The trusty free-standing Panasonic combi microwave needs replacing - any recommendations for a reasonably-priced combi (micro+grill) that I can build-in?
- posted
10 years ago
The trusty free-standing Panasonic combi microwave needs replacing - any recommendations for a reasonably-priced combi (micro+grill) that I can build-in?
On Friday 06 December 2013 15:14 unknown wrote in uk.d-i-y:
I have this one: (not built in):
Sharp R959SLMAA R959SLMA 900W 40L
seems pretty good. I *believe* there is a build-in kit available - a quick google should reveal...
We too have had a Sharp. lasted forty years so far. Used daily. Plastic parts turned a bit yellow+a few bulbs failed, that's all ever gone wrong
Is the old one an inverter type? I recommend the new one has a conventional transformer.
No way to disagree with that.
But if they did a proper job on the electronics, with no cutting of corners (Hah!), the inverter type woud be superior, with infinitely variable power levels instead of 1/2/3/4/5 steps.
In message , Tim Watts writes
Yes, we have one of those, good combi oven - grill a little so so like most of them, but fine for browning dishes. The bigger oven cavity makes kit much more useful as a second oven, and it bakes very good cakes on the turntable :-)
Sadly I've just had to scrap a v nice Panasonic combi uW passed to me by a family member. Simple checks carried out but no way to check out the more complex inverter circuitry so passed to the local tip.
We have a Panasonic inverter combi which failed after a few years. It all works except for the microwave bit. Dismantling it revealed that the magnetron magnet is broken and the air guide had overheated. Further investigation showed the magnetron heat sink has small airways through the block - these were all clogged up with dust. We live on clay and in dry weather the house gets very dusty. I think it's this clay dust which has blocked the heat sink.
I was tempted to buy a new magnetron and air guide and repair it but if the inverter is also duff then the cost would be uneconomical. Kitchen authority decided that, as it is only the microwave facility that is required these days, we buy a new non-combi Panasonic.
So now I have to remember from time to time to dismantle the new machine to vacuum out the airways.
I'm still tempted to try to mend the old one. It seems such a shame to dump it.
Edgar
I have found that with modern microwave ovens, the power control seems to be full power on/off cycling with a many seconds per cycle. The effect is to blast the baked beans all over the inside of the oven if you get the time wrong. Our very old microwave (40years) uses variable current to the magnetron, which allows you to leave things on a simmer setting and keeps the beans in the dish. I understand that modern inverter type ovens also adjust the magnetron current but have found it very difficult to verify this. If you ask the manufacturers customer service people, generally even they don't know. I've never seen the control system specified in the sales literature.
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