Today, almost every kitchen has such a useful assistant, without which it is already difficult to imagine how to quickly warm up food. This, of course, is about the microwave. Probably everyone in the soul wishes to the one who invented it all the best. But, like any other technique, a microwave oven can be capricious. That is why, for example, the microwave stopped heating? The reasons for this behavior are sometimes puzzling - because everything works, glows and turns as it should, but the food remains cold.
In this case, the first thing that comes to mind is to take the equipment to the repair shop, where they will do it. However, it is not necessary to go to the nearest service center or call the master at home - you can try to diagnose yourself and fix the breakdown.
Microwave Operation
To understand why the microwave has suddenly become stubborn, you should figure out how it is arranged and works. At least in general terms. The most important part of the device is the magnetron. It is he who produces microwaves, which heat the food. Any product contains a certain number of liquid molecules (somewhere there are more, somewhere less).
Microwaves make them move, and as a result, friction occurs - the food is heated. As you can understand, this happens differently than under the influence of a heating element - there heating occurs due to the outgoing heat. Thanks to this device, it is possible not only to heat products, but also to defrost them.
Violation of the operating rules
If suddenly the LG microwave stopped heating, the reason may lie in its own stubbornness. And everything seems to turn on, it works, but after some time, the delivered food is still cold. In some cases, this may occur due to non-compliance with elementary operating rules.
Indeed, few people usually look into the instructions and everyone learns about the features of the device using the scientific poke method. This approach is fundamentally wrong, and often the following factors are the causes of violations:
- Insufficient voltage - the line may be overloaded if several high-power devices are connected to it. And if the voltage drops by 5-10 V, the microwave will not heat up. In this case, it is necessary to lay a separate line.
- Power surges are the main reason for the failure of expensive parts. It is recommended to purchase a stabilizer to protect equipment. It is optimal to connect it immediately at the entrance to a house or apartment - then all electrical appliances will be under reliable protection. In an extreme case, you can do with a small device - individually for a microwave oven.
- Problems with the door are another reason why the microwave stopped heating. If it becomes worse closed, then the food will not heat up well or remain cold. In this case, it is enough to change the latches with the magnetron, and the problem will be solved.
- The mode of operation - sometimes the cause of the malfunction of the microwave oven is so banal that you are simply amazed. And the thing is the wrong choice of operating mode. For example, after defrosting, the mode was not set back to microwaves.
- Metal things - a fork or knife left in food leads to sparks, and the food itself does not heat up.
The situations listed above are for easy reasons, and with care, the problem is solved quickly. No need to even contact the master. In an extreme case, this is another reason to still look at the instructions, which usually describe what can be done in certain situations.
The microwave stopped heating, but it works - what should I do?
In some cases, equipment from well-known brands Samsung, Supra, Panasonic and other manufacturers, instead of warming up food, starts to buzz.
The first step is to understand the causes of this phenomenon:
- Failure of the diode. The duty of this part is to prevent the current from flowing in the opposite direction.
- Faulty capacitor that needs to be replaced.
- Due to the breakdown of the magnetron, you can hear not only a buzz, but also a buzz.
If you decide to look for a malfunction yourself, then you should consider that a microwave is one of the most dangerous household appliances. The threat is that for the magnetron to work, a voltage of the order of 4-5 kV is needed. At the same time, it is stored in capacitors for some time after the device is turned off.
In this regard, the risk of electric shock to an inexperienced electrician is high. Therefore, if there is no certainty, it is better to entrust all the work to a specialist.
The dishes are heated, not the food
If the Samsung microwave oven has stopped heating, but it is working, then the reason for this may be the wrong choice of dishes. The optimal material is transparent heat-resistant glass, ceramics, porcelain, earthenware. Plastic is convenient to use, but not every type is suitable for a microwave oven, and indeed for the food itself.
There are varieties that in no case can be used to heat foods in the microwave. We are talking about plastic with the corresponding marking:
- PVC, or polyvinyl chloride;
- PS, or polystyrene.
Marked plastic containers approved for use in microwave ovens:
- P is polyamide.
- PP - polypropylene.
- Thermoplastic.
- Duroplast.
The last two options are containers that, when heated, do not deform and are able to withstand strong heating up to 100 ° C or more. And unlike glass containers, plastic is not afraid of temperature changes.
Serious reasons
All of the above applies to the simple reasons that the microwave oven does not heat food. It should be noted that the rotation of the pan with utensils, lighting and other signs of operation of the device do not always depend on the internal structure of the device. In other words, if the Samsung microwave oven has stopped heating, the cause may be the failure of only any part of all the equipment.
And externally, the microwave oven will look workable. And in addition to simple situations, there can be serious cases that sometimes require prompt and qualified external intervention.
Maybe it's all about the magnetron?
On this device it is worthwhile to dwell in more detail. A common reason why the microwave does not suddenly heat up food is poor contact. The wires emanating from the transformer are connected to the terminals of the magnetron connector. And high voltage flows through them, so the tips must be removed with difficulty. The cause of poor contact, in turn, lies in heating, which is why it weakens. You can correct the situation by compressing the contacts with pliers or pliers.
In some cases, the reason that the microwave has stopped heating, but is working, is the damage to the magnetron cap. If it just blackened, there are no holes, then it is good to clean its surface with sandpaper with fine grain. It should be shiny, even and smooth, like a mirror. This is the only way to achieve maximum effect. But one should not be zealous either, rubbing metal to holes. In conclusion, it remains to remove all dust.
Magnetron Replacement
If the cap is still melted, you should first make sure that the device itself is working. To do this, remove the “cover” and examine what is under it:
- The metal is intact - in this case, the cap just changes.
- The metal is damaged - which means that the magnetron itself is a replacement.
What to do if the microwave has stopped heating? If it is necessary to replace the magnetron, it is worth weighing everything well - its cost is quite high. For this reason, it is more rational to purchase a new microwave oven.
But if the microwave is still more expensive, then it makes sense to change the magnetron itself. Only here all its parameters should be taken into account, because among themselves they are all different. It is optimal to take the faulty device with you to the store, where the seller will choose the option with all the necessary characteristics. Only in this case, the magnetron will fall into its rightful place without any problems.
Trick with cap
How can I replace the magnetron cap if the device itself remains intact? It is not easy to find it on sale, because it costs mere pennies, which is unprofitable from an economic point of view. The option is to grind the cap on a lathe, but not everyone fits it. After all, not everyone in the house has such equipment, and not everyone has familiar turners.
Another option is more acceptable - the old electrolytic capacitor of the right size. A part of a suitable diameter is selected, the necessary piece of the body is cut off and a hole is carefully made in the center. When drilling the housing, high accuracy should be observed - matching in size should be perfect!
Then it remains to strip the resulting cap to shine with an emery cloth with the smallest grain and polish it. The conductivity of this part affects the quality of the microwave oven. At the end, the cap is put in place and the operability of the device is checked.
Fuse role
When the microwave has stopped heating, the cause may be a defective fuse. This element is present in almost all devices. The fuse plays a very important role (as the name implies) in protecting against harmful factors:
- short circuit;
- voltage drops.
There are a lot of fuses, microwave ovens are usually equipped with parts that have a fusible insert in the form of a thin metal thread. It is placed in a glass flask and is closed at both ends with metal caps (in fact, these are fuse contacts).
The principle of operation is simple to understand - the thread warms up to the melting temperature of the metal and is destroyed only when too much current passes through it. Accordingly, the device is de-energized. In this case, the limit value of the current passing through the thread, without harm to it, depends on the characteristics (including the cross section) of the metal from which it is made.
Where is the part located?
If the microwave has stopped heating due to a defective fuse, you should know where it is located. Typically, manufacturers put several parts into their devices, but this is not always the case. One of them is networked and located on the corresponding board. This fuse is designed for current in the range from 8 to 10 amperes, however, it is not able to protect electronic parts from power surges. However, a short circuit can certainly be avoided.
A high-voltage fuse is able to protect the transformer from current overloads and is placed near it. In this case, the part is placed in a plastic casing for its additional protection.
If the microwave oven has electronic type control, then in such models there is another fuse - in the immediate vicinity of the rectifier, which is responsible for converting alternating current to direct voltage with a voltage of not more than 5 volts. It is this kind of power that is needed for chip elements.
If the microwave oven stops heating due to a faulty fuse, the procedure for replacing it is noticeably complicated. The fact is that for most models with electronic control, the part is located in an inconvenient place (at the top of the primary winding of the transformer and in isolation).
But there are pleasant exceptions - with the microwave ovens from Samsung, everything is much easier, since the fuse is located on the control board.
Fuse check
It is easy to detect a malfunction - a burnt thread will be detected with the naked eye. In this case, a replacement part is necessary. It is also worth doing if blackening of a glass flask is visible.
It is worth noting that some models may not have high-voltage fuses - their function is assigned to the network part. And in order to understand which fuses are installed in a particular model of a microwave oven, it is worth referring to the operating instructions.
Checking Other Parts
Sometimes, when the microwave has stopped heating, the cause may be caused by other components, which also make sense to check. The problem may be with the capacitor. To do this, you should connect it to an ohmmeter with an arrow - if it moves, then the part is in good condition, and the reason should be sought elsewhere. Otherwise, the culprit has already been found.
Checking the diode is a rather complicated procedure, and for this reason even masters prefer to simply replace it right away. Its cost is not high, so there will be no particular losses, even if it turns out to be intact. The main thing is to pay attention to the parameters when buying a new part - they must completely match the old diode.
Also check the capacitor. Even if the microwave itself is working, everything turns on, turns, buzzes, but the food does not heat up, there is a chance that the problem lies in it. To do this, take a tester and set the resistance measurement mode on it. If a measurement reveals a break or a slight resistance, therefore, the reason why the microwave stopped heating is found, and the part must be replaced. In the case when the value tends to infinity, it means that the capacitor is working.