Signs of malfunction: Sparks inside the chamber of the microwave oven. The microwave oven “cracks, shoots” inside during operation. A grinding sound is heard, a burning smell. If you find such a malfunction, it is not a reason to get rid of a faulty microwave, such problems are rather quickly eliminated, after which the microwave will serve you without problems, not one year.
The main causes of arcing:
- The protective mica plate inside the chamber has burned through;
- Burned-out coupler (“mushroom”) of the rotating plate;
- Use of metal ovenware;
- Damage of enamel coating of inner walls of chamber.
Mica plate burned through
In 90% of cases – the causes of sparks inside the microwave are due to a burned plate, which is usually located on the right, on the inside wall of the oven. It is made of mica sheet, its main function is to allow microwaves from the emitter (magnetron) into the chamber and protect the magnetron itself from the elements of food being cooked on it.
The burnout of the mica plate is mainly due to grease on it. If further use, under the mica burns the metal walls of the chamber and the protective cap of the magnetron, if the failure is not corrected in time, the microwave emitter (magnetron) may fail.
Order of troubleshooting:
- Check the condition of the mica, it is located in the inner chamber of the microwave oven on the right wall, roughly in the center. If the surface is dirty or burnt, replace the mica plate with a new one (before replacing it, clean the inner chamber of the microwave from grease and cinders).
- Remove the magnetron according to all safety rules: de-energize the microwave oven; short-circuit the capacitor; short-circuit the magnetron.
- Check the cap for burning. If not burned out (we see a small spot), then put the magnetron back in place and turn it on.
- If burned out, replace the cap, put the magnetron back in place and turn it on. If you can not find the cap, then replace the magnetron.
Burned out rotating plate coupler
The plastic “mushroom” (coupler) which is located at the bottom of the chamber under the microwave plate can also cause microwave sparks. Over time, from accumulated grease and dirt in this place an electric arc occurs. As a result of the sparking, the coupler gets hot and melts.
To fix this problem, you need to replace the old coupler with a new one of the same type. Most microwave manufacturers have typical couplers. Some manufacturers, e.g. Samsung, Whirlpool, may have significantly different dimensions of the “mushroom”.
Using metal cookware
The use of metal dishes and their occasional touching the walls of the oven. Use of ceramic cookware decorated with gold or silver powder. Do not use any type of cookware with metallic finishes; 4. Damage to the oven cavity enamel Sparkling can also be caused by damage to the enamel coating of the oven cavity. Do not use any type of cookware with a metallic finish;
Damage to the inner chamber enamel
Sparking can also be caused by damage to the enamel coating in the inner heating chamber. In this case, it is necessary to restore the enamel coating of the inner chamber for this purpose using a special enamel. If you paint with other non-specialized agents, the vapors of this chemistry can end up in the food.
How to avoid such malfunctions
In order to avoid such malfunctions, the chamber of the microwave must be kept clean, to protect against splashing on the mica plate, greasy food during cooking should be covered with a special hood or paper napkin. If fat gets on the mica plate, after a while it begins to heat up and spark, which can cause failure of the magnetron (and this is the most expensive part in the microwave) or even burn the inner walls of the chamber of the microwave.
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