Through my research, Ive learned that there are just a handful of parts that can cause a microwave to break down. Here are the telltale signs that it's time to start shopping for a new microwave. Cutting a grape in to nearly half and then microwaving it can cause a formation of plasma and balls of light in your microwave. This is Rose Smith. DO NOT attempt to repair this type of electrical fault. Smelly smoke filled the kitchen. Ran fine for 5 years. This may solve the problem.If nothing is impeding the movement of the turntable, it could indicate a problem with the turntable motor or issues with your control panel. If the waveguide itself is damaged, it cannot be repaired, and you will most likely need to get a new microwave. The most common way of reseting your microwave is called a hard reset. If you have accidentally left a metal spoon or fork inside your microwave, then sparks will happen. If even a tiny piece of it is unintentionally left in your microwave, it can cause sparks to fly. It ensures the even distribution of energy in your microwave. Before repairing electrical components of a microwave, such as the diode or magnetron, the capacitor must be discharged. Using lids on your cookware will reduce this type . The juice heats up and vaporizes, and the cloud of vapor becomes the medium in which the microwaves resonate. This might happen due to the fault in the stirrer belt. 5. Hi there! Our Senior Certified Technicians are here to Guide You! If there are any damaged spots, gently sand the compromised area and . If the sparks are too bright or seemed to come from the walls of the microwave, unplug and turning it off is the smartest move. Its function is to produce the microwave energy that heats your food. Can a microwave catch fire with nothing in it? Once you have access to the capacitor by taking off the outer cabinet, use a well-insulated screwdriver to touch the tip of the screwdriver to a terminal. Take the other lead and place it on the metal box. A microwave is a high-current, high-voltage device that requires extreme caution to be taken when repairing. Problem: The microwave smells like food that was just cooked, or smells like the meal from last week. Nevertheless, they will likely damage your microwave oven. Either way, you will want to unplug your microwave immediately and replace it with a new one. Luckily, there are only a few reasons why that would happen. Microwaves, Kitchen, Ovens, Small Appliances . Whats visible of the internals look perfect. Thanks! Answer (1 of 4): If you put something metal in it, it will probably be fine. If the noise sounds more like grinding, it may be the stirrer or exhaust fan motor. If instead it becomes loud and makes grinding, buzzing, or rattling noises, something is amiss. According to Bob Schiffmann, a 50-year veteran of the microwave industry and president of the International Microwave Power Institute, 1 microwave . Eddy currents cause some pretty extreme heat dissipation inside moderately resistive conductors, and extreme voltage differences between nearby conductors causes arcing. When the oven is not cleaned regularly, food crumbs can cause sparking. Microwaves are amazing, but can hog so much breathing room. Its an easy mistake to make. If the microwave doesn't heat, or it heats more slowly than it should, this indicates . Damaged waveguide cover. If not, you should not use it until the problem is resolve. Once you unscrew the above, there will be a few additional wires, the connector you are looking for looks like a very thin piece of tape called filament tape. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks. The protective plastic coating on these racks may get damaged over time due to heat from cooking exposing metal parts underneath. Privacy Policy| Terms of Use | About Us | Contact Us. Clean the area. If this happens, the magnetron will not generate enough power to heat food, and you may notice sparks inside your microwave. This includes metal utensils, wire twist ties, etc. It also prevents a fire outbreak in your microwave and protects you from electrical shock. It could be caused by something as innocuous as a metallic object accidentally being placed inside the microwave oven or something much worse such as a fault in the electric circuitry. But once you have figured out the original problem, it gets important to fix the problem. Click to reveal How to Turn a Hand Mixer Into a Stand Mixer. Problem: The microwaved food is consistently dried out to the point where it is un-edible. It also plays a secondary role in protecting the magnetron from debris and food splatters. Here are some of them; frequent sparks, strange noises, smells, and the door not opening properly. If the new lightbulb does not turn on, it may be the main control board or light socket. Reasons your microwave might be sparking. To avoid this situation, it is always better to just unplug the appliance. If it is broken or damaged in any way, sparks can occur. If the sparks are too bright or seemed to come from the walls of the microwave, unplug and turning it off is the smartest move. While powerful, propane heaters do need to be used with caution. Worn out rack support. If the paint is worn out, the metal is exposed to the microwaves resulting in sparking. If you have one or more faulty diodes, youll start to see sparks. It is common knowledge not to put tinfoil or metal in the microwave, as this will cause it to spark and can damage the microwave. Problem with the high voltage diode. Once ready, inspect the inside for any metal scraps that might have snuck in. Examine the waveguide panel for any damage. Remove the outer cabinet and make sure you discharge the capacitor to avoid electric shocks. If you cannot see any obvious cause, remove the rotating plate and look for fragments of wire wool or similar substances. Add half a cup of vinegar (white) in half cup of water, and boil it for a minute. additional soil in the microwave cavity can generate unexpected disruption for your microwave and TV. However, if you don't handle this home appliance properly, it can malfunction. Hold the black lead against one end of the diode; touch the opposite end of the diode to the negative terminal on a 9-volt battery. Microwave ovens last for a long time and you can expect to get around 10 years of use out of them before you consider getting a new one. Lights all work, did not trip the main fuse. Remember, the capacitor can contain a lethal amount of electricity, even while not connected to the power, so proceed with caution. Microwaves use water to cook, and the lack of water results in lack of quality food. If cured, perhaps a clean proper material can replace it. If youre not sure whether the microwave is safe or not, just unplug it. You may have arcing occurring in the wave guide. If you decide to dump it; remove the plastic part where arcing occurs, clean all and any splashes deeply and the soot that may favor the arcing path and retry. These mini Appliance Analysts is a trading If every other part works fine, you may need to replace this part. Appliance, Stand Mixers, Stand Mixers Basics, 22 Disadvantages of Microwaves and How You Can Fix Them, 17 Common Microwave Problems and How You Can Fix Them, Door switch Notifies the rest of the microwave that cooking can occur, Magnetron Uses the D/C current to make microwaves. Its plastic, no visible signs of arcing or substantial grease buildup. Sparks usually indicate a loose connection or a breakdown in the insulation of wiring or components allowing the current to arc between two areas of different voltage potential. While sparking is a common occurrence in microwaves, its not necessarily a sign that your microwave is unsafe. - metal cutlery is left in the oven - this is a . Testing a faulty magnetron is a simple process for a competent technician, that only takes a few minutes. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Repair and disassembly guides for GE Microwave ovens. Required fields are marked *. I suggest that If you don't know what you are doing that you turn off and unplug . Second, make sure the glass table is set in a proper position. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Dry it thoroughly and reinstall it. These mini microwaves save your countertop space without losing on cooking power. You might be worried it could explode or start a fire, but there could actually be a very simple fix! Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel & 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel . If you notice a crack or damage, then that might have caused the spark. No sure what the source of the noise is. We hope we were able to help you get out of the microwave sparking problem. Well, here is what you can do . Do you happen to notice a tiny spark in your microwave today while baking the potatoes? These are signs of a serious and urgent problem. simply push the button, lift the handle, etc to see where the error occurs. There are few materials that you would like to keep away from your microwave to keep your microwave safe. Some electromagnetic waves have well-designed metal racks that offer additional support when cooking more than one plate. The second type of reset is called a soft reset. Yes, microwaves, if not properly maintained, can explode. The first thing you should do it make sure that your microwave is plugged in. Be sure to check your manufacturers website or owners manual for the part number. If you notice a spark or a crackling noise within your microwave oven, you should immediately disconnect it from its power source to prevent additional damage or a potential fire. If you notice sparking coming from a panel in your microwave, a broken waveguide cover is probably the cause. Clean with hot, soapy, water, then observe the results. If your microwave is sparking without any metal inside it, the cause could be either a faulty waveguide, a burnout diode, broken rack support, or a worn stirrer. This can be easily noticed while doing microwave-based cooking. If you find cutlery or left a metal dish inside the microwave, you already know how to stop the sparking. Unplugging your microwave and removing metal from inside will help stop most sparks in their tracks. Second, there is also a possibility that your stirrer paddle has broken due to wear and tear. What problems have you had with your microwave? This might become the reason for the spark in your microwave. Disconnect the microwave from the power source. Look carefully in your microwave, you will notice a small mesh square halfway on one of either side. If your microwave is sparking and failing to properly heat your food, a faulty diode may be responsible. A common issue that many owners face is sparking and smoking, which is usually caused by incorrect use. Once all the smoke has disappeared, inspect the waveguide cover. A microwave supplies you with a quick and uncomplicated means of cooking certain foods, however if care is not taken when operating the appliance, malfunctions can take place. If the multimeter shows no continuity, try reversing the diode so that the black lead is in contact with the opposite end of the diode. With a broken waveguide cover, steam and even food particles can build up in the electronics. Determine the cause - where do the sparks land? Solution: Because there are a few difference possibilities, there is a checklist of places we need to check when troubling shooting your microwave. This connector becomes loose because of the pressing of the keypad, and the pushing and pulling of the microwave door handle. Why you do not have any video on how to access these parts on GE dryer? However, radiation leakage does not result in sparking. What other outlets were in use when the fuse blew? Sometimes rust in the microwave can result from condensed hard water. When closed, the microwave door should be completely sealed. The waveguide cover, located at the top or on one side of your microwave, is where microwaves from your magnetron exit to heat your food. Thus, a microwave with painted walls has lower maintenance. However, the best part is that most of these problems are easy to fix. Microwaves are absorbed by fat and sugar in the foods. Or perhaps the user has cleaned the inside of the microwave with wire wool or a metal scouring pad and tiny fragments of metal remained within the oven housing, after cleaning. Unscrew the magnetron with a screwdriver and pull it out of the appliance gently. These produce sparks and heat that can damage your microwave. You don't want to risk electrocution! That will keep you safe and keep your microwave from sparking in the future. I recommend unplugging the microwave, and contacting a professional. Another possibility is that the main control board is damaged. Stopped it and opened all the windows, lit candles, and ran the fan again. If yes, then the high-voltage diode is the one who is at fault. This could be enough to cause a microwave to spark.