning and late afternoon will help but its a real PITA.

FWIW, i tried to get my 1200w pure sine way Giandel inverter to power a 800w (cooking watts) microwave that listed 1100w on back panel. There is also some startup surge current but i could not tell how much. Inverter kicked into overload when starting microwave.

 

[HaldorEE]

I would much prefer a 2000W converter. I am also considering using seperate inverter and charge controller and carry just the batteries into the house.

I am temped to try an all in one power station and use it for other purposes if it proves to be too small.

I am hoping someone who has already tried this will chime in with "no problem" or "your nuts". I am also hoping to find a great mixrowave oven for solar power use.

I live in Phoenix AZ and we get more than our share of sunshine. I bet 5 hours of solid sunshine a day will be an easy thing to achieve.

 

[HaldorEE]

Okay, looks like you have a good grasp of the numbers.
400w of panels does not necessarily put out that much. Being active in getting them facing the sun early morning and late afternoon will help but its a real PITA.

FWIW, i tried to get my 1200w pure sine way Giandel inverter to power a 800w (cooking watts) microwave that listed 1100w on back panel. There is also some startup surge current but i could not tell how much. Inverter kicked into overload when starting microwave.

Yah, 1200 W inverter is just too small in my opinion. On paper (famous last words) a 1500W inverter should be big enough. I hope somebody who is doing this would chime in.

 

[MisterSandals]

Have you tried searching for "Bluetti" or "Delta 1300" on this forum? If you find someone with some experience you could send a kind note with your questions or point them to this thread.

 

[HaldorEE]

I will.

It may not be a practical solution for me. Hope to take advantage of other peoples experience.

 

[HaldorEE]

A Bluetti 2400 WH with a 1500 W inverter would be perfect (I think).

 

[Lessismore]

A microwave that should run off a 1000w inverter. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGTO1W...olid=1LZKU01YCVM7R&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[DASH]

I also live in Phoenix, and am experimenting with the use of solar. Original intention is to use the solar system when camping and perhaps later for a RV. I bought two 330 watt solar panels from Santan Solar, 1200 Watt pure sine wave Giandel Inverter, 40 AMP EPEVER Controller, 100 AMP AGM Battery, Cable, Connectors, Wiring, Circuit Breakers, Fuses etc. Slowly, I'm putting the thing together. The AGM battery is probably temporary until I go with Lithium. Would have been allot easier to go with a Bluetti, but I wanted to have something that will better fit my needs and is expandable, and I get to mix things up and experiment. I really do like the Bluetti, and may still get one (as I can just grab it and go), in addition to what I'm building. I've read allot of documentation and specifications concerning the components I'll be using, and am looking forward to see what the real world results I can expect from the system. Heat shouldn't be a factor, as I'll rig something so I can temporarily, move the batteries and perhaps other components out of the vehicle (maybe beneath the vehicle, and secure). Something that concerned me about the Bluetti, is the maximum amount of 12 volt current available. I think it's 9 amps which may limit what 12 volt accessories One can run. Also, each one of my solar panels could in theory. produce more then 10 amps which is the limit for the Bluetti.

 

[Lessismore]

My fridge (Alpicool 20) draws 4 amps and other than a couple lights and my tablet I don't run much else on DC. The AC is reserved for the microwave and air conditioner. Both are under 1KW but probably can't run them together. My last system had 14,400 WH of AGM batteries, 1200W of panels and a 5KW inverter. Power management wasn't an issue. Convenience does have it's limitations.

 

[kernel]

There are multitudes of dc powered microwave ovens, rv, tractor trailer and marine market is good to us.

this HTML class. Value is https://www.etrailer

Crappy link. Etrailer had them.

 

[kernel]

You could easily engineer your own system. It would be much better than most any plug-n-play toy box and can be arranged to fit the rv more suitably. Convienience is nice as long as you can be happy within the confines set by someone elses profit margin and markup on what is supplied.

Some of these things remind me of the "tool" section at the grocery store you can even get cute pastel green accents and little flowers on that one time use potting shovel if you shop really hard and since it cost as much or more than a real one you arent out much..... wait.

Engineer and then 'build what you want the first time laddie, dont buy twice!'

 

[HaldorEE]

There are multitudes of dc powered microwave ovens, rv, tractor trailer and marine market is good to us.

this HTML class. Value is https://www.etrailer

Crappy link. Etrailer had them.

I have only ever found one DC powered microwave oven and it is pretty sketchy with poor reviews. Online retailers have stopped carrying it which also does not bode well.

LoveToKnow - Live a Life You Love

Let us help you live a life you love. Find tools to help you have fun and make the most out of each and every day.

camping.lovetoknow.com

Power Hunt Dual Power (120VAC/12VDC) Portable Microwave Oven: Appliance Only – 12V Operation from Car Battery

Buy Power Hunt Dual Power (120VAC/12VDC) Portable Microwave Oven: Appliance Only – 12V Operation from Car Battery at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase decision!

www.amazon.com

I would much prefer to not have to run the microwave off the inverter (an 800W inverter would be plenty big enough without the microwave). I don't think what I am looking for exists however.

If I am going to be carrying batteries back and forth between the van and the house, I would just as soon have something like a Bluetti or a Delta 1300 that I can also use for backup power at the house or for tent camping.

 

[kernel]

Etrailer has a beautiful built in type, great selection. Quite a few.

 

[kernel]

It goes on for a while, i cannot post a link for some reason it gets abbreviated when pasted.

 

[HaldorEE]

A microwave that should run off a 1000w inverter. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGTO1W...olid=1LZKU01YCVM7R&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I have looked at that. Some of the reviews for this item on Amazon are horrendous.

Amazon.com: Customer reviews: COMMERCIAL CHEF 0.6 Cubic Foot Microwave with 6 Power Levels, Small Microwave with Grip Handle, 600W Countertop Microwave with 30 Minute Timer and Mechanical Dial Controls, Black

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for COMMERCIAL CHEF 0.6 Cubic Foot Microwave with 6 Power Levels, Small Microwave with Grip Handle, 600W Countertop Microwave with 30 Minute Timer and Mechanical Dial Controls, Black at Amazon.com. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from...

www.amazon.com

It is so cheap ($65) I might give it a try anyways and test it on my KilaWatt to verify power draw before I invest $1800 in a Bluetti 2400.

 

[kernel]

Ok those are ac..... i was wrong. Well they are out there. Yachting catalogs?

 

[Lessismore]

The one on Amazon is currently the only 600W microwave I am aware of. The Haier 600w microwave is discontinued. I had one for 6 years before I sold it, and I think it is still going. I don't know what the draw would be on a 700W. Lot of choices for those.