Emerson Black Microwave Oven - Page 2 - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

Hi,
Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with yourMicrowave Oven....

Microwave Oven Basic Troubleshooting Tips

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Hi,
Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with yourMicrowave Oven....

Microwave Oven Basic Troubleshooting Tips

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Hi,
Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with yourMicrowave Oven....

Microwave Oven Basic Troubleshooting Tips

heatman101

Hi, the problem you are having with your microwave is a common one. Not heating is a problem that can be caused by three things. I'll list the most common solution first, the magnetron that actually does the heating is what is making that noise and has gone bad. It is possible for you to also have a bad high voltage diode that has opened up, solution two, or solution three is the high voltage capacitor is not working properly as well. From my experience with microwaves I am positive that it is your magnetron that is bad. If you are not do it yourselfer you'll need to take it to a repair shop to replace. However, if you know how to use a screwdriver and can unplug a couple of wires with spade terminals on them, then you can take it off yourself, find another one and replace it the same way you took it off. The magnetron sits behind the control panel of your microwave but on top. It has cooling fins on it and has 2 terminals maybe three depending and make and model that plug into it. It has 4 screws that are easy to get to that actually holds it in place. If you do not have a good local source like an electronic parts supply place then you can find the right magnetron at www.mwoparts.com. Be sure you always unplug the microwave before touching or trying to take the he cover off and then when you take the magnetron off also.Good luck and God bless.

Hi,
Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with yourMicrowave Oven....

Basic Microwave Oven TroubleshootingTips

heatman101

It sounds like the magnetron may have either failed or is not being supplied with the extremely high voltage required to run it.

YOUR SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT

This is a job for a professional but if you are safety clued up, here's instruction.
Make sure the !!!!any capacitors are discharged!!!!! before attempting any sort of repair.
Check the door interlock switches first then the high voltage diode with either an AVO model 8 or moving coil meter on high resistance range for short circuit, (DVM's won't show the fault!), the capacitor can fail and go short circuit, the feed fuse on the primary of the high voltage transformer and then finally, the magnetron is best checked by substitution.
Hope that helps.

There are usually three reasons for this, the magnetron is bad "common problem" or the high voltage capacitor and diode developed a flaw. Depending on the nature of the repair, the cost for parts and labor may equal the price of a new microwave oven.

Remove the cover and take a look at why it is not latching. I suspect there is a catch that is broken. Find replacement latch at your local appliance parts store.

Thanks for your question today.

From your description it sounds like the magnetron is failing, or the high voltage transformer is not putting enough high voltage to properly drive the magnetron, the other possibility is the solid state triac is not working properly, normally if it becomes defective the power level stays on one only, but you stated even at full power it was only defrosting, so it would seem the triac is working but maybe not they way it should. The cost for parts and labor could be close to the price of a new unit depending on the nature of the repair.

Hi,

Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with your Microwave Oven....

Basic Microwave Oven Troubleshooting Tips

heatman101

Hi,

Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with your Microwave Oven....

Basic Microwave Oven Troubleshooting Tips

heatman101

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Hi,

Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with your Microwave Oven....

Basic Microwave Oven Troubleshooting Tips

heatman101

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Hi,

Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with your Microwave Oven....

Basic Microwave Oven Troubleshooting Tips

heatman101

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Hi,

Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with your Microwave Oven....

Basic Microwave Oven Troubleshooting Tips

heatman101

Hi,

Investigate these three areas if your microwave won't heat

Power Diode

A diode is an electronic component that readily passes current in one direction only and blocks the flow of current in the opposing direction. If your microwave's diode has become defective, your microwave will not heat and you will hear a buzzing noise. Test the diode to determine if this is the cause of your problem. Replace it if it is defective.

Testing a diode

NOTE: Before you test your diode, make sure your microwave is unplugged, and that you discharge the microwave's capacitor.

Whether it is shorted or open, a defective diode will most likely show some sign of defect. Defective diodes will usually emit an electrical burning smell, signifying its defectiveness. Also, it may have split in two, or it may exhibit a burned crack, or possibly even a blistered spot.

A shorted diode is indicated by a loud humming noise from the high voltage transformer, and no heat produced when a cook cycle is initiated. Whereas little or no heat produced in your microwave, with an absence of a humming noise is indicative of an open diode. In either case, the diode has to be replaced.

With your microwave unplugged, and your capacitor discharged, use extreme caution to remove the lead that leads to the capacitor. You can leave the ground connection attached. The side of the diode that goes to the ground is usually marked with a dot, stripe, or arrow. Set your ohmmeter to R x 10,000 or higher. Touch the positive meter probe to the anode and the negative meter probe to the cathode to measure the resistance across the diode terminals. Remember that the cathode is on the side that goes to the ground, which is often marked by a dot, stripe, or an arrow.

A normal diode, that is a non-defective diode, will read anywhere from 50,000 to 200,000 ohms. Differences in microwave make and model account for this large range in resistance readings.

Reverse the meter probes and measure resistance while touching the positive probe to the cathode and the negative probe to the anode. Reversing the probes like this should result in a reading of infinity. Unless a bleeder resistor is present. The presence of a bleeder resistor would produce a reading of the value of the resistor.

High Voltage Capacitor

A capacitor is an electrical device which stores electricity. A defective capacitor may be why your microwave is not heating but you are hearing a buzzing or humming noise. The capacitor will have to be tested to determine if this is the cause of your problem. A defective capacitor will have to be replaced before your microwave will work again. Make sure you discharge the capacitor before you test it, though.

Magnetron

A defective magnetron is the third possible cause of why your microwave is not heating, but you can hear a buzzing noise. Test your microwave's magnetron. Replace it if it is defective.

Testing a magnetron

NOTE: Before you test this component, make sure your microwave is unplugged, and that you have discharged the capacitor.

There are two tests to conduct in order to determine whether or not a magnetron has become defective. If you receive results other than what are detailed below, you will have to replace your microwave's magnetron. Each test is described for you here:

TEST 1: Locate your magnetron and label each of the wires attached to it so that you know which wires are to be replaced where. Set your ohmmeter to the lowest resistance scale. Take a resistance measurement between each of the magnetron's terminals by touching each probe to one terminal each. Reverse the probes and take a second resistance measurement. Each measurement should read less than one ohm.

TEST 2: Set your ohmmeter to its highest resistance scale. Touch one of the meter's probes to a magnetron terminal. Touch the other probe to the metal magnetron housing. Take special caution to not touch the two probes together. This could result in an inaccurate reading. This test should produce a reading of infinity - indicating an open circuit.

Read the tips on the below links on how to replace your microwave oven's diode and how to discharge the capacitor.

http://www.fixya.com/support/r7088355-replace_microwave_ovens_diode

http://www.fixya.com/support/r7088317-discharge_microwave_ovens_capacitor

I hope the above is helpful.

Hi,

Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with your Microwave Oven....Microwave Oven Basic Troubleshooting Tipsheatman101 .

Hi,
Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with yourMicrowave Oven....

Microwave Oven Basic Troubleshooting Tips

heatman101
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The door latch (on the door) or the door catch (on the oven) have most likely broken. The oven will not operate if the door is open or if it is not correctly closed.

Check the door latch. On most microwave ovens there will be one or two prongs. Make sure that they're not broken and that if neither of them is loose. Often one or both are designed to move upwards against spring pressure so if they move loosely with no spring pressure then the door must be dismantled to find out why. Often it's a broken spring anchor and sometimes it can be repaired, but the official fix is to replace the entire door assembly.

If the latch seems fine then it's almost certainly the door catch unit which must be repaired or replaced. They're not officially repairable, but sometimes all that has actually broken is a cheap and easily obtainable microswitch. If the catch has actually broken then there is no point in gluing it together as it won't hold. If the door catch assembly looks fine and the microswitch appears to be operable then use a continuity meter on the switch to confirm correct electrical function as the switch is pressed and released.

If that fails, then look for any fuses on the circuit board, the filament inside can break if they're subjected to too much physical impact. Test and replace any failed ones, but it's vital to use the correct type, the casing will indicate whether they're slow blow or fast blow fuses. These properties are independent of the voltage and current rating and simply regulate how quickly or slowly a fuse will fail if the limits are exceeeded. using a slow blow in the place of a fast blow is dangerous, but using a fast blow or a regular fuse where a slow blow goes will just mean that the fuse blows more often or even immediately in normal use, often when the door is opened.

If you need any spare parts then you'll have to find suppliers yourself, sorry. I don't know which country/state you're in and I'm based in London, England, where Emerson is not a known brand.

I hope that my answer helps you to either repair your oven or to decide whether to replace it. Please take a moment to rate my reply.

Hi,
Here is a tip that will help you to figure out what is wrong with your Microwave Oven....

Microwave Oven Basic Troubleshooting Tips
http://www.fixya.com/support/r5508031-microwave_oven_basic_troubleshooting

heatman101

yep going through the same thing myself. I found that the OMRON switch V-16G-3C25-M is bad and now I'm trying to find one. I contacter OMRON but they said the switch can only be orded from panasonic so I'm going that route myself. If I have any luck I will write back.