I'm in the process of repairing our Goldstar 1.2 cu.ft uwave oven - it needs a new magnetron, type 2M246 J-configuration, about 1100 watts. But the economics seem to preclude continuing with this...
I've seen magnetron prices from US$20.00 (plus shipping, Canadian sales tax fo 15% and C$5.00 fed's collection fee = US$40 delivered), this for salvaged "unused" magnetrons from allegedly "body damaged" new ovens from a US source (Hmmm... don't like the sound of that!) Another Internet price was C$56 plus sales tax plus shipping = about C$74 (US$63.00) I also sent an RFQ to another supplier and got a silly quote of "C$100 to C$150", plus tax and shipping = about C$125 to C$181 (US$107 toUS$155.) Forget that!
New uwave ovens seem to sell for a low as C$50 (US$43) for 0.7 cu.ft,
700 watts to perhaps C$150 (US$128) for 1.2 cu.ft (1200 watts), both plus 15% tax but no shipping cost (pick up from local store.)So what gives here? Are they really worth repairing if the magneton has gone? (Caps, rectifiers and switches, yes.) Also, how does a supplier make a uwave oven for, say, $60 ex-works so that a store can sell it for, say, $100? The magnetron assy. must cost the maufacturer about $5.
My time comes free (for fun!) but, allowing for the other old components left in it and the "repair risk", i.e. is it really the magneton, I'm not inclined to pay more than, say, C$20 for the magnetron but that does not seem to be an option.
What do people think? BTW, I've read the uwave repair pages (but I've never seen a $13 magnetron, though!) Cheers, Roger