Microwave oven

ther

lly*

ce in a string of email exchanges, I was reminded of this comprehensive 'Mi crowave repair' document. Should be read and understood before one even u nplugs the device to be repaired.

s significantly (x10+) the charge from public defibrillators (AEDs) the ene rgy is definitely high enough to put a human being horizontal - permanently !)

ing.

Care to elaborate on the errors? aside from the dead links....

Seems some poor, terrified folk here appear to believe defusing an IED to be less of a hazard than fixing a common domestic appliance!

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The barrier height potential of a HV diode isn't that great that it can't be more safely checked with a simple 9V battery. That's what I used and it's perfectly OK for the purpose.

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Not so much. What it comes down to is that a microwave oven is a commodity cheaply available and generally pretty reliable, that also, with basic care will last very nearly indefinitely. In the 40 years I have used such devic es, I can state with absolute specificity that I have never had to trash su ch a unit for failure. Wear, cosmetics, unsuitability, sure. But total fail ure, no.

The most expensive unit we own is at our summer house, an over-stove device with pretty much every bell and whistle out there, including the wash-car, walk-dog options. Which we purchased on-sale for $150. We have a equally " optimized" counter-top unit at home that we got for $115, and it just turne d 10. We have no place for an over-counter unit in any case.

With that in mind, there is no reason on this planet to attempt to repair s uch a device, especially without the necessary specific tooling, the time i nvolved and the cost of any parts or pieces. I would rather spend that time doing something of use - such as restoring a vintage bit of audio equipmen t, or a clock or similar. We know that a junker would be recycled, so even that concern is soothed.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

other

fully*

vice in a string of email exchanges, I was reminded of this comprehensive ' Microwave repair' document. Should be read and understood before one even unplugs the device to be repaired.

is significantly (x10+) the charge from public defibrillators (AEDs) the e nergy is definitely high enough to put a human being horizontal - permanent ly!)

ading.

From the bit I read...

"Microwave ovens are without a doubt, the most deadly type of consumer elec tronic equipment in wide spread use. "

nothing to do with reality

"Connoisseurs of fine dining will turn up their collective noses at the tho ught of using a microwave oven for much beyond boiling water - if that."

half true. Reality is microwaving is the best way to cook some things taste

-wise - as well as being a lousy option for some.

"the microwave oven has not changed substantially in the last 20 years."

half true, most haven't changed significantly in about 40 years.

"Touchpads are now nearly universal because they are cheaper to manufacture than mechanical timers (and also more convenient)"

cheap nukes are normally mechanical control, thus I could conclude mechanic al controls are cheaper.

"Bad interlocks switches or door misalignment causing fuses to blow or no o peration when the start button is pressed. Locate and replace defective swi tches and/or realign door."

risky advice. The shorting resistor must always be checked, otherwise the o ven may cook but interlock has no ability to cut the power by shorting if t here is a further door/interlock fault.

"Blown fuse due to power surge or old age: Replace fuse. On rare occasions, the main fuse may even be intermittent causing very strange symptoms. "

again the shorting resistor must be checked.

"if you can do the repair yourself, the equation changes dramatically as yo ur parts costs will be 1/2 to 1/4 of what a professional will charge"

I never paid anything like that for nuke parts I didn't read any further.

NT

to

y cheaply available and generally pretty reliable, that also, with basic ca re will last very nearly indefinitely. In the 40 years I have used such dev ices, I can state with absolute specificity that I have never had to trash such a unit for failure. Wear, cosmetics, unsuitability, sure. But total fa ilure, no.

ce with pretty much every bell and whistle out there, including the wash-ca r, walk-dog options. Which we purchased on-sale for $150. We have a equally "optimized" counter-top unit at home that we got for $115, and it just tur ned 10. We have no place for an over-counter unit in any case.

such a device,

A simple nonsequitur. You might not wish to do a minor repair to save $100-

400, but some do. And sometimes getting an oven that fits a certain space c an be tricky, repairing is then much quicker.

NT

I haven't paid more than $30 for a microwave oven in the past

20 years. And typically between $15-20 at the Good Will.

The two failures I've had were the processor based control from The first one just quit working. In retrospect it might have just been something loose from moving to Texas. The other was a "twist the knob" timer. The knob fell apart. I found a new, not matching, knob and found out why the old one broke. The mechanical timer seized up.

One of the microwaves I bought, I paid $10 for and rewound the transformer to turn it into a spot welder.

But, hey, if you want to spend $100-400 on a microwave oven, be my guest.

--
"I am a river to my people." 
Jeff-1.0 
WA6FWi 
http:foxsmercantile.com

Combi cookers are in that price range, and hard to find used.

NT

A cheap microwave for under $30 used. And a new toaster oven for under $30.

Any questions?

--
"I am a river to my people." 
Jeff-1.0 
WA6FWi 
http:foxsmercantile.com

** The is nothing wrong with the information in the link.

There is EVERYTHING wrong with NT's lunatic ideas.

The strong and very correct warning out the risk of going inside a microwa ve oven:

" Careless troubleshooting of a microwave oven can result in death or worse . Experienced technicians have met their maker as a result of a momentary l apse of judgement while testing an oven with the cover removed. Microwave o vens are without a doubt, the most deadly type of consumer electronic equip ment in wide spread use. "

NT is a dangerous, raving nut case who needs to be driven off usenet.

..... Phil

And of course it's not all about the money. AFAIC, the prime motivation is not throwing out a perfectly serviceable appliance simply because it "packed up one day" when the fault most often is the failure of some minor component costing just pennies.

If there's one thing I can't stomach, it's waste. It's verging on criminal for someone with an electrical background to not even bother to investigate the cause of a problem in an electrical appliance.

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Your *own* microwave back in service for under $3 worth of parts and half an hour of your time. No contest.

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Have you priced a mechanical timer? Or a CPU based controller?

--
"I am a river to my people." 
Jeff-1.0 
WA6FWi 
http:foxsmercantile.com

Yes. What wally thinks a cheap nuke and a toaster oven is a good replacement for a combi oven?

I don't recall paying more than around $3 for a dead nuke for tranplant purposes. And a lot of faults are cheap parts like diodes & fuses.

NT

0-400, but some do. And sometimes getting an oven that fits a certain space can be tricky, repairing is then much quicker.

OK - let's cut to the chase:

a) Combination Microwave Ovens are much like BMW cars. Wannabes. As a BMW w annabe a Porsche or Wannabe a Mercedes, but does neither as well, a combina tion microwave does neither function as well as a dedicated oven. That is n ot to suggest that a BMW is not a well-made vehicle, but that it is neither a Porsche nor a Mercedes.

b) "For a certain space" - Fitting a function to a specific device has cons equences, and in the case of a failure, not good ones. And, for the record, when it comes to a kitchen, aesthetics will ALWAYS defer to function, clea nliness and good light on our house. It is entirely possible to have both, but built-in devices are difficult to service, often difficult to replace q uickly - as in on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, or Christmas Eve.

c) Quicker - sure. If the parts are in hand and/or the problem is simple. I f not, I could have a new *insert appliance here* installed in our house wi thin 24 hours at the outside, and if on a non-holiday before 8:00 pm, withi n 2 hours.

d) Waste and Landfill - metal parts, appliances and such in this region go to Acelor-Mittal in Coatesville, PA, where they are shredded, materials se parated, then become new steel in the oldest continuously operating steel m ill in the United States - over 206 years.

-iron-and-steel

So, at one level, recycling steel reduces the use of energy, mine waste, tr ansportation, coking, smelting and so forth. And. Acelor's shredding plant pulls out the copper, aluminum, glass and plastics as well - all highly aut omated.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Why on earth would I? Only a fuse and a diode failed!

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100-400, but some do. And sometimes getting an oven that fits a certain spa ce can be tricky, repairing is then much quicker.

wannabe a Porsche or Wannabe a Mercedes, but does neither as well, a combi nation microwave does neither function as well as a dedicated oven. That is not to suggest that a BMW is not a well-made vehicle, but that it is neith er a Porsche nor a Mercedes.

Firstly that's total rubbish. They also do what a separate nuke & oven neve r can, even if you don't know how they work. Second, your opinion on other people's appliance buying decisions really ha s nothing to do with whether they're better repaired or chucked.

3rd there is nowhere here you can go to buy a used combi cooker, they're se ldom sold used, so there is no quick cheap availability.

nsequences, and in the case of a failure, not good ones. And, for the recor d, when it comes to a kitchen, aesthetics will ALWAYS defer to function, cl eanliness and good light on our house. It is entirely possible to have both , but built-in devices are difficult to service, often difficult to replace quickly - as in on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, or Christmas Eve.

too much waffle, a little nonsense. One of the reasons some buyers get comb is is lack of enough space for separate appliances. In those cases they're often fitted appliances, making getting a replacment harder & more expensiv e than a simple new buy.

If not, I could have a new *insert appliance here* installed in our house within 24 hours at the outside, and if on a non-holiday before 8:00 pm, wit hin 2 hours.

again what do your appliance buying policies have to do with others' choice s?

go to Acelor-Mittal in Coatesville, PA, where they are shredded, materials separated, then become new steel in the oldest continuously operating steel mill in the United States - over 206 years.

Guess what, most of the world is not in PA, and most of the world does not run according to US practices.

NT

What makes your opinion more valid than his?

--
"I am a river to my people." 
Jeff-1.0 
WA6FWi 
http:foxsmercantile.com