I have a microwave that just died...the control board is dead.
I have had this microwave for a number of years and suspect I could wire a substitute for the controller...likely a timer.
So is this microwave worth saving?
I note that the new ones look like they have been "valued engineered" to where they may not be the best for the long run.
Your opinion?
Thanks
TMT
IMO no, I would cost at least $100 to fix. is a used microwave worth $100 when a new doest cost much more than that. On the other hand repair manuals are available on the web and you may be able to get the part for $50 or so. I might be willing to try something like that.
Jimmie
The cathode ray tube at the heart of a microwave gradually uses itself up and unit puts out less and less power as it grows older. Also, modern microwaves generate more power to begin with than older units did when they were new.
There is no cathode ray tube in a microwave oven...klystrons or magnetrons are typicaly used.
Also, they don't "generate" power.
So you can cook and watch TV at the same time! ROTFLMAO
[8~{} Uncle Monster
And here I thought they were mainly used for TVs.
Buy a new one from Wal-Mart.
ROTFLMAO This is too good! I wish my microwave oven oven had a klystron. I could hack it into an atom smasher or build a radar to detect those Chinese ICBM's that are coming soon. OH! My tummy hurts from laughing. I gota lay down. HE HE HE!!
[8~{} Uncle Monster
If you have a commercial/restaurant type microwave oven, I'd say fix it and keep it. Those units are of high quality and well made. The microwave oven I'm using at the shop is one I found next to the dumpster and it's brand new and had the manual and clean glass turntable inside it! I've repaired a lot of microwave ovens over the years and have had to make the "Not economical to repair decision" on many of them. The problem with many of the control boards is that they are the most expensive component of the whole oven. Many of the other parts like the micro switches and magnetron are the same across a number of different models and are not as hard to find a replacement for. If you know your way around 'lectricity, and know how to use basic test equipment, you may be able to repair it yourself. Please be very careful because the high voltage inside is a lot more dangerous than what you would find in a CRT type TV set because of the high current. The microwaves can damage the corneas of your eyes if you were to bypass the safety interlocks and turn it on with the door open. If you are determined to repair the oven, there are a lot of resources online to help you. Here's one:
Cathode Ray tube? I think you mean magnatron.
No its not worth fixing, you can get a new unit cheaper they are not built as well but what is.
Nope: Magn'E'tron. But that's only spelling. Unless you are a well accomplished electronics/transmitter technician don't mess with it. The control board also monitors that the safety switches etc. are doing their job. New m.wave ovens are so cheap it makes more sense, unfortunately, to dump and get a new one. Frequently around $50 on sale here at say Wal mart! Someone once described m.wave ovens "As the most dangerous appliance ever made"! Please be very careful.
Yes, that is only spelling.
I have been a licensed electronic tech since... well, a very, very long time. I've probably serviced more microwave ovens than you have ever seen.
I imagine far more people have been injured by stoves and ovens than microwaves.
On Thu 25 Sep 2008 01:48:49a, Uncle Monster told us...
The only problem is the image keeps spinning around on the turntable.
On Thu 25 Sep 2008 05:01:05a, ransley told us...
Agreed, it's not worth fixing. We bought a medium size Panasonic for around $129 that has more power and more useful and practical bells and whistles than any previous unit we've owned. We've had this one since
2000. It's in frequent daily use and shows no signs of giving up the ghost.
Microwaves are now a commodity, a 1.2 cu ft unit can be purchased from Wal Mart for $59.95. Unless its a built-in the economics of repairing them makes them impossible (economically) to repair. My last $80 microwave lasted 10 years through several kids who lived off of hot- pockets and mini-pizzas.
Microwave ovens don't have cathode ray tubes unless you've installed a video game into one or perhaps you have a combination microwave oven and television set.
They use a tube called a magnetron and usually the power supply will give out long before the magnetron has degraded enough to be noticeable.
It's not worth fixing a microwave, but I do think the older, American Made ones like my vintage 1989 Tappan are way better than the Chinese junk you can only buy today. And I also happen to know one other person with my exact same microwave. Still in service after all this time.
And all the shows are turkeys :-)
I feel the same way. My old Panasonic microwave lasted many years. But the last Panasonic microwave only last slightly more than 2 years. I am wondering whether there is something to do with the weight of the microwave. My old one weight a lot. The pre-maturally dead one weight very little even though they were the same size. There are models in the market: some are very light weight, some are heavy. May be we should start buying microwave by their weight?
Jay Chan
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