Can I turn on an empty microwave? It would seem that, in principle, this question should not excite the mind of a simple average man, because who could ever have the idea of idling a home appliance that consumes quite a lot of electric energy? However, in fact, the situation when the microwave oven is in working condition, but nothing is heated inside it, is not so rare. Most often, children who like to twist levers and press the dumb buttons just like to indulge with a microwave, but sometimes adults who are wise in life experience sin this. Some of them do this by negligence, but some by stupidity. But still, what happens if you turn on an empty microwave? What is it fraught with for technology and is it fraught with something at all?
Question edge
So, is it possible to turn on an empty microwave? We will give the answer right away - no. Now you can proceed to the explanations and arguments. Those of us who scrupulously study various kinds of instructions for operating household appliances probably know that manufacturers of microwave ovens prohibit turning on their products without putting something in them that can be heated in principle. But we understand that all manufacturers in general, and microwave ovens in particular, are not allowed to do with their masterpieces a lot of what each of us did at least once in a lifetime.
It is unlikely that there will be a person in the world who never put a plate with a golden rim in the oven, did not forget to remove the fork from the food container, or did not leave the lid of the container tightly closed for lunch. As a result, the microwave “spoke” its angry “bang” or “trrr”, hummed and sparkled, but continued to work safely. Therefore, the question of whether it is possible to turn on an empty microwave is, for many, not at all topical. Such treatment with her does not carry the danger of instant breakdown, it is rather her slow but sure “killing”.
The principle of operation of the microwave
To understand why you can’t turn on an empty microwave, you need to understand how it works. Food in the microwave oven is not heated in a way that is usual for a person - by raising the temperature of products through the use of traditional heat sources - a gas burner or an electric heater. Microwaves are used, which act on the water molecules in the product placed in the oven. They "accelerate" these tiny particles, which, in turn, hit each other and heat up. So the temperature of the dish rises.
A special coating is applied to the surface of the working chamber of the microwave, which reflects microwaves. Because of this, they do not penetrate from the outside and focus their action on the contents of the furnace. Getting on food laid in the microwave, they heat it. It is believed that if there is nothing in the chamber, the microwaves simply bounce off the walls of the device and fade away, but is it really so?
Why not?
Yes, indeed, microwaves, having not found a suitable object for heating, quickly fade away, their energy is released and disappears, dissolving in the surrounding space approximately like the darkness dissipates after turning on the light bulb. But part of this energy still affects the microwave oven itself, and not in the best way. Microwaves repeatedly hit the coating of the working chamber of the furnace, and gradually destroy it, and at the same time other elements of the device. Mainly the most important part is the magnetron, which produces electromagnetic waves inside the furnace. That is why you can not turn on an empty microwave and let it work idle. This will sooner or later disable the device. Repairing a magnetron does not make much sense, because this is the most expensive part in the entire microwave oven, and it should be protected.
And if just a little bit?
We figured out whether it is possible to turn on an empty microwave oven, but there is another interesting question regarding the operating rules for this type of household appliances, namely, what minimum portion can be put in the oven. Manufacturers recommend heating at least 200 g of food at a time. It is also impossible to overload and load the microwave in full. Too large pieces of food will not warm up properly, so if you need to heat up a large dish, it should be divided into several smaller parts.
But now we are talking about small portions. Do not turn on the microwave with one cutlet or a side dish. Food is heated in the microwave due to the content of water in it, and the smaller the product in size, the less moisture in it, because the food's micro-portions dry out very much when heated. Moreover, there are real precedents when owners burned their stoves because they turned them on almost empty. For example, with one grain of popcorn or a small bun.
What to do if you need to microwave a small portion of food?
To avoid drying out food, as well as to protect your assistant, if you still need to warm up something small, you need to follow one very simple rule. In the working chamber, in addition to the plate with the dish, put a glass with clean water. Thus, microwaves are evenly distributed between this liquid and the heated product, and will not destroy the device itself. This is a recommendation given by manufacturers of microwave ovens. Following it, the owners of kitchen appliances will not only save an expensive device, but also will not spoil the taste of your favorite dishes during their heating.
What cannot be done with the microwave at all ?
How a microwave oven works is already understandable, but for many it’s still not clear why it is impossible to heat anything containing metal in it:
- iron utensils;
- cups and plates with a golden pattern;
- cutlery;
- canned food;
- snacks in foil packaging, etc.
The fact is that the waves that the magnetron creates, when hit on a metal in a confined space, contribute to the formation of electrical energy. As a result, sparks and electric arcs appear in the microwave chamber, and this can cause the device to ignite.
How to extend the life of household appliances?
First of all, do not turn on an empty microwave. In addition, for heating food in the microwave oven, it is better to use only the dishes intended for this. You can, of course, do this in simple glass or ceramic containers, but they also become hot after microwave exposure to them, which does not happen with special plates and mugs.
It is very important to properly care for the microwave. It is strictly forbidden to wash the camera with abrasive agents and aggressive “chemistry”, because they destroy its surface. It is most advisable to remove contamination immediately after using the oven, wiping it with a damp cloth and soapy water. Ordinary water with lemon slices will help get rid of odors - you need to pour the liquid into a wide and deep bowl, throw a few slices of lemon into it and put the plate on the microwave for several minutes.
Experimenters note
We can not ignore the recommendations regarding the various experiments that people carry out with a microwave. Experiments using this device are very different. Some of them are quite dangerous. For example, ignition of light bulbs inside the chamber, boiling water, sterilizing cans, stuffing pins or chips in the package into the microwave. Other experiments are relatively safe. These include a balloon explosion or “heating” using a soap oven and CDs. Before doing any of these actions, you need to remember that any electric device is not a toy, but a serious household appliance connected to the network, and therefore relatively fire hazardous and requiring a particularly careful and careful attitude.