Microwave magnetron burned reddit

I unplugged it 5 days ago, just for precaution but it was working fine and will probably continue to do so if I plug it back again. 3. The magnetron looks burned. It doesnt feels like a burn, it feels like you are boiling inside. The technician that replaced the mag probably ducked something up. If you're not sure if your microwave has been damaged, you can test it by putting a microwave-safe container with water inside and then running it for a minute. Essentially the one job the microwave has to do. Most of the time it runs fine. To investigate, carefully examine the magnetron for any indications of burn marks or damage. Therefore at a distance of 3m (roof to bed), a 0. Less than 1 amp is switches or board. This high voltage powers the magnetron to heat the food. - Cheap in time. 1. What people belive is beryllium oxide is actually The burn marks are from not cleaning the grease off often enough. When it stops popping, open the microwave. It has been thoroughly cleaned and I replaced the waveguide. A common belief on the internet is that magnetrons contain beryllium oxide and most coments on the subject warn about it. Use a screwdriver to short across the capacitor terminals. Microwave for about 2min or until the water is boiling. Aug 15, 2017 · https://petersonelectricllc. You’ll also want to set your meter to R times 10K and calibrate. 2. If the microwave was arcing before it burned out, you need to see if any of the coating inside is missing or there is any metal inside. Apr 5, 2023 · Disconnect the wires from the magnetron terminals. Is it worth calling in someone to repair, or is the whole thing toast? I did some further research on the subject. It's the main gadget in there that produces the microwaves. My cheap Walmart RCA microwave is the best one I've ever bought, it has little features that I like that are hard to find in bigger names and it was cheap and works great. We came in to figure ou Whirlpool agreed to replace the part as a courtesy, however, there is only one repair person in this town and they're 3-4 weeks out booked. [deleted] ADMIN MOD. They had a 3 different techs come out and they all told me that the magnetron was bad and caused burn marks on some parts of the microwave so it can either not be fixed or it would be $800 to fix all the other parts along with the magnetron. Resonance depends on the cavity size/Q so you will need to physically alter the size of the cavities. It still works fine with a new waveshield cover. Loose connections. Mobile (cell) phones output An inverter allows a microwave to actually operate at 25/50/75/100% power. Though, I might try a thorough cleaning and using it one more time. Could be bad magnetron tube or a shorted high voltage rectifier. I just put my hand front of the magnetron for about 3-5 seconds. Never go by times, they are only estimates. Over . Googled some things and read the magnetron could cause a loud buzzing. Edit: When it does run, sometimes it stops running (fan, turntable turn off) part way, but the timer continues to countdown. Wires on the capacitor, transformer and magnetron run the hottest. ). Burned terminals. I am not sure where the issue is. Like it’s sparking. So you will need to modify the electronics, as well as the The filament only gets about 3. Put bag in microwave how it says. Replaced that and sadly that didn’t fix anything. But it's still making sounds and burning the wave guide cover. I imagine a typical microwave oven magnetron, which emits a power of ~800W. Microwave magnetrons reportedly get weaker after years of use. Microwave magnetron. A good capacitor gives a value of ~10megaohm. Measure the resistance across those terminals with a multimeter. But instead of a 3-5 second cycle we could now cycle it several times per second, giving a much higher resolution of the heat output range. Here’s how it works: 1. Microwave Magnetron Repair Instructions: If you notice sparks or arcing behind the waveguide cover in the microwave's oven cavity, there may be smoke or a burning smell as well. Observe the multimeter display. microwave signal "Microwave" is by definition 300MHz-300GHz, so if it were "low frequency" then it wouldn't be microwave anymore. 5 amps will be the magnetron. Up to 10 but probably around 7 is the high voltage circuit. Solution: Repair defective terminals as follows: Either (1) Clean the burned/pitted magnetron terminals and replace the slip-on connectors, making sure they fit tightly on the terminals; or (2) Cutaway burned wire and connector (s). I don't know if you could ever manage to get that ceramic part hot enough (with, say, a drop of oil being heated by the Making popcorn late last night, and after about 15 seconds the microwave caught fire where you can see the burn marks. I guess the microwave is okay if it still works. I ran back and unplugged it and the fire went right out. People will warn you about high voiltage. One of the components that might be causing this issue is the magnetron. Unplug the device before you start. The switches may all look visually the same but they are not. Put a container in it with some water. First thing I would do is check the door switches making sure there in good working condition if they have burn marks or damaged in any way it can make the magnetron not activate I would start there it will need a multimeter to confirm the switches cost around a couple dollars you should have around 2- 4 of them 5tabsatatime. But other possibilities are; a faulty interlock switch (the switches that are engaged when the door is closed) keep in mind some switches are normally closed and some are normally open. Jul 24, 2014 · The smell was really bad, but to this day, the microwave works. Non-inverter microwaves will always operate at 100% and just cut the timer short for High/Medium/Low. The door switches appear to be okay, tested with a multimeter to When the magnetron begins to absorb as many microwaves as it produces, it can be damaged. The standard door interlock switch assembly that I most often installed was a $300 part our cost for a $1200 microwave. MasterPatricko • 9 yr. If the meter display shows a reading between zero and If either are 'infinite' ohms it's the tranny. I'm worried about the integrity of the phone battery, the microwave magnetron, microwave shielding, etc. They don't make Wideglide anymore 😩. 5m 2 human has enough area to absorb a watt or two. Additional Info: This is a combo cooking microwave with grill and convection features. Since most food has a lot of water in it, microwaves are very effective at heating and 28 votes, 11 comments. Continuity only showed one way. Microwave burns are burn injuries caused by thermal effects of microwave radiation absorbed in a living organism. Less than . Salvage that right into your rubbish bin mate. This morning I switched the microwave to a different receptacle that's about 2 ft away. If the microwave still heats, it hasn't The fan doesn't turn on, the platter does not start turning, and the magnetron does not fire. MembersOnline. Another option is to buy the magnetron myself and replace it for $120-$140. Listen to the popping. Magnetron is right behind burned wall. The transformer does hold a charge, and needs time to dissipate. Stayed out of the room flipped the breaker for 60 seconds flipped it off went in to check on the water which if it was running the magnetron would be warm. So, she had to throw her's out. The magnetron antenna looks quite discolored and one of the magnets has a weird spotted surface. 6 cu ft microwave (jvm2165smss) that has recently stopped working. Nothing caught fire, but a hole was burned in the lid and a bunch of smoke filled the microwave. The parts (when not covered by warranty) are cost prohibitive, and dangerous amatuer work, IF you can even find them. Which is our filament and filament anode. You have to find a way to check the amp draw of it. Its just more expensive Anyways, the magnetron I pulled out is a Whirlpool 2M167B-M16. What could cause the internal connectors in the microwave to burn up and fry? The microwaves on a 20 amp circuit. Contact the black meter lead to one of the magnetron’s terminals and the red meter lead to the other terminal. It should not only make it easier to wipe clean, but should also take the odor away. The original magnetron died just after the warranty expired and it was replaced by a third party repair service. You'll probably end up with burnt patches on the food. The very low fat varieties (94% fat free etc) are very finicky and burn more easily in my experience. Did not see any burn marks or melted plastic. One of the main reasons for a magnetron to fail is overheating. This will act as a test load. Over time, this constant heat can take a toll on the magnetron, causing it to burn out. Take the microwave out of the house (if possible). The microwave is always frowned upon, but it's an amazing tool. - Cheap in money. A celebrity or professional pretending to be amateur usually under disguise. Many foods heat up great by simply using 50% power with twice as much time. We turn it off the second we hear the noise and haven’t actually seen any sparks. Could be dirty / burned up contacts on that. ago. add diodes across the C-E junctions to avoid the transistors being burned out by inductive kick. Amp draw is what you need to do. It’s not the rust that is dangerous at all. I have a GE OTR 1. If there’s no electricity, there’s no microwaves being emitted by the magnetron. Apr 23, 2024 · The magnetron operates on the principle of electron resonance. I think the replacement was a generic magnetron. There is usually a 2 prong wiring harness in the side and 2 screws holding it Burned Wires in Microwave. If the same thing happens, I would discontinue use of it and buy a new microwave. Takes about two seconds after it turns on. 4 GHz band, then yes. 91uF, no shorts). The steel interior is there to reflect the microwaves throughout the interior. I recall when the microwave worked properly, the fan, turntable, light, etc. 8 volts from that terminal and any corrosion or burn mark will cause it to fail. The wave of the future is the "Solid State" Microwave Oven. The arcing could have caused the magnetron to burn out. For those electrical experts in microwaves. Change the AC filter in your house. Or buy a new microwave, I picked up a brand new Samsung a few years ago, stainless steel, undermount, for under $200 on sale. Although everything seems to work right now, if there's an increased chance of my phone or microwave randomly exploding / setting fire in the future then I'd like to replace them. For example, a professional tennis player pretending to be an amateur tennis player or a famous singer smurfing as an unknown singer. Can damage the walls or the magnetron itself. Reply. I heated it for a few seconds before noticing the light on the inside of the microwave getting really bright, so I unplugged it. The pair of magnets in the magnetron are strong, and very useful. There are many youtube videos of guys powering a microwave magnetron in a room to ionize nearby objects. So I replaced the connector, resoldered the wires to it. Sometimes the microwave will start running again 20 or 30 seconds after it stops, if the timer is still going. Many microwaves have gone to the dumpster because of a single burned wire end. All seemed fine. Put a bowl with a little vinegar (maybe 1/4 cup) in there and run it for 60 seconds. From what I can tell there is a thermostat on the If your microwave has a turntable, it will act as a dummy load for the microwaves, which will keep the majority of the microwaves from being reflected back into your magnetron. To change frequency you need to drive with a different frequency current, but to amplify that you will need resonance. The magnetron went crazy and destroyed itself behind the waveshield cover as per photo. If the magnetron gets damaged and burns out, it can lead to a noticeable burning smell, and your microwave won't be able to heat your food. If the water isn't hot, the microwave has been damaged. •. . If the relay was sticking (contact welding) in its final days, it would explain the humming after the microwave was off. We called samsung because the magnetron is supposed to be under warranty for 10 years. Unplug your microwave and remove the cover. Electron Acceleration: The electrons are accelerated towards the anode by a high voltage applied between the cathode and anode. Previously, it would shut down after long microwave periods, and we had assumed it was from overheating, and it turned back on after cooling down. Produces a burnt type smell afterwards. It doesn't look burned or cracked. It’s really just whether or not the magnetron is functional and if there is any material in the wave guide that might interfere in with the microwaves produced from said magnetron. We found that if we tried to cycle it too fast, the magnetron would enter a mode that would stop putting out power. Different brands definitely pop up differently. However, the replacement part does not have the same components as the original. If it's somewhere around 6-7A, then it's the magnetron. Think about it – a microwave operates by generating intense heat to cook your food. Feb 12, 2023 · There are a number of different reasons why this might happen: Damaged magnets. The mica cover is to prevent food debris making it down into the waveguide (which is nothing more than an unusually shaped pipe which 'joins' the magnetron to the cooking area). Since the fire, the microwave sometimes sounds weird. Set your meter to R times one. Thanks. LPT: Microwaves work much better on half power for twice as long. It focuses the microwaves on the area where the food goes. So the power will fall off as 1/r 2. Microwave trips the breaker instantly after starting the cycle. Warranty expired a year ago. The popcorn didn’t even start popping yet and the bag didn’t burn at all. I take it this is a built-in that is a dual unit or at least a custom insert with the Fridgidaire oven below. Unlicensed <=kW transmitter will get you into the troubles very quickly. Feb 19, 2020 · Symptoms: Intermittent and/or low heat initially, then eventually no heat. - Cheap in energy. The diode is fine (VF=9V, no cond. The video links to a repair page where they used this part, which appears to be discontinued and instead recommends the ERP 10QBP1003. How to do microwave popcorn. I replaced the magnetron in my microwave 13 months ago and it appears that the damned thing is out again. Pump_9. 25M subscribers in the askscience community. Microwave ovens also work on 2. Higher power microwaves work the best for popcorn. Everything else will be illegal due to the fact that any RF-emitting equipment has a strict law regulations and restrictions. Water was as Cold as it was going in. 6 month old Bosch Microwave. I have replaced the capacitor and the magnetron, and it appeared to work for a little bit, but when I assembled it back together, it Hello my name is Ken I’m a full time appliance repair man. Microwaving a bowl of water with some drops of vanilla extract/lavender oil/concentrate of a smell you like could also help with the smell, assuming you've cleaned all parts of the microwave (including the fans like another user suggested). Everything happened after i remove my hand from the way of microwaves. The diode converts the A/C power output of the transformer to D/C, doubling the voltage to nearly 5,000 volts. If the diode burns out, the magnetron won’t receive enough voltage to operate, preventing the microwave from heating. I find that lemon or citrus oil in a glass container and running on high in the microwave a few times helps while simultaneously Nov 27, 2023 · Overheating. My mom's microwave was having a problem where it would not turn off. I've opened it up and tested the diode, capacitor, magnetron, door switches and various fuses for basic functionality and couldn't find anything obvious wrong. For some reason I could not post images but here is a link to the pics of my microwave on imgur. Your actual microwave source the magnetron is in the side of the unit behind the non steel plate. I have a Panasonic NN-T685SF Microwave that's been pretty solid for 7 years up until a couple of months ago. I never test the mag with a meter. The microwave is criminally underrated and unjustifiably frowned upon. Calibrate and place your meter leads across F and FA. comes on first, then almost instantly there is a click which is followed by the hum of what I assume was the magnetron (the sound that goes off if you use less than level 10, while the fan still blows. On a 15-20 amp line. 5 amps will be the inverter. Not dangerous if the first rule of repairing microwaves is followed, unplug and wait a minimum 30 minutes. Also, the magnetrons generally contain beryllium oxide in a very-safe-as-sold ceramic assembly, but that stuff is seriously dangerous if the magnetron breaks apart and ceramic dust with beryllium oxide in it gets into the air. This is what happened - apparently one of my flatmates was preparing popcorn in microwave as he heard weird sound. The microwave display would work and the unit fire up for a few seconds before blowing the fuse. Also, the grill element on the top of the cavity burnt out leading to sparks where the element broke. If it's burned all the way through, you might consider replacing the panel, just to keep the grease in the oven compartment, and out of the microwave generator. The magnetron’s a really fascinating piece of engineering, trickled down from WW2 research on radar. Repair Instructions: The magnetron in a microwave uses high voltage and high current DC power to create the microwave energy needed to cook your food. Other problems: Blowing a fuse in the house because you tripled the power consumption from 8 amp to 24 amp. Here is a video of removing the magnetron, the model of microwave in the video is the same model, just white instead of stainless steel / black. Finally, try a different kind of microwave popcorn, and check the expiration date. Cavity magnetrons use resonant cavities to emit their microwaves. Jan 6, 2020 · The only test with a meter that we could do with the magnetron is read less than one between ohm between FA, and F. Rotate the multimeter’s range selection dial to the lowest setting for ohms of resistance. 4GHz is used in microwave ovens because water molecules are particularly good at absorbing that frequency and food has lots of water in it. The power supply inside the microwave is only designed for one magnetron. You went by the instructions on the package. Run the AC hard to get the smell out of the house / room. I thought that maybe I was imagining things. In comparison with radiation burns caused by ionizing radiation, where the dominant mechanism of tissue damage is internal cell damage caused by free radicals, the type of burn caused by microwave radiation is by heat—health effects colloquially associated with the term If your body can burn 1000 watts of energy when running down the street, sweating away 1200 watts of energy from a microwave might not be too unreasonable. No, because a microwave oven doesn't heat the whole interior of the oven like a conventional oven. turn it on and see if it gets hot. I can turn the light on, I can start the exhaust fan but when I run a cycle the microwave shuts off and trips the breaker. No Magnetron. Unless you put something in for 20 minutes instead of 2 and only noticed when the smoke detector went off. I'm looking at probably $200 for their labor. Run the microwave: Start the microwave and set it to run for a specific duration, such as one minute. The only way to fix it would likely be replacing the magnatron, but as you can imagine, that is typically one of the most expensive components of the microwave. You need a high voltage probe to really test the magnetron. A new one costs more than a 100 bucks. If not you just keep recycling the burnt smell through your house. A typical microwave oven that's active can emit 10,000 times more A microwave oven shoots microwave radiation through the food. I immediately unplugged the microwave again. Posted by u/microwavesarehard - 1 vote and 6 comments low freq. And we've had it for about a year and a half. Microwaves are barely necessary and super cheap. Not seeing any arcing near the connector or at the antenna. Reply . I have a Bosche microwave HMB57152 UC/01 the magnetron was arcing so I took it out and attempted to buy a replacement part. Microwave ovens are shielded to prevent the radiation from leaking out, but if the shielding is in somehow deteriorated, there may be some leakage. I purchased a used Panasonic Inverter microwave and the power setting seems to not work, it always cooks with full power. It does not effect the function of the microwave. Emits about a kilowatt of microwave energy which is pumped directly into the food box where it jiggles the water molecules in your Hot Pocket to warm it up. Use vinegar to kill the mold and then scrub with soapy water to remove the dead mold. He ran to the microwave, but before he managed to turn it off, the corner of the cardboard box caught fire, the result of which can be seen in the pictures. The light stays on. Set timer for twice what the instructions say. I thought maybe the wave guide had gotten food on it and burnt up and that's what caused the magnetron to go out, so I replaced the wave guide cover hoping that would be it. Posted by u/Miserable_Ad_9227 - 1 vote and 5 comments Hi, we have a Sharp R-551ZM microwave that recently died out. Water molecules are very good at absorbing the energy from the radiation and they heat up because their energy increases. Looking for less than one ohm. Clock is still on, fan still works, but when it turns on to try to heat anything it is very loud and does not produce heat. Ask a science question, get a science answer. As with any electrical device, there are many more points of failure than the ones I’ve listed above! These are the most common reasons for a microwave magnetron to fail though. Other molecules also absorb this energy, but water is the most efficient. I assume that is good. I unplugged the microwave and then plugged it back in and a huge flash of light happened and it burned a hole through the stove top. The waveguide has no ability to store energy when the microwave isn't actually on and cooking and so doesn't present a hazard. All the paint actually does is to prevent the steel from rusting and to provide an easy clean surface. Any help or speculation appreciated! Fixing a microwave oven with magnetron failure. I haven’t bothered to repair a microwave, but I have torn several apart. The one(s) that control the magnetron, light, and turntable (sometimes these are split between 2 switches) are normally closed (NC) switches generally. Walls of the microwave are designed to be reflective to microwaves, so they bounce around and stay resident longer than they should, which causes a buildup of energy that can break various parts of the microwave. There doesn't seem to be a high capacity fuse in my model. If you have a wifi network on the 2. Terrible feeling but there is nothing serious. com/ - Customer heated up some coffee in his microwave only to come back and found the microwave on fire. No, the mold won’t burn away. ADMIN MOD. I just heard sparking, the usual hum get very loud suddenly, and saw a bright light inside. The roof on the microwave is covered in black burn marks which can’t be wiped off, and it smells burnt inside. My Breville 10 years old Microwave smells like it's overheating (like a motor running for a long time), it smells like burned (not inside and not plastic smell) just outside of the casing. I tested by switching the breaker put a cup of water in leaving the door open enough to trigger the system with the door. I'd love to be able to figure out what's causing the magnetrons to consistently fail over time, BUT for now my family are down one very good microwave, and we don't have the money to go to a repair place to get the new part, have it fitted, and to diagnose the issue, so for now I just need to find a new magnetron and fit it myself as I've done The most likely cause of a no heat condition is the magnetron. Going up in price with microwaves dont give you a lot better product. If the mag had already been replaced then replace the inverter. Jul 28, 2021 · The magnetron resistances check out OK (<1ohm filament, no conduction to body), but then again, the old one that I had replaced also checked out OK this way, yet replacing it did fix the problem. A samaged antenna. After replacing both parts, it seemed to work at first but then the wave guide cover started to burn. Share. This heat is created by the magnetron, which works continuously while the oven is in use. You can clean up the terminal, tighten down the spades and see how long that lasts you can replace the magnetron and transformer (too expensive), or you can solder the terminals to the magnetron connectors for a solid connection. Could the internal transformer would be going bad? Could be over surge? FYI don't slam your microwave door, don't force it to close over a plate that's too big, and don't slam it. You don't want to risk a fire. Controlling multiple magnetron from a control panel/circuit designed for one magnetron. But I found some articles that say that this is a common myth and that this is true for magnetrons used in telecommunications. Bosche microwave magnetron different from OEM replacement. 01 - Thermador Microwave Diode. Best microwave ever Moved into a new home recently and the microwave above the oven makes this loud annoying buzzing sound once it starts. I feel like that's the case. Sure, it can't brown your food, but for a totally decent weekday meal, it's awesome. The other day, she was on the phone and forgot about it, and burned something up in the microwave. 4 GHz, so they could interfere with wifi. Jul 6, 2023 · Here’s how you can check the power output: Set up a test load: Place a cup of water or a microwave-safe container filled with water inside the microwave. The capacitor is fine (0. All the caps will self discharge in a second or two, but ground the terminals our with a screwdriver for 100% safety. The switch that tells the microwave whether to the door is open or not is normally open (NO) generally. First one was $105 and looks like I can get one now for $77. But actually that critical time that i was in contact with microwaves it doesnt gave any pain to me. The first time it stopped I opened up the case and saw that the wire connected to the upper door switch had burned itself off of the spade connector. You will also likely burn out the microwave's magnetron, the device that actually generates the microwaves, requiring a repair or replacement. Did a diode test with a 9v battery. The door switches are pretty easy to replace. Now it won't even heat water. Hello everyone, I have a Panasonic microwave with a built in exhaust fan from around 2011. Electron Emission: The cathode emits electrons when heated by a filament or a thermionic emitter. 0. A lot of people complain about microwaves; and I used to feel the same way, until I started doing this. in reverse). The video has to be an activity that the person is known for. Once you're sure everything inside is good, the magnetron isn't difficult. The breaker is never tripped once. Food & Drink. Yes, it can damage the microwave. Use a clamp type ammeter and clamp it on the main neutral. I'm going to assume it radiates uniformly when removed from the oven. Otherwise, there will be a big chunky relay which supplied mains to the HV transformer primary. Sounds like it's the magnetron. The interior of the oven, for the most part, only heats indirectly They can shatter in the microwave. Use a kill a watt or ammeter with a line splitter. I'll never buy an expensive microwave because to me there's no distinction. schematic notes: the schematic uses PNP transistors, while 2N3055s are NPN, so reverse the power polarity from positive ground to negative ground. You can burn out your own eyes if you like. ps qa dc nw ue an fy kc tf ci