A couple weeks ago my microwave oven started making noises like a Geiger Counter detecting a small amount of radiation (slow but constant low frequency click that is sort of garbled.
I read this on the web so far:
" If your microwave is making noises like a Geiger counter, the sound is coming from the magnetron that produces the microwaves. The sound is normal and there's no reason to be alarmed. If your microwave makes noises when it's in standby that are somewhat loud or strange, something could be wrong with your fan run on. "
But this sound never came out of it before about two weeks ago and i had it for at least 2 years now.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
Hi Nigel thanks for the reply.
Well this is an inverter type Panasonic.
Unfortunately i cant use it on Defrost because it draws too much power from the mains line.
Well an inverter type is completely different to a normal microwave
I don't see why it would take any more? - but not much point anyway, as it's not a conventional microwave, and not pulses ON and OFF.
Everyone of those I've seen (both under warranty and out of warranty) has had a failed magnetron, and a blown inverter - they don't seem very good, and all just to make it a bit lighter to carry
The inverter technology was a good idea and i have experimented with using a variac on a regular oven to lower the power and it is almost the same but harder to control like that. The inverter types are now appearing on many other brands too like Oster, where i think Panasonic was the first one to come out with this so maybe they are licensing the technology to other manufacturers now i dont know for sure yet though.
A dirty greasy oven can have 100s of tiny sparks all over the dirty walls & ceiling that can make crazy clicking sounds.
I wasn't aware of any others, it's basically failed technology - too expensive, too complicated, too unreliable, and for no real advantage. I suspect Panasonic probably lost a lot of money from it?.
The problem with a variac, or indeed the inverter technology, is the magnetron heater - by lowering the voltage you're reducing the heater voltage, making the magnetron less likely to fire up.
Sometimes factory workers stuff their used lunch bag trash inside the produces the factory makes and sells home owner never knows what is hidden inside places they can not see. There could be something hidden in your microwave wave guide like a paper clip or piece of wire.
And as time goes by, they are up in arms because the factory has closed, they are on the dole, and production has moved to China (other low labour cost locations are available).
Someone said: "Make America great again".
JimB
I don't know if that model has as stirrer fan, but other models have been known to make odd sounds when it gets stuck.
Also the Magnetron cavity cover can track across and cause the same symptoms you are describing.
As mentioned above, the Magnetron could also be faulty.
Factory workers are notorious for playing pranks on each other it makes the work day more fun. People where I worked use to throw a paper clip into some ones paper lunch bags when they put there whole lunch bag into the lunch room microwave it made popping sounds then catch on fire in about 3 seconds. LOL.
Some paper food packages are laminated with aluminum foil hidden between 2 layers of paper the package makes popping & cracking sounds in the microwave. If your heating something in the original factory package try heating it in a different package. Look see if package says it is microwaveable.
Sometimes factory workers stuff their used lunch bag trash inside the produces the factory makes and sells home owner never knows what is hidden inside places they can not see. There could be something hidden in your microwave wave guide like a paper clip or piece of wire.
There is a plastic or glass wave guide cover in your microwave remove it look see what you can find inside the wave guide. It is also possible the high voltage transformer has a defect it could be sparking. Put 1 end of a 2 foot long rubber hose in 1 ear move the other end of hose around the microwave to listen for the sound you hear. Hose makes it easy to locate strange sounds. You might need to remove the oven case to listen inside.
Look inside the microwave fan for paper or plastic wrappers.
And as time goes by, they are up in arms because the factory has closed, they are on the dole, and production has moved to China (other low labour cost locations are available).
Someone said: "Make America great again".
JimB
A couple weeks ago my microwave oven started making noises like a Geiger Counter detecting a small amount of radiation (slow but constant low frequency click that is sort of garbled.
I read this on the web so far:
" If your microwave is making noises like a Geiger counter, the sound is coming from the magnetron that produces the microwaves. The sound is normal and there's no reason to be alarmed. If your microwave makes noises when it's in standby that are somewhat loud or strange, something could be wrong with your fan run on. "
But this sound never came out of it before about two weeks ago and i had it for at least 2 years now.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
Before you attempt to open a microwave oven, be aware that there's a high voltage capacitor that can hold a charge after you've unplugged the machine. With the oven unplugged, the first thing you should do after opening the cover, is to discharge the high voltage capacitor. Discharge it even if you're not planning on dealing with the high voltage section: That way, if you accidentally brush up against it, it won't matter because it's discharged.
Okay, now that the high voltage capacitor is discharged, we can start looking.
The first thing to check is the cooling fan(s). Obviously, if they're dusty, clean them.Spin them by hand and see if they feel gritty or tight. If they do, the ball bearings are either going bad, or you may need to just give it a drop or two of oil on the motor shaft. If it gets noisy again in a short amount of time, then it's time to get a new fan.
The turntable mechanism is another possible source of repetitive clicking noises. It's most likely a gearbox with the motor attached. I'm not sure if there would be a non-destructive way to access the motor shaft in one of these, that may depend on the brand.
The high voltage for the magnetron (between 2000 to 4000 volts) could be repeatedly arcing to something, but I would think you would smell ozone or burning if that were the case. If there were some sort of contamination in just the wrong place around the high voltage connections, that could lead to arcing. Is it cooking well like it did before? If not, you may have a high voltage problem. Troubleshooting that will be difficult since even if you had a high voltage probe, most likely all you'd see when the arc occurred is a voltage drop. On the other hand, whatever is arcing is likely to look burnt or damaged. If the transformer has gone bad, then the arcing will probably get more frequent with use/time and eventually the transformer won't work at all.
Thanks, and yes i am aware that there could be dangerous voltages present even after it is unplugged. I've worked on CRT televisions in the past too with the same issues.
Yes thanks for the idea about the fan i will definitely have to check that at some point.
I suspected arcing as the first possibility but when i look into the case through small slots in the case i do not see any bright flashes of light that are typical with arcing, but yes i supposed they could be somewhat hidden without the cover removed.
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