Broken microwave - self-repair?

[rich99]

Hi,

We have an integrated Neff microwave oven. Last week there was a bit of a flash, and when I investigated, there's something the top, inside the microwave, that's clearly cracked (see attached pic). From looking at microwave manuals, I *think* it might be the microwave aerial? If so, what are the consequences of using the microwave in its current state? What about repairing it? Is this something that's easily self-repairable?

Thanks!

 

[mattylad]

Jeezus!

There is a little required feature of microwaves, in fact all kitchen equipment that you seem to be missing.

It's called "cleaning them" !!!!

It's not an aerial, the microwave generating source is hidden behind a plate that you cannot get to.

Try cleaning the whole thing, try the microwave and then if its still doing it post a cleaner picture!

The broken bit appears to be a bush part of something that rotates.
Did you happen to have anything metal (like foil) inside at the time?

 

[Nozzle]

Do not repair a microwave. How do you know once repaired that the electromagnetic radiation is doing the job to the food and not your head without having the means to measure this leaking energy?

Wise point from mattylad though, that is well manky and you need to recognise might be possible reason for the failure.

Buy a new one, and keep it clean

Nozzle

 

[rich99]

Jeezus!

There is a little required feature of microwaves, in fact all kitchen equipment that you seem to be missing.

It's called "cleaning them" !!!!

It's not an aerial, the microwave generating source is hidden behind a plate that you cannot get to.

Try cleaning the whole thing, try the microwave and then if its still doing it post a cleaner picture!

The broken bit appears to be a bush part of something that rotates.
Did you happen to have anything metal (like foil) inside at the time?

Guilty as charged, although in my defence, the food tastes the same whether the microwave is clean or dirty I found the exploded parts diagram, the relevant part is attached. It's listed as aerial, reflector, disc & screw. It's the 'disc' that's broken, and from what I can tell it just unscrews from the bottom, so should be easy to replace. I'd still be intrigued to know what this part actually is though....

 

[jj4091]

I'm not 100% sure but I suspect it is something to do with the wave guide, possibly to direct or deflect the microwaves into the cooking area. If it is broken then I doubt it will be performing as it should & replacing it would be a good idea, but on no account get into the electrical side of the magnetron as there can be extremely high & potentially lethal voltages present in the capacitors.

 

[mattylad]

Clean it up and see if it still works.

 

[rich99]

Clean it up and see if it still works.

It seems to work just fine, whether or not I've cleaned it. But presumably this piece exists for a reason!

 

[mattylad]

If the thing still operates the same, if that bit is supposed to rotate then having a few bits of plastic broken is not going to cause much of a problem.

 

[JBR]

Jeezus!

There is a little required feature of microwaves, in fact all kitchen equipment that you seem to be missing.

It's called "cleaning them" !!!!

I must say, I'd have been embarrassed to have posted that picture!

 

[ericmark]

I have friends who strip microwaves and LNB's and use the parts to build their own aerials so they can both talk and send pictures to each other, however they also have wave meters and oscilloscopes so they can test if the transmission is going where intended. It is dangerous stuff, I know on some sites I have worked on only women are allowed to work above a set height and we all live in metal boxes (containers) to protect us.

Personally 70 cm is highest frequency I use, the microwave was developed after finding dead seagulls in Orfordness when testing RADAR and it was thought they could develop a death ray, well the power reduced so much with distance that did not work, but the micro wave oven uses what they found out when trying to build a death ray.

It seems the seagulls were landing ready cooked!