Microwave tech

[RenegadeT]

I've got a GE Spacemaker over-the-range microwave, and all of a sudden it seems to have stopped working. Its like the plutonium pellets are spent, everything looks like it works, its just that the food is as cold as when it started. This happened to me a few years ago, I did a little research, and decided getting it fixed would most likely run as much as a new one. I replaced it with the same make/model because I didnt want to install a new wall hanger and redrill new holes in the cabinet, hoping the first failure was a fluke. I guess it wasnt...any recommendations on microwaves? And is there anything I could check/change in my current microwave for a quick/cheap fix?

 

[Blkvoodoo]

take the front panel off ( fan grate and display ) it easiy comes apart with a few screws.

There is an envelope inside with the schematics and parts list of the appliance. There is one or 2 fuses in it and a couple of motors ( one to rotate the turntable on the bottom, one to rotate the microwave reflector up top) if the the reflector motor goes, it will act as you describe.

On mine, the turntable motor croaked, I diagnosed it, ordered the part from http://www.pcappliancerepair.com/find.html it was like $15 if I remember right. ( there were several prices and motor part numbers, but in the picture they were all the same, I took the chance and got the cheap one, and it payed off )

listen to it when you turn it on, you'll hear the fan ( for the magnetron ) and you should hear the magnetron energize ( sounds like a transformer buzzing....because it is) if you don't hear the magnetron energize, is could be kaput, which means it's time to get a new microwave.

Look in thru the door ( closed) while it is on, you should see the reflector rotating thru the plastic cover ( it is opaqe, but the light should be bright enough you'll see something moving thru the plastic )

As far as replacing the part, I let my wife do it, took her 20 min. It's that easy !!

And for safety's sake, DO NOT operate the microwave with out all covers in place....

 

[RenegadeT]

thanks...I found my paperwork, this microwave is 6 years old, the previous one was only 3.

When I replaced it the first time, I took some of the parts off...I remember finding the schematic, didnt do me much good though, if I dont see something blown up or disconected, I'm almost at my electircal limits. Plus I wasnt too keen on the HV capacitors and radiation warning labels everywhere.

Now, I just popped off the keypad, found a 20A fuse. Looks like an old glass automotive fuse except it was wrapped in paper. I checked it on the ohmeter, it looks good. IIRC, I need to drop the thing to get deeper and find the schematic.

Microwave is not something we want to do without it for long, so we went out and bought another one. It wont be here til Tuesday (are white appliances out of style already?), got a little time to check the old one out still.

 

[RenegadeT]

I pulled the MWO off the wall. Sure enough, there was the envelope with wiring diagram and schematic...it was accessable from the front, it was just black, hidden along a black plastic piece. There was an easy to follow flow chart to diagnose it, mine said replace HVT. Also in the envelope was a quick reference sheet of critical service parts. I cross referenced the HVT to the website Kevin posted and got...High Voltage Transformer $ 168.81

I'll be heading over to hhgregg tommorrow to pick up a new HVT, as part of a brand new microwave oven

 

[SHINTON]

Just an aside...Mom toasted a couple microwaves in a short period of time by cooking on the stove (lots of steam coming off what she was cooking) and then trying to nuke something.

ie...the steam = water on electrical stuff and then electric comes on = bad microwave.

Not sure if that is the issue there but something we figured out! (Microwave over the range/fan) is not all it cracked up to be)