"Attracts microwaves", now there's a concept! A new physics is invented every day, on the Usenet.
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
Thermometer repair?
Loading thread data ...
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
Wow, interesting story. I did read an article in Popular Mechanics on "How to Improve TV Reception With A Rectal Thermometer".
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
Wow, interesting story. I did read an article in Popular Mechanics on "How to Improve TV Reception With A Rectal Thermometer".
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
" snipped-for-privacy@optonline.net" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@y14g2000vbk.googlegroups.com:
The turntable rides on little plastic wheels. It runs on a surface. It has a motor. Evidently one or more of these is a little bit rough and causes a slight vibration. Normally not noticable, but it possibly affected the thermometer if it is very sensitive to such movement.
Mine has three modes - mw, oven and both. I am discussing the oven-only mode which uses a heating element.
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
Bingo! Harry gets the prize! BTDT
cheers Bob
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
snipped-for-privacy@y14g2000vbk.googlegroups.com:
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
BTDT but only twice and it was for a relatively low temp thermometer so I think I used boiling water?
Simple solution.. BTDT but only twice.
Mercury thermometers typically have tiny expanded volume at the very upper reaches of the mercury column.
Slowly heat the thermometer until the mercury expands into that space. Be careful.... as the thermometer heats the little segments will move towards the top volume.
Wear safety goggles and check the thermometer often. As long as the column is segmented, the risk breakage is small. When the column "goes solid", that's when breakage occurs.
If you heat very slowly & check often...you'll be fine.
cheers Bob
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
Yes. It has three modes - mw only, oven only and both. I was in oven only mode.
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
In mine it turns in all modes.
It was in oven-only mode using a heating element, not the magnatron.
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
Couldn't have been that far back. The cover had a shot of a 3D-TV.
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
" snipped-for-privacy@sbcglobal.net" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@b2g2000yqe.googlegroups.com:
It was in oven-only mode, using a heating elenent instead of the magnetron.
I was using it to test the temperature; the oven is currently not heating correctly - says it has preheated to say 400 but is actually only at 300 and goes no higher - while the repairman was present.
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
harry wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@e13g2000vbn.googlegroups.com:
The magnatron was not in use - the oven-only mode uses a heating element only.
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
Snip!
Snip!
Well, there you are. If you don't use the magnetron it will take forever for your slow-cooker to make toast.
Also, it is obvious that your mercury thermometer needs lubrication. Can you give it a little shot of WD-40?
HTH
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
OK -maybee the description is not totally accurate, but the result is the same. Mercury behaves differently from most other metals - it is diamagnetic (or antimagnetic) - and magnets DO attract microwave energy, while most metals reflect it.
This is an answer to the question "should you use a mercury thermometer in a microwave oven?"
On the other hand, putting a mercury thermometer in a microwave oven isn't a good idea. While mercury is a metal and will reflect most of the microwaves that strike it, the microwaves will push a great many electric charges up and down the narrow column of mercury. This current flow will cause heating of the mercury because the column is too thin to tolerate the substantial current without becoming warm. The mercury can easily overheat, turn to gas, and explode the thermometer. (A reader of this web site reported having blown up a mercury thermometer just this way as a child.) Moreover, as charges slosh up and down the mercury column, they will periodically accumulate at the upper end. Since there is only a thin vapor of mercury gas above this upper surface, the accumulated charges will probably ionize this vapor and create a luminous mercury discharge. The thermometer would then turn into a mercury lamp, emitting ultraviolet light. I used microwave-powered mercury lamps similar to this in my thesis research fifteen years ago and they work very nicely.
Louis A. Bloomfield
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
And then stick it up...?
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
I would agree. I'm never going to use mercury, and I don't think I have one. I do remember lab oven/incubators with mercury thermometer sticking out the top. I used to compare readings with various thermometers, but once I verified, I put the mercury away.
I forgot my combo had a combo button. The heating element will preheat the oven, and then cycle between microwave and heat, but never both at the same time. My platter rotates in either mode. The tray is usually inserted over the platter, and platter not really used, but I would have to reread instructions for turbo oven mode and microwave.
I never turbo cooked anything in that oven, because it's slow compared to my little turbo oven which includes radiant heat.
I use a grilling meat thermometer I bought at kmart for $12 on sale. Digital with probe and stainless cable. I just have to subtract about 10 degree error.
Greg
- Vote on answer
- posted
11 years ago
How metals react depends on length. If about 4 inches long will resonate and maximum current will occur in center. Other lengths will still develop nodes of current. No mercury please.
Greg