GE profile microwave/convection/vent JVM192KC02 won't Start

I "inherited" this item from someone moving out of town. unfortunately, (stupidly??) when I first got it I only tested the clock and display when I plugged it in (assuming it worked ). then I tucked it away awaiting a kitchen renovation to which this unit is kind of key. a year later, kitchen is finally done and after a horrendous battle installing the unit, I find out that it doesn't work!

basically, when I hit the Start button, nothing happens. everything seems to work fine -- choosing the programme, selecting power level, cook time. but when I hit the Start Button, nothing happens.

any suggestions out there? or do I just drag it to a repair shop? (the real cost if you will is getting it down off the wall now. it is a beast requiring two people and a lot of patience.)

Peter

Reply to
peter stock
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Is your start button an actual button, or is it a touchpad?

Just went through a similar ordeal with a fairly new Sharp over-the- range microwave. Fortunately under warranty, so somebody else paid to fix it, but I got to watch so I know what to do if (when) it breaks again.

The control panel on my microwave has the normal touchpads, then the Start, Stop, Fan, and Light controls are 4 small buttons to the right of the touchpad. The Start button gradually stopped working over a period of about 3 months. Turns out the small buttons have an even smaller post on the back which is supposed to press the flex circuit pads underneath against a conductive layer to complete the circuit. Because of the alignment of the touchpad with the buttons, the Start button was only pressing against one of the circuit pads, so the connection was very intermittent. Service tech replaced the touchpad, which apparently changed the alignment enough to make the connection more reliable. If this happens again out of warranty, I plan to glue a stiff piece of metal or plastic over the flex circuit pads, to spread the switch pressure out over a larger contact area.

Luckily, on my microwave, it is possible to remove the control panel from the front of the microwave without taking the unit off the wall. Don't know if that's a possiblility with yours.

I was able to find a service manual for my microwave after about a 1/2 hour Google search. Suggest you do the same, if you can find a service manual, maybe it will tell you whether the unit needs to come off the wall, or if you can just remove the control panel with it still hanging on the wall.

Hope this helps, Jerry

Reply to
Jerry

Hi Jerry. it's a touchpad. No mechanical buttons apparent.

oh and the other problem (in case there is some small appliance genius out there) is that the low level internal fan (which apparently is supposed to continue until everything inside cools down after a cooking operation) will not quit. It kicked in when I started to programme the fruitless test cook programme, and now, 24 hours later, is still humming away. This is not normal.

Peter

Reply to
peter stock

Sounds like perhaps two problems, but might only be one...

The first (no start) could be as simple as other poster noted of the switchpad not making contact.

Or, both could be a microprocessor logic failure.

For this problem, I'd remove power, let it sit for at least a couple of full minutes, then repower it and see if the sucker resets.

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Reply to
dpb

Hi Peter,

It sounds like you have a bad door switch or a loose or broken door switch mount. That can cause it to not start, not heat, or can make the light, fan, and / or turntable stay on, depending on the model.

This is usually caused by slamming the door or by opening the door while it's cooking instead of hitting the "Stop" pad to stop it.

This is not a hard DIY job if you're careful about the safety issues involved.

You can find critical information on safety, disassembly and door switch diagnosis and replacement at my site:

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You can usually find helpful exploded view diagrams and order needed parts by entering your full model number here:
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You shouldn't have to remove it from the wall for this job. First read the safety info.

(If you need an owner's manual or installation manual you can download one here:

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Make sure it's unplugged, then remove the screws holding the vent grille across the front. Now you'll see a mounting screw at the top of the control panel frame.

When you remove that, you should be able to either lift up and out on the control panel frmae, or it will swing down like a drawbridge.

If and when you need to disconnect any wires, be sure to either mark or photograph them first, to be sure they all get back in the same place!

Once you have the control panel off or moved over, you should find a folded mini-manual that's pretty handy for troubleshooting.

Using the mini-manual and / or door switch info linked above you can proceed to check them. Even though a door switch clicks, it may still be bad inside, so if you have a multimeter or continuity checker, that's the best way to check them.

Post back or contact me directly if you need further help.

William E. Miller, AS-EET snipped-for-privacy@usa.net =86

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Oven C> I "inherited" this item from someone moving out of town.

Reply to
William Miller

Darn, I wonder why I didn't get notified that you had replied WIlliam. I just found this note now.

Thank you for your thorough debug.

not being all that handy, I handed the unit off to a repair guy, who, as you suggest, found that the 4 door switches were causing the problem and were corroded (even though the unit looks brand new) $100 later - a fair enough price; I would have destroyed the machine

-- I had it back the next day, reinstalled it and it works fine.

anyway, thanks again for your post. Even though I wasn't brave enough to attempt it myself, someone else will surely have a similar problem and so will benefit.

by the way, my repair fellow says that 99% of problems with microwave- type appliances (whether they have a convection oven combined or not) is with door switches.

Peter

Reply to
pjstock

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