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Microwave not working

rak sa_ngop

By rak sa_ngop
in The Electrical Forum

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rak sa_ngop Gold Member

rak sa_ngop

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My 12 year old combi microwave has stopped working. Front panel display not lighting up so no functions working and internal light also not working EXCEPT for the turntable which is happily turning away with the door open (but not when closed). So some power is getting to the unit.

Rather bizarre combination of failure so I assume somebody experienced can readily diagnose the problem? Maybe it is just a fuse failure?

Any ideas out there?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

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Crossy Star Member

Crossy

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Have you tried pulling the plug, having a coffee, then plugging it back in?

 

I really do not recommend trying DIY fixes on a microwave, parts of the works can remain LETHAL even when the beast is powered off and unplugged.

 

There's probably a local "man" who fixes stuff, ask your local bike taxi guys (they know everybody).

 

At 12 years old it's really end-of-life and a new one is in order.

 

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Myran Silver Member

Myran

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Don't mess around with broken microwaves, magnetrons can be incredibly dangerous. At 12 years old, you've gotten your money's worth. Time to get a new one.

Edited by Myran
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sometimewoodworker Ruby Member

sometimewoodworker

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2 hours ago, ezzra said:

When a microwave oven stops functioning it's time to buy a new one, not worth repairing or fiddling around with it.

Humm. Someone agreed with your sentiment, I didn’t. I had a very nice volume sensing microwave that I used for about 20+ years and only don’t have it now because it was a 100V machine so it got left behind.

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Crossy Star Member

Crossy

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9 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Humm. Someone agreed with your sentiment, I didn’t. I had a very nice volume sensing microwave that I used for about 20+ years and only don’t have it now because it was a 100V machine so it got left behind.

 

Indeed, they can go on forever, and many do.

 

But when they actually stop would it be worth trying to fix a 20-year-old unit?

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carlyai Platinum Member

carlyai

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Sometimes (many times?) these tv/everything electronic small shop repairs people are brilliant. 

Took my old microwave to a small village shop and fixed. Also autotransformer in the stabiliser and an old TV and old monitor. If you find a good back yard shop, they are brilliant.

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Crossy Star Member

Crossy

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4 minutes ago, carlyai said:

Sometimes (many times?) these tv/everything electronic small shop repairs people are brilliant. 

Took my old microwave to a small village shop and fixed. Also autotransformer in the stabiliser and an old TV and old monitor. If you find a good back yard shop, they are brilliant.

 

And if someone is going to get blatted, let it not be you!

 

There are guys in Ban-Mo re-winding Hatari fans by the roadside. I've never enquired as to the actual cost as, IMHO, if a fan winding has failed (and it's not just the overheat sensor) then it's time for a new one.

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rak sa_ngop Gold Member

rak sa_ngop

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43 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Indeed, they can go on forever, and many do.

 

But when they actually stop would it be worth trying to fix a 20-year-old unit?

If it is just a case of a blown fuse maybe it is. Many YouTube clips show how it can be done just accessing from the front control panel (and not getting close to the scary stuff). But with my Samsung Combo machine it looks like you need to dismantle the outer casing which looks a bit scary to me.

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Crossy Star Member

Crossy

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2 minutes ago, rak sa_ngop said:

If it is just a case of a blown fuse maybe it is. Many YouTube clips show how it can be done just accessing from the front control panel (and not getting close to the scary stuff). But with my Samsung Combo machine it looks like you need to dismantle the outer casing which looks a bit scary to me.

 

Wellll, if it's the HT fuse that's popped ... 

 

Seriously, microwaves are lethal when they work, when they don't who knows what's been left charged and to what voltage. If you don't know exactly what you are doing, don't do it! (And if you do know, you won't be asking here).

 

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sometimewoodworker Ruby Member

sometimewoodworker

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1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

And if someone is going to get blatted, let it not be you!

 

There are guys in Ban-Mo re-winding Hatari fans by the roadside. I've never enquired as to the actual cost as, IMHO, if a fan winding has failed (and it's not just the overheat sensor) then it's time for a new one.

Fortunately the Thai’s don’t agree and their skills are excellent as I have a motor that required re-winding and was old enough that a replacement was fabricated of unobtainum. The repair cost less than 3,000 Baht and the machine lives on to thickness more wood. 

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Crossy Star Member

Crossy

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12 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Fortunately the Thai’s don’t agree and their skills are excellent as I have a motor that required re-winding and was old enough that a replacement was fabricated of unobtainum. The repair cost less than 3,000 Baht and the machine lives on to thickness more wood. 

 

Not a fan motor then!

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Crossy Star Member

Crossy

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11 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Fortunately the Thai’s don’t agree and their skills are excellent as I have a motor that required re-winding and was old enough that a replacement was fabricated of unobtainum. The repair cost less than 3,000 Baht and the machine lives on to thickness more wood. 

 

OK, OK you win.

 

I will not comment further!

 

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kidneyw Gold Member

kidneyw

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After watching Youtube, I surmised that I just had to replace the fuse on my broken microwave. Went to a small Thai electrician who made me a new one. Replaced the new fuse in the Microwave and all hell broke loose. Noise, smoke and fire. 

I nearly had a heart attack.

Binned it and bought a new one.

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TimeMachine Silver Member

TimeMachine

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If you do open it, the dangers that people talk about are 1. The big silvery capacitor that can hold lethal charge. Get a plastic handle pair of pliers and short out the two pins. This will make it safe for touching. In actuality they include a bleed resistor and should discharge themselves but apparently they fail.

2. Magnatron is dangerous because of the berylium inside of it. The berylium is hard to get to and if it's cracked and powdered up that's when it becomes dangerous. So all in all, like most things , if you use reasoning when watching several YouTube videos you will be fine. Ask your neighbour a question. Do I reason well? If the answer is no then leave it alone. I'm in Pattaya if you need more advice on a repair. I hate throwing stuff out too 

 

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TimeMachine Silver Member

TimeMachine

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Posted (edited)

If you do open it, the dangers that people talk about are 1. The big silvery capacitor that can hold lethal charge. Get a plastic handle pair of pliers and short out the two pins. This will make it safe for touching. In actuality they include a bleed resistor and should discharge themselves but apparently they fail.

2. Magnatron is dangerous because of the berylium inside of it. The berylium is hard to get to and if it's cracked and powdered up that's when it becomes dangerous. So all in all, like most things , if you use reasoning when watching several YouTube videos you will be fine. Ask your neighbour a question. Do I reason well? If the answer is no then leave it alone. I'm in Pattaya if you need more advice on a repair. I hate throwing stuff out too.

 

First things I suspect is one of the microswitches that work with door latches. They need to be tested one at a time and tested normally open and  normally closed both ways. Also the alignment of them. Plastics warp and bend over time.

 

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rak sa_ngop Gold Member

rak sa_ngop

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4 hours ago, longball53098 said:

I am with the buy a new one group. 12 year life is a good working life for Nuke machine. The new ones are priced well and look for a decent warranty from manufacturer.

Looks like I will be buying a new one. I thought there might be a easy fix but looks like there aint.

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Photoguy21 Platinum Member

Photoguy21

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On 4/14/2023 at 2:15 PM, IvorBiggun2 said:

Mine also went doolally a couple of weeks ago. Tried getting it repaired but couldn't so I bought a new Toshiba. Beware when buying a new one as the instructions for mine didn't come in English. 

You really need an instruction sheet to operate a Microwave?

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xylophone Ruby Member

xylophone

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1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

My wife translates. But she's not the sharpest knife in the box. So will look on 'Google'.

Yep, you can download manuals online for most things, which I have done in the past and kept on file.

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TimeMachine Silver Member

TimeMachine

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3 hours ago, rak sa_ngop said:

Looks like I will be buying a new one. I thought there might be a easy fix but looks like there aint.

Just drop it off to me. I'll make sure it doesn't get thrown into the tip heap. Saving the world one device at a time.

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bluejets Silver Member

bluejets

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20 hours ago, carlyai said:

He always wins. ????

Nope.... just digs the hole for himself deeper and deeper, no way back.

Some just can't be told and as such get the "label" know it all, know nothing.

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