Odd thing happening.

[2chiefsRus]

This Light

I have a motion detector light that operates on 3 AA batteries that I put in the cabinet over the drivers seat. Every time I run the microwave, the light comes on. The cabinet door is closed but I can see a sliver of light on the ceiling above the cabinet. Makes me wonder what that microwave is putting out into the air. Not really looking for an answer just thought it was odd.

[GenoB]

I worked in the electronic security business for over 40 years. There are several types of motion detectors
a) PIR - Passive Infrared going into alarm when a heat source makes a sudden change in front of it. Microwave energy can set it off by saturation to the circuit board if close enough. Also vibration on the surface it is mounted on can set it off as well
b) Microwave - Goes into alarm when a solid object moves in front of it disturbing the received microwave energy. Another microwave source close by could set it off
c) Ultrasonic - Sound waves bounce off of objects and it looks for a shift in the received sound waves when a person walks in front. This is not used much anymore because all kinds of factors would set them off. Not sure if microwaves would interfere with these
* If your leaking that much microwave to set off a motion detector inside a nearby cabinet you need to look into this right away ... Try putting a piece of tin foil on the inside of the door and see if the microwave still sets if off, bet it doesn't .. that would indicate the microwave is leaking all over the place
*** Referaing to the piece of tin foil on the door, I MEANT THE WOODEN DOOR WHERE THE MOTON SENSOR IS, NOT THE MICROWAVE DOOR

[Ed_Gee]

What JKWilson said.....

[K_and_I]

If I remember correctly, those "motion" detectors sense a change in temperature. Could the microwave be venting some heat into that cabinet?

[Thunder_Mountai]

Could it be sensing the turntable going around? Try turning it off and see what happens.

[jkwilson]

PIR detectors will trigger in the presence of RF, and all microwaves leak a little. We used to have to lock-out the power in the break room at work to perform tests at the other end of the building.

[gbopp]

Wear a baseball cap lined with aluminum foil, you'll be fine. 🙂

[midnightsadie]

could it be its just feeling the vibration of the microwave?

[pnichols]

bob213 wrote:
Would not surprise me. We have an Amazon smart plug that loses it's wifi connection when the microwave is on and my laptop looses it's internet connection as well. They all operate on the same (or close to) frequency so the microwave must leak enough to disrupt the signal. Maybe your light is interpreting the wave as movement.

It may be possible to stop your interference:

If your WiFi router and laptop can operate on the 5 GHz WiFi band instead of the common (and often default band when you get them) 2.4 GHz WiFi band ... then switch your router and laptop over to the 5 GHz WiFi band.

The 2.4 GHz WiFi band is used by a lot of inhome WiFi "gadgets", so get off this band as much as you can for any and all WiFi equipment in your home - if your equipment and router are new enough to have 5 GHz capability.

[bob213]

Would not surprise me. We have an Amazon smart plug that loses it's wifi connection when the microwave is on and my laptop looses it's internet connection as well. They all operate on the same (or close to) frequency so the microwave must leak enough to disrupt the signal. Maybe your light is interpreting the wave as movement.

[naturist]

Probably enough RF leakage to mess with its circuitry.

[DFord]

Take your pick of these Microwave Leakage Detectors:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=microwave+detector&i=tools&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

See if your microwave is leaking any hazardous levels.

[Lwiddis]

Breathe deeply. You’ll live forever. Glow in the dark. Be the marvel of your community.

[BFL13]

Zap! You're sterile! 😞