microwave oven

Anyone know what the importance of that metallic coated card is in a microwave oven?

Without going into boring details as to how it happened (we have children :pinch: ) the one in ours managed to do the firework arcing display one would usually only get from placing tin foil or a cd in the oven.


http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/9959/picture435nr4.jpg

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/7...ture436qw5.jpg

It still heats things up without it but I am guessing that it has something to do with the wave dispersion and therefore the efficiency will be reduced. Is the microwave still safe to use without the card until we replace it, or will using it without the card damage it beyond repair?

If you leave it off, you can cook things without even having to put them in the oven. Like kittens, kids and assorted other livestock.

Don't worry though, the rest of the microwave will be undamaged.

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Originally Posted by lynx

If you leave it off, you can cook things without even having to put them in the oven. Like kittens, kids and assorted other livestock.

Don't worry though, the rest of the microwave will be undamaged.

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As far as I am aware those kind of dangers would be through faulty doors or damaged casings, which I don't have.

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/microwave.html#6


reading (and it took some searching) it appears it is called a wave guide cover. The leakage dangers would be if the casing was damaged due to the arcing. All the articles so for suggest that the danger of using the unit without it are that eventually residue from food would build up in the guide and could damage the casing.

So best to not use the unit until the part is replaced I guess. :)

I've actually no idea at all what that particular piece does.

However, if you base things on what you would do it it was a gas oven - would you say "it's only leaking a bit of gas" ? - then I think you are on the right lines. Just because microwave radiation is invisible, doesn't smell or seem to polute, that doesn't mean it is harmless, and it is obviously better to err on the side of caution.

If it was something a little more powerful, such as gamma radiation, I'd say keep using it - giving your kids two heads just has to be beneficial. :yup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lynx

I've actually no idea at all what that particular piece does.

However, if you base things on what you would do it it was a gas oven - would you say "it's only leaking a bit of gas" ? - then I think you are on the right lines. Just because microwave radiation is invisible, doesn't smell or seem to polute, that doesn't mean it is harmless, and it is obviously better to err on the side of caution.

If it was something a little more powerful, such as gamma radiation, I'd say keep using it - giving your kids two heads just has to be beneficial. :yup:

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It is not leaking radiation, neither the casing or the door are damaged, if they were then that would be a different matter.

The part in question is more or less a splatter guard to protect the wave guide and the part that generates the waves that go into the oven. It slides over the wave guide exit and is not air tight by any description. It allows the waves to pass through into the oven compartment, but not food splatters back into the power unit.

Even so one pretty much has to be pressed up against a leaky domestic microwave oven to be affected.

From what I can see you're missing a "Waveguide cover".

It's highly recommended to replace it. They don't cost too much. About $10 depending on what make/model microwave oven.

Look in your local phone directory under appliance repair/parts.

Got the card from my local appliance store this morning. They traced around the old card and cut a new one out of a big sheet of the stuff.

Good. How much did they charge you?

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Originally Posted by Virtualbody1234

Good. How much did they charge you?

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$13.85 after tax which is the price online excluding shipping and handling and a 4-6 day allowance for delivery.

I'm guessing they looked it up as they asked for the model number after they had cut it.:ermm:

Can we move this to hardware now? :wacko: