microwave? How many watts is too many

900 Ok. You only use it for a couple of minutes. Keep the engine idle up while runing and you should be fine.

 

Typically you need to stay in the 600-700 watt range. Unless you have a 3.5 kilowatt generator. Most inverters will burn up if larger. Sometimes you may be cooking for 15 minutes or more non stop.

 

It will depend on the size of your inverter, but a 700W should do whatever you need to do. You may need to cook things a slight bit longer for instructions that call for 1000W, but it has not been a problem for me. As others have said, run the main engine while the microwave is on, better yet at high idle. Unless you have an APU that makes AC. The TriPac with the puny 65amp alternator will not support it, and you will shorten your battery life if you don't run the main engine.

 

were running a 900 watt microwave with a 1500 watt inverter and have had no problems even with 15 minute cook times, just leave your truck running while using it.

 

I would get the 700 watt. Start up wattage will jump up an extra 500 watts for a second or two.

You have to consider if you have a fridge and TV hooked up with it.

If you are going to make a career out of OTR, invest in a 2500 watt inverter.