Are Microwaves DYI Friendly?

[Alls Quiet]

Someone gave me a twenty-year old Sharp Carousel in cosmetically perfect condition. The inside even smells new. The AC stuff and bells and whistles are working. The turntable coupler (very tiny plastic square plug that sits exactly center and connects the glass turntable and turntable spindle to the underbelly...allowing the glass to rotate) is broken. A replacement sells online for $10 shipped. I searched to see if microwaves are worth repairing but couldn't find anything, so I thought I'd post here.

Would a broken $10 coupler indicate problems with the microwave that can't be seen? Thanks.

[Bultaco]

My guess is that the broken coupler indicates only that someone clunked a big ole ceramic bowl into the nuker that broke the thing.....or that they inserted something so big that it 'stalled' the carousel mechanism which then snapped the coupler. Either way, I wouldn't worry about it. Three thoughts, though:

1. Have you tested it, just to make sure it heats? There's no harm in running it WITHOUT the tray turning (just like ALL microwaves used to be!) You could even use it like this long term if it's an efficient oven with proper microwave dispersion.
2. Buy yourself one of those cheapy, micro leak checkers to make sure the door seal has integrity.
3. New microwave ovens are so inexpensive these days (for three times the price of your replacement gizmo, you can almost buy an entire oven)...why not just get a new one?

My 2 cents.

Mike

------------------------------------- Mike

[Jim Yanik]

michaelscott_at_cogeco_dot [e-mail] (Bultaco) wrote in news:2f8b2$4cd160b0$45499b77$ [e-mail]:

this isn't a 650W R-9310 model is it? I just had mine die after 30 years of use,with only one repair. the HV cap shorted 10 years ago,I replaced it and the HV diode for $25 part cost.

If the oven is still heating well,I'd buy the replacement part,it should not be that hard to replace. Your power output may be down after so many years of use,though. Newer MW ovens usually have 1000W or more,but generally smaller oven cavities. they also have more keyboard features like sensor cooking. most of the time,I just use time and power level.

[Peter]

I'd remove the glass turntable and put a pyrex measuring cup of cold water into the oven near the coupler and put the oven through a few tests to make sure it is otherwise working normally. If so, I'd get the part.

I had to replace a coupler a number of years ago on a 12 year old Panasonic microwave that got heavy home use but was otherwise working fine. I suspect that after years of use, the expansion and contraction of the plastic from heating and cooling eventually caused a microscopic flaw in the structure of the plastic to crack. Replacement for me was as simple as gently pressing the new coupler straight down on the motor shaft. The oven lasted another 3-4 years. I thought I had made a decent investment.

[trader4]

d Sharp Carousel in cosmetically

Depends on what it takes to install it. If it's a perfect drop in that fits, then maybe. Otherwise I can't imagine screwing around installing a 20 year old microwave. Just not worth it. Also newer ones are more powerful, more efficient and not that expensive.

[HeyBub]

Coupler failure is pretty common. I inherited a MW with that problem and glued the coupler back in place.

I first tried Liquid Nails, but that didn't hold. Then I stepped up to super-glue. The MW has worked swell for the past four months.

[clare]

The 20 year old sharp will still be ten times the microwave the new cheapy is today another 20 years from now. I vote "fix it". There's a reason the Sharp was an expensive microwave even 20 years ago.

[clare]

Sharp Carousel in cosmetically

Only more eficient if they are inverter type. My 25 year old Quasar is 1100 watts - not many new ones are more powerfull than that - and mine is a full 1.5 cu ft. Hard to find one that size today. It also has a rotating antenna - so it does not need a rotary table for even cooking. Which means it will take a 9X12 pan without any issues

[Alls Quiet]

Thanks everybody! I fixed it with a new coupler. Works *really* well, ten times better than a small unit I bought in 2007. Whoever said you could use a microwave without the turntable--thanks for the reminder. I didn't know if I could test it without the carousel rotating.

*Just a note to anyone in the same situation: make sure you insert the coupler (which retails online and/or in "reality" for $10) with the "overhanging lip" in the proper position. Otherwise, the plastic may crack or at least experience a lot of stress. And no, you can't get it cheaper online; you'll pay as much because online repair sites charge $5 shipping.