Ok, this is becoming an ongoing issue. As mentioned in other posts, I installed an Promariner 2000 watt PS inverter last year with a new battery bank. We run the outlets on the boat through the inverter, which includes the circuit for the microwave. That may or may not have anything to do with the problem.

We are having a problem with what I would call an amperage surge with the microwave. When we have the microwave on for more than a couple of minutes, the amps surge from 14 amps to over 30 and if it is on shore power, the microwave breaker cuts it off. When we were on generator (Kohler 7.3e) power for the 4th, we had the two AC’s (original equipment) on and started heating food up to serve. Two minutes into cooking, the generator started laboring, the microwave light dimmed, and shortly after the generator quit. We waited twenty minutes, tried again with one AC on and started heating food again, and the generator was surging (laboring) again, so we cut it off.

I have noticed when at anchor, when I start the gennie, the amperage on the battery charger side of the panel goes up to close to 20 amps until the new bank is “assessed” and then drops down gradually as the batteries receive the first step charge. This may have happened on the second generator start try. The first time the generator had been running for about three hours when it started struggling with the AC and microwave load.

I said all of that to ask this. Based upon the description, do you guys think it is the wiring or outlet to the microwave, or the microwave itself? The microwave is supposed to pull 14 amps and is the old Kenmore with the side coffee pot (which we don’t use). It is a 1200 watt generator that is original to 2006. Any help or thoughts would really be appreciated!