A microwave is generally used daily and is a very convenient appliance to have in the kitchen. If your microwave is not acting right, this could be due to many things. To help you determine what is wrong, below are three common problems along so you can get your microwave working again.
Not Heating
If you start up your microwave, and it seems to be working fine but is not heating your food or drink, there is likely a problem with the magnetron. The magnetron is what produces heat to cook the food or heat the liquid.
If you ever turn your microwave on without anything in it, this can burn the magnetron out. If this is what the problem is with your microwave, you would have to replace the magnetron with a new one, as this part cannot be repaired.
If the magnetron is not the problem, then there could be a problem with the door switch, the capacitor may be burned up, there may be faulty diodes, or the transformer may have failed.
Buttons Won't Work
If you press the buttons on the microwave and nothing happens, this generally means the touchpad is damaged in some way. A problem with the main control board in the microwave can also cause the buttons to not work.
If the problem is with the main control board, it may cost more to repair the microwave than what the microwave is worth. This is not always the case, however, so you should check on repair before you buy a new microwave.
Light Won't Come On
If the light inside the microwave does not come on when you start it, the light bulb likely needs to be changed. You will find this bulb behind the grill in the microwave.
If the bulb is not bad, there could be a problem with the wiring or the socket may be bad.
Another more serious problem is a bad main control board. This board controls everything in the microwave, including sending voltage to the light bulb.
You can purchase a bulb at a home improvement store to see if this fixes the problem for you. You should have no problem replacing the bulb yourself. If you do, refer to the owner's manual for your microwave.
If you are not able to get your microwave working, contact a microwave repair technician. They can determine what the problem is and if you should have the microwave repaired or replaced.
