Microwave help

Last month mine would not function anymore, decided to have it serviced but before took it off and checked inside. And yes, just a fuse to change :) Saved me some $ .

Thanks for all the comments. I am very much aware of the danger that lurks within but it is never a bad idea to be reminded. I hope to pull it out this weekend and take a look. There has been no power to it for 2 weeks so the danger will be minimal. Hoping it is something simple like the fan plug came loose, if not something quick and easy I'm going shopping.

I took apart a microwave recently and found out it could not be repaired. That's just how it goes sometimes.

But,,,, I did see a big Capacitor inside of it !! Capacitors have the ability yo hold a lot of power and deliver it on one big jolt !!

If you don't know your way around the inside of devices like this then I would recommend you don't try. No use hurting yourself over a fairly cheap applaiance.

The ambulance ride would cost you a heck of a lot more then a new microwave.

( I don't know if it would kill you but, it would shock the heck out of you. And of you are older it would be bad for your hart and stuff. )

We had the fan quit in our RV's microwave.

I removed it and took it to an appliance repair place.

Whatever they did fixed the problem and cost $40.

YMMV

To be more clear, I removed and took the whole microwave, I did not fool around inside it.

There really is only one or two expensive parts in a Microwave

The Magnatron tube
The Power transformer

Working on them is easy, BUT I do have one (or two) caution(s)....

Some of the metal parts have very sharp edges, Be careful when removing covers and such that you do not cut yoruself on them.

(UNPLUG before doing anything)

MFL wrote:
I bought a new microwave for my S&B a couple months ago. The light bulb quit working, about 6 weeks from day of purchase. It looked to be hard to replace, so wife called the manufacturer for replacement instructions. They took our info, and serial# from unit. They said don't take it apart, we'll send you a new microwave. Yep, 3 days later a new one was delivered to our door, free of charge.

Jerry

hmmm...

A while back I replaced the internal ceramic fuse in my Sharp Carousel R820BK (microwave/grill/convection). I posted about in in the DYI section. The bulb was sitting there right on top - with a reflector on it. For my microwave, replacing the bulb isn't a problem. It's the process of removing the microwave from the cabinet and reinstalling it afterwards that is a total PITA.

If fan is inoperable, chances are it is the fan's power circuit and not the fan. The fans are built to run 1000's of hours. Good luck fixing the fan.

I bought a new microwave for my S&B a couple months ago. The light bulb quit working, about 6 weeks from day of purchase. It looked to be hard to replace, so wife called the manufacturer for replacement instructions. They took our info, and serial# from unit. They said don't take it apart, we'll send you a new microwave. Yep, 3 days later a new one was delivered to our door, free of charge.

Jerry

If you don't know about the dangers of microwave ovens, do a little bit of research before opening it up. They can be among the most dangerous appliances to work on due to the high voltage power supply, which is capable of producing a substantial fraction of an amp at a few thousand volts. It's a very definite electrocution hazard if proper precautions and care are not exercised, and (particularly if the circuitry is malfunctioning) can carry a dangerous charge even when not powered up.

Having said that, it's certainly possible to be safe and sometimes to repair microwave ovens. Whether it's economical these days is a rather different matter, but that depends on what the problem is. A nonworking fan might be something as simple as a mechanical binding or buildup of crud.

rockhillmanor wrote:
Microwaves are a throw away item nowadays. It really does not pay to try and 'fix' anything on them. IMHO I would not even try it for safety reasons even if you could even find repair parts for it.

They are so dirt cheap now you can probably pick up a new one with more options on it than the one you have and for less than the part would cost to fix it. :C

I agree but I can't pitch it until I try.:B I pretty much put the cap on my repair expense at about twenty bucks.