We once again have a working Microwave oven. A couple of week ago the microwave part of our RV combination microwave-convection oven went out with a roar. The 2.5KVA capacitor that acts as a voltage double and makes the magnetron resonate went suddenly. Jerry Sterling? Remember that bright red plastic thing that looked to you like something out of Buck Rogers? Remember how you cut the cord from it and taught me that the cord was worth $1 at the recycle center and the plastic piece was worth nothing? Well I could have used that 5KV probe along with my volt meter to test the microwave oven’s transformer before I sort of blindly ordered parts. To someone who is truly competent a 5KV test probe is worth more than $1.
Lynn was down after his most recent knee surgery so I did the testing on our suddenly dead microwave and decided with my toolmaking skill that the magnetron had shorted from cooking grease buildup. I tracked down a source of Magnetrons in Canada.
Anyway the magnetron tested as still good so we ordered a new capacitor and HV diode. Unfortunately I found a slightly better capacitor in Chicago. Today I faced the pain that I would cause myself and pulled and replaced the microwave from its over the stove position. Lynn hobbled over and soldered and crimped and checked the electronics one more time. I re-installed the cabinet for safety’s sake and voila one cup of water boiled just like magic. So I put the oven back where it lives.
I’ve been cooking oatmeal in my bowl using the pressure cooker but it’s just a straight 4 minutes to cook the oatmeal in the microwave. Yippee!
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