Microwave not working

Way off topic but I'm sure someone on here will have had this problem. All looks normal, light on, turntable spinning around etc but it's not cooking. Is this a fixable problem or do I need a new microwave? It's a few years old and has been working perfectly until this week. TIA

The microwave has a part called a magnetron that makes the micro-waves that heats the food.

If everything else is working, but it's not heating, then it's likely one of three things that are dead, the high voltage transformer, the magnetron or the high voltage fuse that feeds it.

Considering the cost it may be easier to it into a postbox or nesting box for the chooks and buy a new one.

They also contain some high voltage capacitors, can be a bit dangerous for a novice to poke around in.

I would say keep the light bulb as a spare for your new one, but that is about it. Unless it was something really special, such as a specific size built into a kitchen unit not likely to be worthwhile to pay someone to fix it.

There are people in this area who take whiteware for free, so you would not necessarily pay to dispose of it if you can track down the same where you are.

Thanks guys. Sounds like it's time to go shopping I hate it that so many appliances now have such a short lifespan and then in most cases end up in a landfill.

hilldweller;501063 wrote: ...I hate it that so many appliances now have such a short lifespan and then in most cases end up in a landfill.

I share that feeling very strongly!

We don't have a microwave at all, to most people's surprise. Things thaw well when hung on the washing line (in bags, of course, not steaks pegged out [:0]) or sitting on a cooling rack out in the shade in the breeze - containers of frozen milk at this time of year - so the air can get to all surfaces. For heating things get slowly steamed if they can't be cooked on the stove-top, or the oven gets used as it has always been.

I can see how a microwave could become an assumed necessity, but ... I just don't like that whizzy energy and what it supposedly does to them food molecules.

Don't chuck it out yet! we had that go wrong with ours about 2 years ago and we found local electrical shop that fixed it for about $36 and it's still going strong.

We don't use it for cooking but for reheating and melting stuff - wouldn't be without one.

I dislike the throw away society we live in too, such a shame really.

in saying all that, I realised our sunb**m toaster that we got for our wedding is still going strong. thats 10+ years of happy toasting!

My bedside clock was given to me by my grandmother 31 years ago. Still going strong.

Hi hilldweller,

Sounds like you've got a serious lack of microwave energy. The probably may be very cheap and easy to fix, or it may cost more than it is worth. Unless you know what you are doing with electricity, you probably won't be able to tell unless you get someone who knows what they are doing to look at it.

The electrics inside of a microwave oven are quite dangerous and easily deadly. There is about 2000 Volts AC in there (and about 4000 V DC pulsed 50 times per second if the voltage doubler that feeds the magnetron is working correctly) - this is definitely not like an electric fence, as this is low a impedance supply and it grabs you and holds on to you until you are dead or someone else turns the power off (and by the time that happens you may dead anyway). There is also capacitor that in some cases can store a strong charge for some time after the microwave has been turned off and unplugged [xx(]

If you know about electricity, but not about microwave ovens, you might find this interesting:
www.repairfaq.org/sam/micfaq.htm
I'll repeat it again, the circuits inside your microwave are dangerous and can easily kill!

Quoting from that link:
Careless troubleshooting of a microwave oven can result in death or worse. Experienced technicians have met their maker as a result of a momentary lapse of judgement while testing an oven with the cover removed. Microwave ovens are without a doubt, the most deadly type of consumer electronic equipment in wide spread use. The power supplies for even the smallest microwave ovens operate at extremely lethal voltage and current levels. Do not attempt to troubleshoot, repair, or modify such equipment without understanding and following ALL of the relevant safety guidelines for high voltage and/or line connected electrical and electronic systems.

Cheers

Our microwave recently spat sparks and stopped working. I was there at the time so shut it off immediately but it wouldn't start again. The area that is like a little insert on one wall was very scorched. I took it to the repair place and was told it could be the magnetron, in which case it was shot. He asked what I had in it at the time and when I replied butter he said it is the worst possible thing to heat uncovered because it spits. Its one of the few things I have never covered and have no instructions which say to cover it. Anyway he checked it out and put a new cover on that piece (its where the 'gun' shoots out the microwaves) and its fine. All for $65. I'm telling this story so that those who are like me now know to cover butter (and evrything else!)

Im with Ruth on this one! I don't use microwave ovens any more and don't like what they do to the food molecules.
Russia has banned the microwave oven because of the damage it does to food molecules. It even changes water molecule make up.

Reheating/ melting / defrosting food without a microwave is fairly simple. The almost forgotten steaming tray/pot/basket is real handy for adding heat to food.

Belle Bosse;501370 wrote: Russia has banned the microwave oven because of the damage it does to food molecules.

Russia banning microwave ovens appears to be an urban legend;
First-Hand:There Was No Ban on Microwave Ovens in the USSR
www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/First-Han...ve_Ovens_in_the_USSR

IEEE is a reputable electrical engineering association - I believe it when they say that the USSR never banned microwaves.

On the other hand, using a microwave is a bad way to defrost colostrum (probably because it unevenly heats the colostrum - cooking part of it in process).

Cheers

hilldweller;501063 wrote: Thanks guys. Sounds like it's time to go shopping I hate it that so many appliances now have such a short lifespan and then in most cases end up in a landfill.

Metal buyers will pay something for these and other metals, (don't sell to an agent) Our bowling club has raises over $3000 in the last year from "stuff" lying around members yards including Microwaves.

"Careless troubleshooting of a microwave oven can result in death or worse". Quote in Spark's comments.

Not sure what is worse than death!

Muz1;501528 wrote: "Careless troubleshooting of a microwave oven can result in death or worse". Quote in Spark's comments.

Not sure what is worse than death!

being fatally killed as I read in a newspaper once. I did wonder how you could be killed other than fatally.