I have a microwave oven that been in storage for 4 years! Bought new it was used only a couple of times. I seems (does) work fine - but I just wondered - is it ok to use the thing after it being stored so for long? Is there some way to check it's working safely?
you can get microwave leakage detectors, I don't know if there is any genuine need for these, or if they were just sold to capitalise on people's unfounded fears of getting "zapped".
There is not. Modern microwave (>1973?) ovens employ a seal which does not rely on a very close-fitting gasket as the very earliest ones did.
They use a clever design based on the RF physics of the thing to stop the leaking.
Unless there are holes of greater than 1cm into the microwave, or the door is grossly warped (say >2mm) then it's not leaking anything if bits haven't actually been removed.
If it's just been stored, and not abused, then there is no risk. There is a small risk it will not work on switchon, but that's a seperate thing.
Andy Burns typed
Why would the OP's microwave be any more dangerous than mine? It is 7 years old and has been in continuous, trouble-free use.
It has nevered occurred to me to check it...
Depends if it's been stored in a nice dry, clean location, or somewhere damp and dusty where it has got the odd knock, the O/P has some concern over his, you clearly don't about yours.
If it was stored in dry conditions etc, it will be as safe as new. If it got so damp the interlock microswitches corroded, the thing will pop its clogs the moment the interlock misbehaves.
Dont waste money on a so-called leakage detector. The ones that do actually work (most dont) were maybe useful in the 70s, but designs of door seal and interlock have both changed considerably since then.
NT
Check it's not been dropped or bashed, that the door is still close fitting, that there's no corrosion of the internal cavity, and that the interlock switches it off when the door is opened.
Thanks for the replies. Just felt a bit uneasy about it so thought to ask. It's be stored in a cupboard, never dropped or bashed about and
*is* cooking stuff as expected. Door fits fine and interlocks click positively.Yes I thought if it's going tpo fail it'll probably be when I first switch it on - but it works fine. However this model is a bit unnerving when, if open the door, the noise of the fan etc sometimes contiunes on! I found the booklet for it and it says this is normal - just the fan running to cool things down after a use. (I close the door anyway). Just paranoia then - or maybe better safe that sorry.
To the poster who mentioned hers still running after several years - then somone else said about newer ones having a differnt type of seal/design - maybe that should be checked?
Newer = >1970 or so.
These have the seal made up by the design of the door, rather than a close-fitting gasket as before.
mike typed
Both have been made a LONG time since the 1970s haven't they?
There isn't much to go wrong in em really.
A capacitor might dry out, in which case there will be a bang and some smoke.
Apart from that the magnetron will do what magnetrons do, and spit out microwaves..and unless you have a rusted door seal, they won't jump out and grab your wedding tackle.
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