GE Microwave JVM1540DM3WW Everything but Heat

Is it necessarily true that all the microwaves leaving the magnetron are being focused in your bowl of water? Mikek

Those that miss the bowl bounce around until they're absorbed.

When I heat a cup of water - even in a glass cup, I have to put the cup in the corner just inside the door, with the handle tucked right into the corner - or the handle gets hot.

I picked up one or two blisters before I learned that lesson!

When I repaired microwaves for a living, I invariably got a few otherwise working but not fit for sale - I enthusiastically tested a few of these to destruction with things that shouldn't be put in the microwave.

Glass conducts electricity quite well when its hot enough to glow red.

Some ovens have a "pin-pivot" set of vanes hidden behind a low dielectric ceramic panel, the microwaves bouncing off the vanes pushes them round; thus causing a constantly varied angle of incidence for the waves to bounce around the compartment.

I've not seen this in years, or goofy stuff like temperate probes either.

Who really cooks a turkey in the microwave?

Mine has a spec sheet indicating input power of 1.25kW and 14.5A and output power of 70 to 700W in 10 steps, or 56% efficient as a whole. I'd hope new ones are slightly better than this. This thing also has a listed weight of 80 pounds which is without question, accurate. The manufacture date is June, 1981. It's possible the 700W is optimistic, but at least more honest than the numbers you see on vacuum cleaners, like 6 horsepower.

Mine mentions not to put the temperature probe into frozen food as breakage can occur, and that you should not dry clothing or wet newspapers with it.

When did they start to plastic bag newspapers?

I prefer the intemperate ones... Much more fun.

No one in their right mind.

Microwave ovens don't actually cook anything. They just heat it.

"amdx"

The AC current draw is 7 amps at 240V.

.... Phil

come and go while it acts like it is working, like it is trying to run, but nothing heats. I understand electrical systems and have read considerable about troubleshooting and repair. I just wanted to ask before undertaking this task. Based on the circumstances with the on and off hum, what do you think?

Utter rubbish! - the mains filter cap is insignificant, its the hefty cap in the doubler circuit that could be dangerous.

The transformer secondary delivers 2kV at enough current to guarantee lethality, it can strike an arc to your hand through a cracked screwdriver handle and kill you!

The capacitor in the doubler is typically 0.9uF - 1uF and can remain charged upto some proportion of 2kV.

they are unsurpassed for stuff like frozen burritos or fresh broccoli.

And also accumulating that microwave oven smell, no matter what's heated up in them.

"...the MAIN filter cap..." Not MAINS filter cap (whatever that is). I did not assume a SMPS, rather a linear supply. The cap in question can store several kV.

plus you need a good pair of leather gloves just to open them these days. The sheet metal (foil?) they use, especially the stainless is unbelievably sharp on the inner edges.

And they're perfect for bacon. The microwave oven is the bachelor's friend.

I always found microwave bacon creepy.

di you have one of those weird "browning dishes" with the metal oxide coating?

You mean it moves?

You're probably not cooking it enough. You can "blast" it in a microwave without burning, if you so desire.

No, I never did. Are they still made?

VCRs were just as bad before they started making *EVERYTHING* out of plastic.

And what gave you the idea of calling the voltage doubler charge-pump cap; a "filter cap"?

yeah- within the past month I cut myself on a circa 2000 hitachi VCR from a storage room. I popped the cover to check the rubber parts which are actually intact, and the takeup torque is still good.

I wonder who set the trend of "let's save money and leave sheared edges razor sharp" on stuff like that. They need a solid punch to the face, over and over again.