microwave oven saga

Feb 16, 2016 31 Replies

$200? Did you order from an appliance supply instead of from MCM Electronics, Dalbani, Premium Parts, etc? It's possible you could have bought another small microwave oven and taken parts from it because many magnetrons are identical. The mechanical fit of the magnetron must be exactly the same or strong microwaves can leak where the magnetron seals against the chassis.

What overvoltage diode? The electonic circuit board may have some tiny ones, but I'd expect a MOV across the AC lines. OTOH magnetrons are powered by thousands of volts provided by a circuit consisting of a high voltage capacitor and high voltage diode configured as a voltage doubler. This diode will measure as an open circuit with digital multimeters because they apply only about 2-3 volts for ohms or diode measurement, and high voltage diodes consist of several diodes connected in series and require more voltage to be applied , so a higher voltage has to be applied to it to conduct. Some analog meters will do that on their higher resistance scales, like 10x or 100x, or you can use a source of at least about 9 volts DC with a resistor of at least

10,000 ohms in series.

How many microwave ovens should I have bought before I found the one that fits properly?

The parts were bought from PartsDirect.com. In case you didn't notice, I got them from there because they had a return policy and I could get it next day air.

Maybe I said it wrong and it is a high voltage diode. I think you got the point though.

2, from stores that are good about returns, in case you got the wrong parts. I would have checked the UL registration number to improve the odds of getting something that uses similar parts.

I remember them charging $3 for speaking with them and claiming they warned me of this when actually they hadn't because their website had issues with browsers that weren't Firefox.

So you would take the microwave apart, and if it didn't match, return it? No store is that good about repairs.

The whole idea of buying microwaves and taking them apart to find the right parts is totally asinine.

+42

How do you *know* this is the same part? Because it LOOKS the same? Because it has the same number stamped on it? How do you know they aren't "rejects" (failed some critical characterization) that People's Microwave Oven Factory #234 rationalized was unnecessarily strict -- for THEIR product

[Of course, the product you now have would be neither theirs NOR the original manufacturer's]

Of course. It's one thing when I saved broken VCR's for their parts. I already owned them and they don't take up much room. (Though when I needed a Zenith head motor, I couldn't find one. Neither could the shop I used to go to in his stock. )

I just purchased a new set of tires, but there is still some ice and snow on the ground, and a lot of potholes in the roads. I was going to get them installed on my car, but after reading this, I decided that maybe I should wait a few more weeks. told the guys at the tire garage to hold off on installing them for now, and just brought the tires home. How long should I wait to install them?

Robert J.

Your life is at risk driving on your old tires. In the winter, I get new ones every month. You heard the man, your tires are junk. Put them on today and get another set in mid April.

X

You can safely disregard that post from 1969

In those days they had snow tires and by Spring, they'd melt.

Now they make tires from synthetic rubber

I'll be glad to help your dispose of your old tires -- if they fit any of my vehicles. :)

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