Microwave oven catches on fire. Repairable?

[[email protected]]

G'day. I have a small problem with my Samsung microwave where it
occasionally catches on fire. It last occurred when I was heating 2T
of margarine in a cup. I heard a bang, then saw the fire coming from
behind a cover which is presumably where the magnetron tube is. But I
have used the oven since, and it is still working fine. This same
sudden fire problem occurred many months before, where again, the oven
worked fine afterward. I have melted margarine like this many times
since and used the oven many times during those months, so I don't
know why all of a sudden it decides to go pyro on me.

That's the basis of my query: Can anyone tell me what might be causing
this, what to check and how to fix it so it doesn't happen again? I do
not want to risk fire when I am not around to monitor what's going on
with the oven, but at the same time, I do not want to replace it. I
have looked at getting another oven, but there's nothing that I like
as much as my Samsung. It has the size, the looks and the advanced
controls (ie. one touch, defrosting, etc) that I like.

This is a pic of what the damage looks like on the interior:

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=ezsdlmtxmvt&thumb=4


And one of the exterior:

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=csddinoyvgd&thumb=4

 

[matt2 - amstereo]

G'day. I have a small problem with my Samsung microwave where it
occasionally catches on fire. It last occurred when I was heating 2T
of margarine in a cup. I heard a bang, then saw the fire coming from
behind a cover which is presumably where the magnetron tube is. But I
have used the oven since, and it is still working fine. This same
sudden fire problem occurred many months before, where again, the oven
worked fine afterward. I have melted margarine like this many times
since and used the oven many times during those months, so I don't
know why all of a sudden it decides to go pyro on me.

That's the basis of my query: Can anyone tell me what might be causing
this, what to check and how to fix it so it doesn't happen again? I do
not want to risk fire when I am not around to monitor what's going on
with the oven, but at the same time, I do not want to replace it. I
have looked at getting another oven, but there's nothing that I like
as much as my Samsung. It has the size, the looks and the advanced
controls (ie. one touch, defrosting, etc) that I like.

This is a pic of what the damage looks like on the interior:

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=ezsdlmtxmvt&thumb=4


And one of the exterior:

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=csddinoyvgd&thumb=4

general concensus is that a piece of food got stuck in the gap between
the cover and the internal shell.

remove the small cover, sand the area with fine wet and dry (1200 grit
or higher) til smooth and coat the area with a paint designed to adhere
to metal surfaces.

 

[matt2 - amstereo]

http://www.partselect.com/microwave+routine-cleaning+repair.htm

If the internal cavity has any burn spots,

sand them smooth and then paint over them with
microwave touch up paint. If your microwave has
any burn holes in the cavity, call an appliance
repair technician and refrain from using the unit.
If the wave guide has burn spots on it, replace it
along with conducting a thorough cleaning. If you
think any food has slipped through the perimeter of the
wave guide cover and into either the roof or the walls
of the oven cabinet, then remove the waveguide cover and
throughly clean the area in behind it as well.

 

[Phil Allison]

G'day. I have a small problem with my Samsung microwave where it
occasionally catches on fire. It last occurred when I was heating 2T
of margarine in a cup.

** That is an abuse of the oven.

You must put a minimum quantity of food or liquid in a microwave oven -
like a cup full or similar.

Having very little or nothing results in excessive microwave voltage build
up at the mouth of the feed horn into the oven - causing the arcing you
see. Yep, that arc is 2.45 GHz RF energy.

Certain Samsung models were particularly prone to such arcing and it can
cause damage and the internal AC fuse to blow.

Clean it up, retouch the paint and fit a new mica window if you like.

Melt you 2T of marg in a cup by placing it in a saucepan of hot water next
time.




........ Phil

 

[kreed]

<[email protected]>




** That is an abuse of the oven.

You must put a minimum quantity of food or liquid in a microwave oven -
like a cup full or similar.

Having very little or nothing results in excessive microwave voltage build
up at the mouth of the feed horn into the oven - causing the arcing you
see. Yep, that arc is 2.45 GHz RF energy.

Certain Samsung models were particularly prone to such arcing and it can
cause damage and the internal AC fuse to blow.

Clean it up, retouch the paint and fit a new mica window if you like.

Melt you 2T of marg in a cup by placing it in a saucepan of hot water next
time.

Or leave a small bowl/cup of water in there, especially if you often
heat up really small amounts of food like this.
Also handy in case the unit gets accidentally turned on with nothing
in there.

 

[Two Bob]

Melt you 2T of marg in a cup by placing it in a saucepan of hot water next

time.

Hey Phil, have you got a recipe for muffins??

 

[princo coasters]

I have a recipe for disaster?

Hey Phil, have you got a recipe for muffins??