Microwave cavity touch up paint

[nss70]

We  have a decent microwave that we don't want to bin for the sake of a couple of flaked off paint spots.

Does anyone know where I can get said paint in Thailand. Mail order is fine or somewhere abroad that will send to Thailand.

TIA

Edited January 25, 2018 by nss70

[NamKangMan]

 

How does said "flaked off paint spots" effect the operation of the unit? 

 

If on the outside, any enamel should do. 

 

If on the inside, no one can see it, so why care? 

[nss70]

It's on the inside and bared metal will lead to arcing inside the cavity until the oven simply fails or exits life in a more explosive manner.

 

NEVER use a microwave that has chipped or flaked away paint on the internal surfaces of the oven cavity. It can be very dangerous.

[NamKangMan]

4 hours ago, nss70 said:

It's on the inside and bared metal will lead to arcing inside the cavity until the oven simply fails or exits life in a more explosive manner.

 

NEVER use a microwave that has chipped or flaked away paint on the internal surfaces of the oven cavity. It can be very dangerous.

 

Have you noticed any arcing? 

 

Has the chipped paint effected any performance of the unit????

[Guest]

4 hours ago, nss70 said:

It's on the inside and bared metal will lead to arcing inside the cavity until the oven simply fails or exits life in a more explosive manner.

 

NEVER use a microwave that has chipped or flaked away paint on the internal surfaces of the oven cavity. It can be very dangerous.

I would say not likely to that claim. 

 

Microwave oven is made of metal to provide Faraday cage functionality, which keeps the microwaves from escaping the oven. It both absorbs and reflects the microwaves back to the oven. The cage 

 

The paint is there to make cleaning of the oven easier and also to make it look nicer.

 

Metals absorb the energy, like water molecules do. Both simply heat up. Nothing really dangerous about it. It's just jiggling atoms (R.Feynman). 

 

Then again. Don't put wrinkled aluminium foil to the microwave as it can excite/heat up too fast and cause arcing. Larger pieces of metal should be ok. 

 

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/08/why-you-generally-shouldnt-put-metals-in-the-microwave/

https://gizmodo.com/what-actually-happens-when-you-put-metal-in-a-microwave-1569906393
 

[nss70]

The problem occurs when the potential of arcing from one point of bare metal to another is possible. If bare metal points are on the same surface it shouldn't matter. However, if an ARC or shortcut of energy can be made from one surface to another because of both having bare metal points this can be problematic.

It's the same as a metal spoon being ok in a mw but a fork is not.

[Guest]

Air is a good insulator. The paint inside the oven is probably 0.1mm thick and thus give approximate the same insulating capability as 0.1mm of air.  That's far less distance than in your example the spikes of the fork. 

 

In practise, there is no effect to the functionality of the microwave oven in normal situations. There is a very special case, where an metallic object would give a spark, when the air cap distance is less than the paint's thickness, in this example 0.1mm.

 

I'm not an expert of the matter. I just try to rationalise the situation. 

[nss70]

Having seen this actually happen on a couple of occasions I'll be erring on the side of safety. The gap involved in one case was approx. 1cm (arcing points clearly burned) and the other more.

 

All by the by though. I just want to track down the touch up paint.

Cheers.

[DrDave]

Note that most newer microwave ovens (other than the cheapest ones you see at Tesco and Big C) have stainless steel interiors - no paint.

[nss70]

Correct, same for commercial ovens. Only a problem with these if you get corrosion spots.

[Old Croc]

I don't know how expensive this microwave is, but for me, they are like toasters. If older and something is wrong throw it away. 

The technology of such things is always evolving and I like to have the latest versions.

[LivinginKata]

42 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

I don't know how expensive this microwave is, but for me, they are like toasters. If older and something is wrong throw it away. 

The technology of such things is always evolving and I like to have the latest versions.

 

Exactly correct. Small stuff like kettles, toaster, grills, etc I don't even think about repairing. These days even bigger items like fridge and TV once they are past the guarantee date I just throw away. Only thing worth repairing is the washing machine. 

[nss70]

I agree on the cheaper models for all domestic appliances but if they're something special a repair is worthwhile.