Do I need a Convection Microwave ?

[Cannuck]

Our Roadtrek Zion didn’t offer a convection oven option - only a microwave. We use the BBQ as an oven substitute but it’s not the greatest. We took the lithium battery package. I suggest you consider it for whatever van you get. We almost never camp with services. I dislike RV parks and greatly prefer primitive camping. The batteries let you do it. Generators are truly hated. If you go the generator route, consider buying a Honda generator separately. They are whisper quiet and reliable. The Onan units that come included with RVs are loud as hell - you will hate yourself while it’s running.

I understand that Winnebago have a 48 V battery system. Read up on it in this forum.

We looked at the Winnie units and found the Zion layout to better suit. The above counter height fridge remains a huge winner. The DC only fridge works so much better than a 3-way we’re totally sold. I like being able to see through the coach while driving. Many have said you use side mirrors and all is good. Side mirrors don’t show what’s coming up behind you. We’ve driven through our share of big city traffic and the extra visibility of a rear view mirror made me a lot more comfortable.

If I had any advice for new RVers, it would be to keep the length in the 20 foot or less region. Any longer and those hard to get parking locations will span into impossible at every turn. We can still park in a standard parking space and it’s worth a million bucks to us at least. If we didn’t care about length we’d have stayed with trailers.

Good luck and enjoy!

[RICK & NICOLE]

Originally Posted by Cannuck

Our Roadtrek Zion didn’t offer a convection oven option - only a microwave. We use the BBQ as an oven substitute but it’s not the greatest. We took the lithium battery package. I suggest you consider it for whatever van you get. We almost never camp with services. I dislike RV parks and greatly prefer primitive camping. The batteries let you do it. Generators are truly hated. If you go the generator route, consider buying a Honda generator separately. They are whisper quiet and reliable. The Onan units that come included with RVs are loud as hell - you will hate yourself while it’s running.

I understand that Winnebago have a 48 V battery system. Read up on it in this forum.

We looked at the Winnie units and found the Zion layout to better suit. The above counter height fridge remains a huge winner. The DC only fridge works so much better than a 3-way we’re totally sold. I like being able to see through the coach while driving. Many have said you use side mirrors and all is good. Side mirrors don’t show what’s coming up behind you. We’ve driven through our share of big city traffic and the extra visibility of a rear view mirror made me a lot more comfortable.

If I had any advice for new RVers, it would be to keep the length in the 20 foot or less region. Any longer and those hard to get parking locations will span into impossible at every turn. We can still park in a standard parking space and it’s worth a million bucks to us at least. If we didn’t care about length we’d have stayed with trailers.

Good luck and enjoy!

Thanks, We are leaning to the under 20 foot if possible, Looking at a Carado Banff tomorrow just to check it out, compare to Winnie 59K that the dealership nearby has, they will give me a fairly good price on a 2019 59k (sub $80k), but it doesn't have the lithium of course, and I am leaning very far away from using a gen. due to the sound.

We don't mind doing the "entry level' class B, we feel very confident that we can replace / upgrade some things as time goes by to make it work for us, as long as it has a doable start.

That being said, the Banff only has a regular microwave and a small fridge , but does have 200w of solar, 2000w inverter and 400ah of lithium. So not a bad starter.

After the Banff, next on our list might be some Pleasure Ways and Roadtreks.

[AnFear]

Originally Posted by BBQ

Don't do this! If you use one of these use it outside!
I use both the oven and the burner and it allows me to cook things I otherwise would't be able to but it kind of a hassle so I don't do it often. Not sure how well it would work for actual baking. I don't think the temperature control would be adequate. IDK I don't bake. I use it for meatloaf, stuffed peppers etc.

[Knit]

We use the convection feature every other trip or so and find it nice to have. But after 4+ years of not using the TV we removed it to reduce clutter and some squeaks. We use our tablets to watch movies and the occasional sporting event via streaming on Att mostly.

[archeogal2]

We had a microwave/convection in a past RV (Born Free 2000), but our current RV (Great West Van on Promaster 2015) came with only a microwave. I used it occasionally, but I do bake, and when I want it, I really want it, especially when on one of our 5-6 month trips. So, we would like to replace our current microwave with a micro/convection combo unit. I'm soliciting brandnames of such that people have had good luck with, and which are not prone to problems using power from a modified sine wave inverter. Our current microwave often shuts itself down due to such interference. Also, don't know if the combo unit will fit in the cubby where the current microwave is, with only a 11 1/2" x 19 1/2" space.


Thanks for any input.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by archeogal2

We had a microwave/convection in a past RV (Born Free 2000), but our current RV (Great West Van on Promaster 2015) came with only a microwave. I used it occasionally, but I do bake, and when I want it, I really want it, especially when on one of our 5-6 month trips. So, we would like to replace our current microwave with a micro/convection combo unit. I'm soliciting brandnames of such that people have had good luck with, and which are not prone to problems using power from a modified sine wave inverter. Our current microwave often shuts itself down due to such interference. Also, don't know if the combo unit will fit in the cubby where the current microwave is, with only a 11 1/2" x 19 1/2" space.


Thanks for any input.

Great West provided a modified sine wave inverter in 2015? I don't think microwaves are very happy with MSW inverters. Combination microwave/convection ovens are typically larger than microwave only units.

In any event, a typical coach battery will provide sufficient power to an inverter for microwave operation but a convection oven involves a high demand for both the load requirement and the duration convection oven cooking involves.

[booster]

Convection ovens typically also need considerably more clearance around them so you don't melt or burn the cabinets, especially the plastic wood veneer which melts really easily.


A microwave pulls about 100 amps or so depending on the voltage, so you need a pretty big battery bank to run very long. Wet cells don't deliver as many amps so they cans struggle if they are discharged very far.


Baking can take a long time compared to microwaving, so it could take a lot of battery power to run that long, unless you had the van engine running.


Even if you can get the micro or oven to run on a modified sine wave inverter, it will likely be low on power by something like 20%, from what I have read. IMO, pure sine wave is well worth the extra cost.

[JohnnyFry]

In my estimation it all has to do with your style of travel. Some people never even use the 2 burner propane stove, either eating cold food or dining out. To each his own: I have no quibble with anyones personal program. That said, a convection microwave offers a lot of possibilities, especially when in a campground with hook-ups. We don't normally use ours when boondocking...we don't usually use the microwave either, preferring to use the coffeemaker and toaster on the inverter. if we do want something involving the convection/microwave we can always crank up the gennie. We also use a Crockpot® on the inverter when we are moving...hot dinner upon arrival.

[Cannuck]

Originally Posted by BBQ

My wife and I also really miss having an oven while in the RV. Our van also came with a microwave only. I've been watching the Carey On Vagabond couple use this Coleman oven with great results. Pan through their YouTube videos to see how they modified it to work better - they added a stone in the bottom and a welding blanket surround to stabilize the temp and prevent breezes from blowing it out. We are thinking seriously about getting one. It stows away in a really small package.

[BBQ]

.

With a convection oven, you can bake inside on a rainy day. It will heat up the interior a bit, but you don't have to go outside.

With a camp stove oven, you do the baking outside and keep the RV cool. But you won't want to do that on a rainy day. And you have to keep a watch on the fire.


I like the camp stove oven. It brings me back to the good old happy days.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

All depends on the weather situation.... doesn't it??