406's Ultimate Guide to Repairing Microwaves

**406Refining** · 05-11-2019, 04:07 PM

Hey everyone, I hope your scrap ventures are being productive this weekend. I recently started repairing microwaves about 4 months ago (typically 3-10 per week) and was wondering if anyone would be interested in a guide to repair microwaves. From my experience most microwaves require a simple little fixes that cost at the most $10 for a new part. It's a good opportunity for someone looking to make some extra money from microwaves they find for scrap. Anyhow, let me know if you'd be interested in a guide and I'll whip one up. Thanks

**mikeinreco** · 05-11-2019, 04:56 PM

Sure sounds good!

**406Refining** · 05-15-2019, 09:04 AM

Alright! Below is the link to the document. It's not an extremely thorough list yet, but as I encounter new issues I'll add additional methods to repair them.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

**406Refining** · 09-25-2022, 06:54 PM

Still repairing microwaves. Let's be honest here, I have way way too much fun fixing them to just not do that anymore.

A whole lot has changed since I posted the repair document. A whole lot has changed with this forum. Gotten busier with ewaste (expecting to bring in 150K pounds this year). I've continued to learn a lot about fixing microwaves. Just updated the sheet with more fixes to common problems.

Odd question, is admin even on here anymore? I have questions for them...

**hills** · 09-26-2022, 06:58 AM

The forum seems to be on autopilot these days. It posted spambot postings as the topic of the week.

It's funny about e-waste. It's been gradually dropping off over the last five years in my community. There's hardly anything coming in to the electronics recycling building here now.

**alloy2** · 09-26-2022, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by 406Refining

Alright! Below is the link to the document. It's not an extremely thorough list yet, but as I encounter new issues I'll add additional methods to repair them.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

Very well written and informative, I recently picked up a nice fridge with a faulty board apparently capacitor failure in the main culprit. Replacing them with the same values generally brings the board back into a serviceable condition.

**406Refining** · 09-26-2022, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by alloy2

Very well written and informative, I recently picked up a nice fridge with a faulty board apparently capacitor failure in the main culprit. Replacing them with the same values generally brings the board back into a serviceable condition.

I don't know what the deal is with those newer fridges or appliances in general, but they just seem to have really flaky boards. The used appliance shop that I get microwaves from sends their fridges straight to the shredder. I asked them why and they said the fridges were just too unreliable. Mind you, they could easily fly off the shelf at $400 each here. Apparently, they would fix one issue, send it to the customer only to have another issue pop up on the units. I could start an entire forum section on the repairs I do for low quality electronics and appliances. My best guess at this point is that the manufacturers are using inadequate cooling methods. The hotter those chips get, the faster they fail.

**CopperMiner** · 09-26-2022, 01:27 PM

Planned obsolescence. Manufacturers don't want their products to be repaired. They go as far as multiplying fridges parts to avoid compatibility between them, limit the availability and hike up their prices. Repairmen are now a dying bread in my area (and probably anywhere else too).

About sending the fridges straight to the shredder, the yards here won't take them due to the refrigeration gases and heavy use of insulation foam. I don't say that no one ever will make it all the way up to the shredder, but they refuse them as much as they can and get them routed to the trash transfer station instead.

Also, we have an ecotax on all electronic and appliance goods. Dealers are supposed to take old ones back and that tax pays for the recycling costs. At one time (not sure if it is still the case), the power utility here has a buyback program for old fridges. As long it will start up when plugged in the outlet, they were taking them back and sending it to a trade school specialized in fridge recycling. Not sure if the ecotax program replaces the power utility program or not. Also, I am not sure if their trade school is still taking old fridges or if it was all consolidated to that plant about 45 miles from here who dismantle old fridges and recover/destroy refrigeration gases. On their site, that plant mentions that they receive loads from transfer stations and appliance stores.

**ChildhoodDream** · 09-26-2022, 04:17 PM

It has been a throw away society for a long time. I'm a glass person living in a plastic world.

Not much for items packaged in glass containers anymore. I like my beer in glass bottles.
They are still making them and most beer I buy requires a bottle opener. I read that the reason that beer makers use the bottle opener type is that people want the empty bottles to put their own spirits in and recap. Not sure how true that is as I read it somewhere and these daze most of what we read is fiction mostly.

**vernon** · 10-29-2022, 06:42 AM

I have repaired a couple, and all of mine have just needed a fuse replaced, then sold them on Facebook market place we get about £3.60 scrap £6.00 if you separate the metals and £10 on Facebook.