INDEX V3.11 (05/25/1998)

Contents:

Table of Contents
Chapter 1) About the Author & Copyright
Chapter 2) Introduction
2.1) On-line microwave oven repair database
2.2) Expert system for microwave oven fault diagnosis
2.3) The simplest problems
2.4) Repair or replace?
Chapter 3) Installation and Preventive Maintenance
3.1) Microwave oven installation and use
3.2) Microwave oven maintenance
3.3) How long does microwave energy hang around?
Chapter 4) Microwave Oven Troubleshooting
4.1) SAFETY
4.2) Safety guidelines
4.3) Troubleshooting tips
4.4) Test equipment
4.5) Safe discharging of the high voltage capacitor
4.6) Getting inside a microwave oven
Chapter 5) Principles of Operation
5.1) Instant (2 minutes on HIGH) microwave oven theory
5.2) Why don't microwaves leak out from through the glass?
5.3) How a microwave oven works
5.4) Controller
5.5) Sensors
5.6) Cooling fans
5.7) Microwave generator
5.8) Magnetron construction and operation
5.9) Magnetron construction - basic textbook description
5.10) Magnetron construction - modern microwave oven
5.11) Magnetron construction - common features
5.12) Cross section diagram of typical magnetron
5.13) Microwave generator circuit diagram
5.14) Interlock switches
Chapter 6) Troubleshooting Guide
6.1) Instant troubleshooting chart - most common problems and possible causes
6.2) What can go wrong
6.3) General system problems
6.4) Uninvited guests
6.5) Totally dead oven
6.6) No response to any buttons on touchpad
6.7) Oven runs when door is still open
6.8) Oven starts on its own as soon as door is closed
6.9) Oven works but totally dead display
6.10) Whacked out controller or incorrect operation
6.11) Erratic behavior
6.12) Problems with internal microwave leakage
6.13) Some of the keys on the touchpad do not function or perform the wrong action
6.14) Microwave oven does not respond to START button
6.15) Microwave generator problems
6.16) No heat but otherwise normal operation
6.17) Fuse blows when closing or opening door
6.18) Loud hum and/or burning smell when attempting to cook
6.19) Arcing in or above oven chamber
6.20) Fuse blows when initiating cook cycle
6.21) Fuse blows when microwave shuts off (during or at end of cook cycle)
6.22) Oven heats on high setting regardless of power setting
6.23) Oven immediately starts to cook when door is closed
6.24) Oven heats but power seems low or erratic
6.25) Oven heats but shuts off randomly
6.26) Oven makes (possibly erratic) buzzing noise when heating
6.27) Oven light does not work
6.28) Fans or turntables that do not work
6.29) What to do if the door handle breaks off
6.30) Crack in door
6.31) Repairing damage to the oven interior
6.32) Microwave/convection oven problems
6.33) Sensor problems
Chapter 7) Testing and Replacement of Components
7.1) Testing the oven - the water heating test
7.2) Testing the main fuse
7.3) Testing and replacing of interlock switches
7.4) Making measurements inside microwave ovens
7.5) Testing the high voltage components
7.6) Testing the high voltage diode
7.7) Replacing the HV diode
7.8) HV diode ratings
7.9) Testing the high voltage capacitor
7.10) Replacing the high voltage capacitor
7.11) Testing the magnetron
7.12) Comprehensive list of magnetron failure modes
7.13) Where to obtain replacement magnetrons
7.14) Comments on replacement magnetron quality
7.15) Replacing the magnetron
7.16) Testing the high voltage transformer
7.17) Replacing the high voltage transformer
7.18) Testing and repairing the wiring and connections
7.19) Testing thermal protectors and thermal fuses
7.20) Testing and replacing the triac
7.21) Testing and replacing the power relay
Chapter 8) Items of Interest
8.1) Microwave leakage meters
8.2) Comments on microwave leakage meters
8.3) Simple microwave leak detectors
8.4) How safe is a repaired microwave oven?
8.5) Efficiency of microwave ovens
8.6) Microwave oven design and cost reduction
8.7) Problems with running a microwave oven with metal inside or totally empty
8.8) More on metal in the microwave
8.9) Burnt smell from oven - after incident
8.10) Microwave ovens and grounded dedicated circuits
8.11) Microwave ovens and GFCIs
8.12) Can a microwave oven be built into (or hung under) a cabinet?
8.13) Taking a microwave oven oversees (or vice versa)
8.14) Microwave oven test-mode
8.15) High frequency inverter type HV power supplies
8.16) Dangerous (or useful) parts in a dead microwave oven?
8.17) The magnets in dead magnetrons
8.18) Using the control panel from defunct microwave oven as an electronic timer
8.19) Precise control of microwave oven power
8.20) Has technology gone too far?
8.21) Microwave ovens for non-standard applications
8.22) Short course on Amana
Chapter 9) Service Information
9.1) Advanced troubleshooting
9.2) Suggested Reference
9.3) Cost of repair parts
9.4) Interchangeability of components
9.5) Can I substitute a slightly different HV capacitor for a blown one?
9.6) Obtaining replacement parts for microwave ovens
9.7) Sources for replacement microwave oven parts