Date:         Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:08:15 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: microwave oven
Comments: To: Paul and Catherine Lemiuex <catherinelemiuex@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <7675045B-4679-463B-B544-087D8B7BFE06@GMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 08:42 PM 9/9/2010  -0700, Paul and Catherine Lemiuex wrote:
>We need to install a microwave oven in order to sterilize medical
>supplies so we can continue camping in our 1990 Westy.   Having
>trouble finding a microwave that will work with a second battery and
>inverter.  Does anyone have any experience, suggestions or comments?

Running a microwave from Vanagon batteries would be tough.  This
small 600-watt oven, for example
http://www.haieramerica.com/en/product/MWM6600RW uses 950 watts of
power.  That means give or take one hundred amperes out of your
battery, and to support that kind of draw you should have 300 (for
AGM or gel batteries) or 400 (for conventional batteries) amp-hours
of battery capacity so as not to damage the batteries from too fast a
discharge.

I think you'd be much better off looking into a steam sterilizer that
you can run off the stove.  IIRC the stove burners are rated at 5600
BTU/hr each, which is the same or slightly larger than a regular
stove burner.  A full propane tank should give you in the area of 48
hours burning time for one burner.

Here's a ten-quart one at a not-too-outrageous price:
http://www.amazon.com/All-American-9-5-Quart-Pressure-Sterilizer/dp/B000S8G1TS

Yours,
DAvid