Microwave ovens are a testament to man's ingenuity and creativity. For
someone to have the foresight to imagine that food can be cooked without
ever being placed in an oven or near a fire is astonishing. What was
once a science fiction movie fantasy device, is now a common everyday
household appliance. What's next? I wouldn't mind that machine from
"The Jetsons"
that made whatever food you mentioned. I wonder if anyone's working on
that? Anyway, the microwave oven is a marvel of science, available
right in our kitchens. To understand how this little cube can heat up
food and make the popcorn pop, have a read of our article that explains
just how it works.
So, you're here because your
microwave
oven isn't working as well as it used to or it isn't working at all.
Many times, you can quickly and inexpensively fix the problem by
yourself. You will need to have a VOM (volt-ohm meter), which you can
pick up at most
hardware
centers. A notebook to record your process is a valuable assistant
when it comes to trying to remember which screw goes where. As always,
unplug the appliance before troubleshooting unless otherwise noted.
Now, let's see if we can fix that problem.
Note:
Before touching any internal parts, be sure to discharge the
capacitor. The capacitor stores additional voltage and can hurt you
even if the unit is unplugged. To discharge a capacitor safely, you
will need the following: a
screwdriver,
a wire-wound resistor with a 2 watt - 20,000ohm rating, and a pair of
jumper wires with alligator clips on the ends. Clip a wire to each end
of the resistor. Clip one wire to the metal shaft of the screwdriver.
Clip the other wire to one of the capacitor's terminals. Now, touch the
other terminal with the tip of the screwdriver. There may be a small
spark. If the capacitor has three terminals, do the same process with
the middle terminal and each outside terminal.
