I have an older GE microwave oven that seems to work fine if it is stopped manually before the timer counts down to zero. If I allow the timer to count down and shut off the oven automatically, the fuse blows. Any chance this is something that can be fixed easily? From what I've read I'm suspecting the relay or triac -- not sure which this oven has.
In alt.home.repair on 18 Jul 2003 17:36:54 -0700 snipped-for-privacy@mailandnews.com (richard) posted:
Be careful when working on a microwave that you don't open the microwave cage, and that if you do, you close it precisely the way it was before. When I talked to Amana parts, they were very afraid I would zap myself after the repair was over. Maybe they thought I would use it with the side panel off (which is something I would normally do, at least for testing. And which was easy to skip because the repairs didn't need to be tested, I was sure I got it.. and because the panel came of so easily. Model #2)
And maybe the microwaves can escape through cracks where the cover goes on. I'm sure they can, since they are MICRO waves, not kidding. The gasket for the cage was made of wire mesh, a quarter inch wide.
Radio shack has a microwave tester that finds leaks. Iirc it was on sale by coincidence first I looked. Mine works. I open the door a crack (on model 2 which permitted that) and the needle would go up. Otherwise it was close to zero, well within the green range.
This is what happens after a year of law school which includes torts, feeling the need to give the warnings first.
I would think it could be fixed easily. I would look at the wiring cirucit, or try to draw one myself. The parts department also didn't wnat to send me one of those, though I would zap myself, but I pleaded that I had repaired things for 30 years and I knew how to do it rihgt. Strangely, that worked.
It was incredibly simple, but then, this was model 2! There is a light, with a switch for when the door opens, and mine had a separate switch.
There is a little motor that spun slowly in the ceiling and spread the waves around.
There is the timer and the little micorwave circuit. At least 35 years ago.
How many things could the timer turn off> Whatever the number of wires are. Why would the door switch turn off different things? Maybe it does?
Maybe it's not that the timer does it. Maybe you let it run longer when you let the timer turn it off. I suppose you thought of that. :)
Put it on 20 minutes and see if the fuse blows before anyone turns it off.
Meirman
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Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.
Hi,
No model# to work with so we don't know what style you have...but a stuck/sticky relay on the power modual board would often do that ( blow the fuse on turn off/shut down/end of cycle )
One style...
Second style...
jeff. Appliance Repair Aid
Thanks for the reply.
As best I can remember the second style looks more like what I have. Which component is the relay on this board?
Hi,
An example of the larger relay on the baord...
jeff.
Appliance Repair Aid
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