OK if anybody knows this
Mar 15, 2024 22:51:27 #
Horseart wrote:
It's coming from that little screen where you can see it was smoked (black) at the bottom. There's not much way to get grease off that pops into that screen but I've had microwaves for many years and never had one smoke because of that.
That looks like a mesh screen for the exhaust fan.
With the microwave unplugged, can you gently see if that round fastener in the upper left corner of the photo will pry out, to release that screen so it can be lifted out and cleaned?
If that can be removed pretty easily, it should allow you to see the fan, also. If there is buildup like that on the screen, it would be good to see if the fan blades have accumulation, too, and clean them with some mild, grease cutting detergent, then dry them well.
Be careful, and hopefully you'll have good success.
Mar 15, 2024 23:02:20 #
Mar 15, 2024 23:03:24 #
terryMc wrote:
Completely different receptacle. You couldn't plug it into 230.
OK. Thanks.
Mar 15, 2024 23:07:12 #
dustie wrote:
That looks like a mesh screen for the exhaust fan.... (show quote)
Thank you again. Electricity is one of the few things I am afraid of. I've never had that happen before and that does look like grease spatters (I usually cover the food so it won't do that). I will try that (yes, unplugged).
Mar 15, 2024 23:11:09 #
dustie wrote:
That looks like a mesh screen for the exhaust fan.... (show quote)
I thought it looked like the “microwave window” for the magnetron. There’s a fan to cool the magnetron, but I didn’t think it blew into the cooking area, but I could be mistaken. Either way, it should be clean, but maybe it’s the smoke that’s causing it to soot up. I’m assuming there is no metal, not even aluminum foil that was inadvertently left inside while cooking.
Mar 15, 2024 23:22:19 #
TriX wrote:
I thought it looked like the “microwave window” for the magnetron. There’s a fan to cool the magnetron, but I didn’t think it blew into the cooking area, but I could be mistaken. Either way, it should be clean, but maybe it’s the smoke that’s causing it to soot up. I’m assuming there is no metal, not even aluminum foil that was inadvertently left inside while cooking.
Window it probably is, yes. Not likely metal construction, probably fine fiber mesh.
In some of those less expensive countertop models, isn't the fan also visible behind there?
In any case, it certainly looks like that one needs to be degreased, yes, or replaced if it is not easily cleaned.
Not sure that it looks as though metal container or foil was involved. Wouldn't that usually leave arc streaks along the sides, not just a blackened area at the edge of that opening?
Mar 15, 2024 23:28:54 #
TriX wrote:
I thought it looked like the “microwave window” for the magnetron. There’s a fan to cool the magnetron, but I didn’t think it blew into the cooking area, but I could be mistaken. Either way, it should be clean, but maybe it’s the smoke that’s causing it to soot up. I’m assuming there is no metal, not even aluminum foil that was inadvertently left inside while cooking.
I went in there and tried what Dustie said. To my surprise, that is not a screen. It's just a small piece of silver, reflective cardboard. I cleaned it, but now, after looking in there I'm thinking the smoke may be coming from that thing to the right of that, where the light is.
My neighbor should be home tomorrow, so I'll have him take a look.
Mar 15, 2024 23:46:13 #
Horseart wrote:
I went in there and tried what Dustie said. To my surprise, that is not a screen. It's just a small piece of silver, reflective cardboard. I cleaned it, but now, after looking in there I'm thinking the smoke may be coming from that thing to the right of that, where the light is.
My neighbor should be home tomorrow, so I'll have him take a look.
My neighbor should be home tomorrow, so I'll have him take a look.
If you have no fan visible in yours, that is probably only the wave cover as TriX said. In which case, it may not be able to successfully degrease/clean it. Replacement of that little cover may be the need.
It could seem like cardboard, but it's a little more specialized than that. Some spatters / grease buildup on that can keep the unit from working efficiently, and may have caused some smoking on the wave unit that you see in there.
Hopefully your neighbor can lend you a good hand.
Mar 16, 2024 00:02:40 #
dustie wrote:
If you have no fan visible in yours, that is proba... (show quote)
Thanks again Dustie. I'll check and see if my neighbor is busy tomorrow. He won't mind. He treats me like I'm his mother.
Mar 16, 2024 01:03:42 #
Horseart wrote:
Thanks again Dustie. I'll check and see if my neighbor is busy tomorrow. He won't mind. He treats me like I'm his mother.
That area behind the cover you removed should be cleaned well with a soft cloth, and dried, before installing the new cover and using the microwave.
I know, you already knew that, and probably already cleaned it. 😊
Mar 16, 2024 05:24:34 #
BebuLamar wrote:
While it's most unlikely you possibly has too high voltage like 240V instead of 120V.
That'd blow it the first time you used it - not several months down the line. Interested to here the cause.
Is the microwave from a branded source?
Mar 16, 2024 07:47:31 #
John N wrote:
That'd blow it the first time you used it - not several months down the line. ...
Most definitely!
240v on a 120v (only) device will make it go pouf in seconds.
Mar 16, 2024 07:53:34 #
Mar 16, 2024 08:27:25 #
Horseart wrote:
please speak up. br br Crazy situation. Two years... (show quote)
The last several microwave ovens we have had have been high-end large Panasonic models. They have each given us good service. Not all MW ovens even function the same way - different types of radio wave tubes in them. Check Consumer Reports for recommendations.
Mar 16, 2024 08:35:55 #
lamiaceae wrote:
The last several microwave ovens we have had have been high-end large Panasonic models. They have each given us good service. Not all MW ovens even function the same way - different types of radio wave tubes in them. Check Consumer Reports for recommendations.
Basically they do work the same. All magnetrons emit RF energy in the microwave band, which heats (cooks) the food. All feed the microwave energy from the magnetron into the cooking chamber via a waveguide.
Some microwaves also include radiant heat strips to brown food. But the primary cooking is via the microwave radiation.
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