[TheForge] Microwave Question OT

Tue Feb 17 10:15:06 2004

Hi there.  Just got to email.

Well, microwave ovens have a fuse inside, under the cover. If that fuse
isn't blowing, the oven likely is ok.

A microwave oven is a half wave rectifier.  So, it AVERAGES 13.6 Amps, =
but
actually it's one half cycle of nothing, and one half cycle of 27.2 =
Amps.
So, the breaker could be going soft, or there might be other items on =
the
breaker that are adding up the current.

An easy thing to do, would be to swap that breaker with another one of =
the
same rating to see if it's the breaker, and at no cost.  This is if you =
know
electrical panels sufficiently well to not fry yourself, or know someone =
to
do it for you.

Now, having said that. Your description tells more.

If it clunks exactly when you start, then there is a good possibility =
that
the capacitor is going bad.  Does the oven hum loudly?  This would also
indicate a soft capacitor.  Normally when you turn one on, you have the =
fan
cut on, and you get a small hum from the transformer.  Then, in about 2
seconds, when the magnetron filaments have warmed up, you will hear the =
fan
slow down and the transformer hum get louder.

Built ins can be difficult to work on (only worked on 2, and they both =
were
boogers<G>).

If you can get the front off, I can tell you more on troubleshooting.

DANGER WILL ROBINSON.  You will need what we call a "chicken stick."  =
This
is a screwdriver with a ground wire attached.  This way you can ground
everything you are about to touch, before you touch it.

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] =
[mailto:[email protected]]
On Behalf Of David E. Smucker
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 3:43 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [TheForge] Microwave Question OT

Grover -- this is not about the heavy metal session OT but about my home
microwave.

It is new, less than a year old, rated at 1100 watts, max current 13.6 =
--=20
yet we are having trouble with it knocking out the breaker  rather =
often. It
is on a 20 amp breaker, no. 12 wire, with nothing else on that breaker =
so it
should not trip.  I have not yet changed out the break to see if it is =
going
bad but it was new too -- same age as the microwave.  (new house)

It does not always trip -- maybe every 10 to 15 times it is started.  =
Also
the microwave kind of "clunks" when starting?  can the magnetron be =
loose?
Also I get a heavy hum (60 hertz) at the breaker when starting.

I know I can change out the breaker, and also open up the microwave to =
see
it something is loose but it is a build-in and so far I have been too =
lazy
to do either.

Just wondering if you ever ran into this.

Dave Smucker
----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Grover Richardson" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 10:14 AM
Subject: RE: [TheForge] microwave heavy metal session OT somewhat

SNIP
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