A microwave question

This is a 10 or 12 year old Panasonic micro.

In the middle of heating several different things sequentially it suddenly quit working.

But not entirely. The clock worked and the light worked. The timer counted down as usual but there was no heating and the turntable didn't rotate. While I was contemplating replacing it, the wife said she slammed the door and it started working again.

Maybe some thing was loose. I pulled the cover and did a visual inspection and everything looked tight and in place.

Is this behavior indicative of a microswitch not getting activated?

Perhaps a bad switch or the interlock parts have become worn. The switches look replaceable, the plastic parts of the latching and interlock functions were probably made for that particular model and are unique.

Charlie

Reply to
Charlie Bress
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Try the following test:

put in a bowl of cold Campbell's soup. Turn it on. Does it work.

Yes? No problem.

No? Do the following:

Throw it from the second floor balcony onto a hard concrete surface. Repeat the previous step.

Does it work?

Yes?

Problem solved.

No?

Time to splurge $88 for a new microwave.

HTH

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Yes, the door interlock switches on most microwaves have two problems generally. The first is that they generally use cheap switches, so when you replace it try to get a quality switch (Cherry, or other good manuf.) to replace it. The second problem is that people typically just yank the door open without first pressing the stop button on the microwave.

When you yank the door open while the microwave is running the interlock switch has to interrupt the sizable operating current feeding the magnetron power supply which puts a lot of wear on the switch. If you press the stop button first, the power is switched off by the control which is far more capable of this switching duty since that's what it does for lower power levels as well and there is no wear on the already mediocre door switch.

Replace the $5 door switch and you're likely to get another decade or more of reliable service.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

Door interlock not working properly can causse these symptoms. May need adjusting or replacing. May have worn actuator parts.

Don Young

Reply to
Don Young

Steve, Steve, You got it all wrong.

Progresso soup....

More salt tastes better...

Reply to
Mark S

Or bypass the switch. Unless someone in your family has a pacemaker (an old one), there should be no problem.

Reply to
HeyBub

This is not on subject but good to know if you have a micro, Be very CAREFUL IN REMOVING LIQUIDS THAT HAVE BEEN HEATED TO BOILING AND SHOW A SMOOTH SURFACE. THEY CAN EXPLODE SCALDING YOU ! It's something that rarely happens but it only takes once. To prevent such they say put something that will break the surface, like a wood stick or such. I had a friend thiis happened to and he nearly lost his eye sight. Fore warned is fore armed. Jack

Reply to
Jack

There is normally a series switch and a parallel switch. If the magnetron isn't getting power, the problem is in the series switch. If you bypass the series switch, the magnetron will get power again, but the first time you try to open the door with the oven still running, the parallel switch will short across the line and blow the fuse.

To avoid that happening, you'd also have to disable the parallel switch. And if you do *that*, the magnetron will operate when the door is open.

And that would be pretty stupid, unless you understand the dangers of high-power microwaves. It's not just possible interference with electonics; the heating can damage tissues (like eyes).

Dave

Reply to
Dave Martindale

Yup. My microwave door lock has developed a "Sweet Spot" that I have to press before it will open. Its a worn plastic pin I think but I am too lazy to fix it as I am the only one using it. Will do so when it gets annoying enough.

Reply to
PaPaPeng

I am sure you think you are clever. Sadly, stupid is not clever. BTW your pricing is way off the mark. I just saw a microwave for less than $40,

Now what you should do is unplug your PC and make the internet a better place.

Many happy returns on your 14th birthday.

Reply to
Charlie Bress

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