Sleeping in MG4 [merged thread]

[Archev]

This pan was bought in Ikea several years ago and if it ever had any packaging it's long gone!

If the magnet sticks it should be fine. I don’t use a kettle any more. No point using my electric one as the induction hob is too handy. The whistling kettle was fine on the hob for my wife and I but I just use a small saucepan and that’s what I take with the camp gas stove along with a small fry pan.

 

[Rolfe]

I have a couple of small frying pans too (another thing duplicated by the house merge - identical sets of three different-sized frying pans). Still going with the electric kettle though!

 

[tsedge]

So do you think I'd best not risk plugging this microwave into the car?

I'd probably not do it. I very much doubt it would do any damage but if it did, I'd never forgive myself.

 

[decrep]

yes, I wouldn't want spikes going back into my inverter

 

[Archev]

yes, I wouldn't want spikes going back into my inverter

Yes perhaps a bit better to stay on the cautious side with all the electronic wizardry behind the car’s ability to have a socket (and that’s not just because I’m jealous of that socket’s very existence ?)
Look on the bright side. It would be so much easier to store an induction hob than a microwave whilst in travel mode. Then there’s the clincher for me - lifting the microwave in and out of the car when preparing for the next escape.

 

[Coulomb]

[ Re: non-inverter microwave. ] It says it draws 1 kW, so even if it spiked to three times that, the VtL should still cope, no?

I don't know about transformers, but I suspect that their in-rush current could well be more than 3x the continuous power. Motors for example are usually 5x to 7x.

 

[decrep]

There maybe a difference, between plugging into the mains and the car.
The mains connection could start at any point in the cycle. If that's at the cycle peak there will be a big surge.
However I think with the VTL you plug it in, then start the car's inverter,
It's only my imagination, but I assume this will start at 0. If that's the case any surge should be minimal.
It needs investigation to find out for sure.

 

[L33th4ll]

Could you not use a extension lead with a rcd plug that way if anything went wrong the rcd would trip

 

[Rolfe]

I'm conscious that @Archev is right about the weight of the microwave and having to keep lifting it in and out of the passenger footwell. Also that it's quite a weight for my rather flimsy folding table to bear. I'm just cogitating about whether it's worth an experiment to see if it could work, so I'd know it was an option, or whether it's too risky even to try it and I should settle for an induction hob (which gives access to the much cheaper pre-packaged camping meals) and like it.

I am also thinking about lifting something considerably heavier into and out of the car, which is a completely different story.

 

[Rolfe]

Derail about electric bikes split to its own thread in Community Chat.

Lightweight e-bikes, capabilities and transport

Split from the thread in the MG4 forum about sleeping in the MG4. Derail (caused by me!) split to its own thread. The completely different story is that I have just ordered this. I decided it was the e-bike I wanted after seeing a rewiew of it on the Fully Charged Show, and after trying out...

www.mgevs.com

 

[Archev]

I'm conscious that @Archev is right about the weight of the microwave and having to keep lifting it in and out of the passenger footwell. Also that it's quite a weight for my rather flimsy folding table to bear. I'm just cogitating about whether it's worth an experiment to see if it could work, so I'd know it was an option, or whether it's too risky even to try it and I should settle for an induction hob (which gives access to the much cheaper pre-packaged camping meals) and like it.

I am also thinking about lifting something considerably heavier into and out of the car, which is a completely different story.

IKEA have a couple advertised which seem to have good reviews. One of them “Tillreda” is even spoken about being used out of doors. And it’s advertised at £45.
I might just drop in and have a wee nosey.

 

[Rolfe]

This was the one I was looking at.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daewoo-SDA1805-Hob-Black/dp/B07W7YZXR6/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=161101491317&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Dhx5-TXOTVIQyfiwPMuxFe1lmoI-fMvcLa29Pb7pGMMOF1waI8I-C-JncZgTnEV7beLUvuE0MzMDm0VwuANN72ZbnsllIT9OKtZ4LHkCpT3d1s-hbEi65ZSduRDodo3nWSVCiDgmM6kBI3HhKXtoVWPFaD273PNN4bILLpj3uRmv3QW0zhWDEhC1hHA0VAFkZV3Ofk3XBczdJ5JBAcrkEvNQHuaBYGYJqy5cCaH2ISo.cU308RE0aCV-vp65eYk2j83ZcFoo7Sj0_YYaRh2zLh0&dib_tag=se&gad_source=1&hvadid=696594902820&hvdev=c&hvexpln=69&hvlocphy=9192938&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=5117261044270028723--&hvqmt=b&hvrand=5117261044270028723&hvtargid=kwd-304272094933&hydadcr=18484_2257272&keywords=induction+portable+hob&qid=1728083963&sr=8-1

Though having a nosey around Ikea is definitely an idea. I want a single melamine plate, and I thought that might be the place to get one.

 

[T1 Terry]

I'd probably not do it. I very much doubt it would do any damage but if it did, I'd never forgive myself.

We use the microwave in our motorhome with the Victron inverter and 12V batteries. If you can find an inverter model that only uses as much power as you select, like 50% is half power rather than full power for 50% of the time, it is a lot easier on the batteries and inverter, but we just opted for the standard type because we have a big battery pack ..... or will have, 800Ah 12V of sodium ion ....

T1 Terry

 

[Rolfe]

Terry, I'm only wondering if the small microwave I already have would be safe to use with the VtL. I'm not going out and buying another one! If I'm buying anything, it will be an induction hob.

 

[T1 Terry]

What power rating is your microwave? A small one over this way is 750W, roughly double it to get the power draw when running at full power, so 1500W. I believe the V2L is rated at 2400W or 10 amps @ 240Vac.
There are power boards with surge protectors, but I think they are more to protect from an incoming power surge, but a low wattage filament light globe plugged into the power board the same time as the microwave is running will absorb any spike running back out of the microwave. Unplug the microwave when you aren't using it to save power and there is no need to run the filament light globe either because they can be a bit energy hungry as well.
Power surges or voltage spikes coming back out of a microwave will only occur if the capacitor is failing or something seriously goes wrong with the magnetron .... the part that hums to form the microwaves that do the heating .... or because they have forgotten the words

Just did a quick Google search and the V2L on an MG4 is 2.2kW but they also claim it is 240Vac ..... I expect it is only 220Vac and that is where the 2.2kW or 2200W comes from .......
Be very careful using an induction cooktop as far as the power demand. Single burner units are mostly the on/off type power control, much like the microwave, that on surge will likely be the full 10 amps, so the inverter running at full output, they do have a peak output of an additional 50%, so 3400W, but it is very short term, like the blink of an eye, only inverters with big transformers can handle an extended over current demand, some, like the Victron, around 20 mins, but they are big serious sized inverters, not the electronic capacitor switching smaller light weight units, it is not worth even factoring in their over current capabilities because it is for such a short time .....

T1 Terry

 

[Rolfe]

Microwave. Rated as 600 watts, apparently draws 1 kW.

Maybe I should just stick with the electric kettle and pot noodles. The car has no problem with a full-fat 3 kW electric kettle, that I do know.

I can try various methods of getting the bike in the car once I actually have the thing.

 

[T1 Terry]

Microwave. Rated as 600 watts, apparently draws 1 kw.

View attachment 31095

Maybe I should just stick with the electric kettle and pot noodles. The car has no problem with a full-fat 3 kw electric kettle, that I do know.

I can try various methods of getting the bike in the car once I actually have the thing.

I don't know why this didn't go through last night ..... maybe I didn't wait to see if it was actually submitted

Ummm.... are you sure about the electric kettle being 3 kW, the biggest over this side is 2400W because that is the limit our power points are designed to handle, but it might be different over your side of the planet :lol:

That microwave will be fine with the V2L, a very handy size and power consumption for travelling.

T1 Terry

 

[Rolfe]

I don't know why this didn't go through last night ..... maybe I didn't wait to see if it was actually submitted

Ummm.... are you sure about the electric kettle being 3 Kw, the biggest over this side is 2400w because that is the limit our power points are designed to handle, but it might be different over your side of the planet :lol:

That microwave will be fine with the V2L, a very handy size and power consumption for travelling.

T1 Terry

I checked. The kettle says 2750 to 3000 watts on the base. As far as I know 3 kW is standard here. I plugged it into the VtL without a thought and it was fine. Not only that, I used an old element kettle the first time I went out, accidentally turned it on with no water in it (when I was using the VtL to deflate the airbed and both were plugged in), its safety cutoff didn't trip, I was alerted by the appalling stench, quickly turned everything off, and after washing out and cooling the kettle both it and the car were entirely undamaged.

Are you sure about the microwave? I'd heard so many doubts I was getting scared even to test it on the VtL. There's still the issue that its size and weight aren't negligible, but microwave meal capability is tempting.

 

[T1 Terry]

If the microwave is damaged, it will humm a lot more than usual and there may even be sparks if the capacitor is damaged ..... these are the only two things that will send a spike back down the supply cable to the inverter .... if you add the low wattage filament type 240vac light to the same power board as the microwave is powered from, any voltage spike will be absorbed by the filament light globe .... it will get a sudden bright moment, but it would be over so fast you wouldn't be certain you actually saw it.
Most of the stories on the interweb are about power spikes in the supply damaging the microwave or its electronics, inverters don't suffer those problems .... well unless it gets struck by lightening .... then a problem with either the microwave or inverter will be the least of your problems

If you add an RVD (residual voltage device) in the supply from the inverter, it will cut the supply if it senses any voltage on the earth circuit, so fast you won't even know it happened.
An RCD (residual current device) requires one leg of the AC output to be tied to the earth cable after the inverter, it works by sensing an out of balance between the current sensed on the active and the current sensed on the neutral, then it trips.
Most inverters do not have the earth and one line from the active joined. This is called a floating system, with neither output leg tied to the earth leg, there is no neutral, only line 1 and line 2, if you get tangled up across those two, you become an appliance and you will be powered up to the max ability of the inverter.

The contact over this side is Residual Voltage Technology - Residual Voltage Technology .... no idea who over your side produces or markets them.

T1 Terry

 

[T1 Terry]

I checked. The kettle says 2750 to 3000 watts on the base. As far as I know 3 kW is standard here. I plugged it into the VtL without a thought and it was fine. Not only that, I used an old element kettle the first time I went out, accidentally turned it on with no water in it (when I was using the VtL to deflate the airbed and both were plugged in), its safety cutoff didn't trip, I was alerted by the appalling stench, quickly turned everything off, and after washing out and cooling the kettle both it and the car were entirely undamaged.

Are you sure about the microwave? I'd heard so many doubts I was getting scared even to test it on the VtL. There's still the issue that its size and weight aren't negligible, but microwave meal capability is tempting.

We have an air fryer .... not that we are into fried air, but more into quick and easy meals. Even if you don't have refrigeration available, buy frozen, wrap in newspaper and with a few frozen "cold bricks" on top in an "Esky bag" (insulated keep cold bag) then a bubble wrap blanket on top, you can store stuff you want to remain cool but not frozen on top, the newspaper wrapped goodies will last up to three days in an Aust summer as long as it's not in the direct sun or locked up in a car being turned into a pressure cooker in the summer sun .... kids and pets can die in minutes in a locked up car in summer over here .... it is a jailable offence to do it, the law takes it that seriously.

Back to the air fryer, it will defrost and cook anything in a fraction of the time it takes a convection/grill microwave combo unit can .... they come in small, medium and large ..... with an XXXL size that we like, because you can fit a frying pan (with the handle removed) in the basket and cook portions of lasagna, sausages, pies, pork ribs, an omelette and a host of other stuff .... all you need is a power supply, and the V2L provides that ....

T1 Terry