microwave/oven combo

[Steve B]

My DIL has a bake oven with a combo microwave. The microwave died, and the repair guy said that the microwave couldn't be fixed. I find that hard to believe. The unit is not that old. Are there things in a microwave that go out that one just absolutely cannot repair? I know there's a break even spot where the repairs cost more than a new one. She is giving us the old unit, and I'd like to see if I can get it fixed.

Steve

Heart surgery pending? Read up and prepare. Learn how to care for a friend.

[hrhofmann]

How about some further info, like make, model, age, what does and does not work, etc. You've been on this group enough to know what we need to know. Also, have you been to this google group to pose your question? sci.electronics.repair. Without knowing more you cannot get any serious advice.

[larry moe 'n curly]

In a microwave-only oven, yes, because repair is more expensive than a whole oven, but in a convection-microwave, I think only a broken oven cavity (has anybody taken a sledge hammer to it recently?) or a bad high voltage transformer can make repair uneconomical. BTW if this is a table top model, L-G makes one for GE and also for Sears, the differences being price and one having a touch panel while the other having regular buttons.

A microwave oven consists of a fan-cooled magnatron powered by a high voltage doubler (capacitor, diode), connected to a high voltage transformer, connected to some control circuitry (simple relay or inverter) and the 120VAC. There's probably also a high temperature cutoff for the magnatron. Magnatrons cost as little as $30, the high voltage capacitor and diode maybe $20-30 for both, and my parents have a 30-year-old convection/microwave oven that's been fixed 3-4 times by replacing those components plus the hi-temp cutoff. Also ovens with touch panels may wear out their buttons or develop cracked solder joints from flexing too much. If your oven buzzed briefly just before quitting, there's a good chance the diode shorted.

has lots of repair information, including safety information. Microwave ovens can electrocute (kill) you even when unplugged, because of that big capacitor, whose built-in bleeder resistor sometimes cracks and doesn't bleed down the 2,000 volts.

[Steve B]

How about some further info, like make, model, age, what does and does not work, etc. You've been on this group enough to know what we need to know. Also, have you been to this google group to pose your question? sci.electronics.repair. Without knowing more you cannot get any serious advice.

reply: Yes, I know that, but the unit is 200 miles away right now. I was just asking about the concept of whether or not a microwave can be so dead that it cannot be repaired, no matter the cost. Of course if it is cost prohibitive, then that's a deal breaker. I have heard of mw's that couldn't be fixed. Maybe sealed parts. Out of production. Whatever. I had one that my property manager said was toast, so we put it in storage and put another in the vacation rental. The next manager saw it, and asked about it, checked it out, and changed a fuse, and it came back to life.

I may be going to Vegas Thursday, if not, not until after Thanksgiving, WHEN I'M GOING TO GET ALL THE PERTINENT INFORMATION on it.

Steve

[Steve B]

reply: here's the deal. I asked my wife, since she has actually looked at the unit, and I have paid it no attention at all while at my daughter's house. It's a microwave over a regular oven, all in one face plate. I would have never bought it, but they are getting a whole new one, and are giving us this one on hopes we can fixit, as I am known for fixing things in the family, and everything that goes to the landfill usually goes through my house first, and I've revived a lot of stuff. I may see it this week, or after Thanksgiving, and get some more detailed info.

But thanks for the boost that it may be repairable.

Steve

[LSMFT]

There is no such thing as 'can't'.

[dpb]

...

Wasn't aware anybody had made the combinations for quite a long time--we've got one (GE) but it's 30 yr old. The magnetron for it was still available last I looked a year or so ago. They're not cheap but I've been tempted to order one for a spare as would hate to give up the feature as there's no room for a countertop unit.

The problem could be in the interlock; there's a solenoid in the door lock system that is _NOT_ available w/ no suggested replacement; one would have to find something to cobble up in it's place if that were it. I can imagine that would be in the "nonrepairable" category for a standard-duty repairman.

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[Steve B]

Speaking of such ............ I called a repairman in Las Vegas for a built in oven. He came, charged $75, which he would gladly take off the bill if I had him do the work. The motherboard was shot, and it would be $650 to fix. I pulled out the unit, and got the tekkie sheets taped to the pouch on the side of the unit. Pulled the plug and reinserted, wrote down the error code, and found out it was the Interlock. Went to a local shop, bought one for $32, and fixed it. Called the company and asked for a refund. No way, Jose. So, I told them I'd be calling the local news channel that loves these stories. No, NO, don't do that, we'll have that refund right over there this afternoon when one of our guys has an appointment in that area. Check was in the mailbox before sunset. That's the scenario I'm afraid of, and I live in a very little town, so there's a good chance of finding an honest repairman here, but there's probably not a lot of them. We have a lot of social contacts, so will probably be able to find one once we get the unit up here.

[Steve B]

That's kind of what I figured. Even a car gets a new life with a new engine, you just have to decide if you want to spend $2,000 on a $300 car. But then, I've seen $300 cars with $5,000 stereos in them, so it's a personal matter. We're getting this for free, so if it costs to get it fixed, we can spend a chunk and still come in under the price for new. MY SIL, who fancies himself as a repair person is probably going to be pissed if I get it fixed for $30 or so. But even if it is $300, my story is $30, and I'm sticking to it. Or a $2 fuse would even be better.

Steve

[aemeijers]

When I used to live in the apartments, I routinely found very shiny 'dead' micros, some still with the protective plastic film on them, beside the dumpsters. Most came back to life with a field-strip and reassembly, after replacing popped fuse or a burned-up push-on connector, or de-gunking the microswitch on the door safety interlock. Gave some to relatives, sold a couple at garage sales, Goodwilled the rest.

[The Daring Dufas]

I found a brand new small microwave oven next to a dumpster outside a place I was working. Not a scratch on it and the glass turntable and owners manual were inside. It works fine, I think someone was moving and decided the new items I found were worth less than the space in their vehicle.

TDD

[dpb]

Actually, on reflection, the microwave oven lock is mechanical only; the solenoid is only for the clean cycle--it prevents unlocking until the oven has cooled. So, the idea of it being an unavailable part wouldn't be the problem of why the microwave was deemed unrepairable...

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[Steve B]

Well, I'll have the exact number and model of the unit in a couple of weeks. For now, I'm just wondering about the statements sometimes that a microwave is "unfixable." Maybe it actually is, but my experience is that sometimes people have a can't do it attitude, and they're dead in the water before they cast off. Others see it as a challenge, and say, "I can fix anything."

Steve