Serena Arnold. You should either get the microwave repaired or replace it (replacing is usually cheaper if the microwave is old). We recommend that you do NOT work on the inner components of a microwave. If any of the door latch hooks is broken or any of the switches is faulty, the appliance will not operate. Of course, as others have mentioned, it could be many things and it 's hard to say without actually looking at the cameras and wiring in question. I didn't want to glue or other permanent attachments, so that i can replace the switches if they do go bad. Earlier this winter it started happening at -10C. Fred's ApplianceDecember 22, 2016ServiceLeave a Comment. Not sure that this switch is necessary at all. That was going to be my next step before seeing your post. Brad Riching. oldturkey03. This is a design feature. Most Kenmore microwave ovens have a door interlock switch that prevents the microwave from operating if the door is open. Don’t touch any interior metal without discharging the capacitor first. It is double protection (not necessary for my opinion). Terms — Those three switches (as an assembly) are called the " door interlock " and are a MAJOR safety aspect of the microwave. If a little too short, just carefully bend in the fuse mounting brackets. 02/05/2020 by Improve this question. The holes for the screws were slotted to allow some movement. Can be opened anytime not in heating part of cycle. @blokhi. They must be out of sync, somehow. 04/13/2019 by If the fuse does not have continuity, replace it. If the breaker does NOT trip, then that means your microwave is fine, but that it definitely needs it’s own dedicated circuit. Marginal door alignment, … It reacts with and clouds the plastic. Last year, this started to happen more often, when we were only at -20C. I think I have the same wear problem on the latch board with my GE microwave that is blowing fuses if I open the door. . I found the schematic and trouble shooting chart folded inside the back of the control panel on my JVM3160DF2WW. The first part I ordered was a replacement for the Power Relay because I found mine would sometimes stay closed or opened slowly allowing power to still flow to the high voltage transformer. Blowing the internal fuse when open or closing the door is often a sign of a bad/weak/intermittant door switch....sometimes can be the mechanism that … Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. If fuse blows it still might be light. I have a 2 year old frigidaire gallery microwave. They prevent ANY possibility of the oven still "microwaving" when the door is opened. Changing fuses several times a day is not an option, otherwise you will move fuse outside enclosure and have dozens of those. John Henderson oldturkey03. 1. No adjustments can be done to assure that middle switch operates before the door switch (commonly upper of three switches) will cut the power. However just 3,000 watt limit makes it so you can't run a frigerator the toaster and a heater or a microwave on the same circuit. No, but I modified the tip of the lower latch itself by adding some 2 or 3 layers of duct tape. A qualified repair technician is highly suggested to service your microwave oven. between when it started to be housing and the middle of the two connection. Fuse blows if door is opened before end of heating. At least all mechanical design must be much, much more simple and reliable. Close. On his unit the door interlock micro switches had an interesting contact arrangement with wiring such that when the switches sequenced incorrectly a direct short would be imposed across the power line through the fuse. I had the same problem with a 3 year old GE Microwave. Steve Weatherford, Igor Blokhintsev Mounted in plastic so should not short to ground. I got rid of most of this slack by loosening the 2 screws that holds the bracket for the door switches and making sure the bracket was pushed down (against the two plastic overhangs that only let it go down so far) and simultaneously pushed back into the microwave so that the door would close tighter. Our microwave is mounted on an exterior wall and vents straight to the outside. Temporary Solution: I was able to temporarily fix this (and confirm it is not a capacitor problem) by adjusting the position of the white switch housing so that the top is tilted back, and the bottom is closer to the door. The Transformer, Capacitor, Rectifier (Diode), and the Magnetron. After looking everywhere and trying everything else as you did, your duct tape solution is what fixed mine. When you replace that fuse, it will probably just happen again. How can I correct it? Thank you Igor!! I fixed it with a small low profile bolt and a nut with lock washer in a pre-drilled hole behind the door when you remove the door. 11/08/2020 by In my case the top hole wore down faster than the lower hole causing the switches to release at different times when the door is opened which will in turn send a power surge to blow the fuse. Nick Nishino. Trying to help my mom fix her over-the-range microwave. Arthur Rubinstein I do not see where CASPER YOUNG directed anything toward your answer or toward you. If fuse does not blow it will still trip the 20 amp circuit breaker. So pushing stop may not help. If you remove the bulb and the fuse does not blow you will know problem is in light wiring or holder. 04/13/2019 by Follow edited Nov 10 '19 at 14:43. thom_nic. That dang plastic housing. You got me on the right track. I found some other strange behavior that was related to the door sagging (see my comment above) and also how tightly the door closed. Some components have as much as 2,000 volts powering their operation and can lead to serious harm, even death. If we’re making this sound scary, it’s because it is. Share . I shimmed them so that the switches were better fixed in place and would trigger in the required order. In my case on my 3 year old unit the top hole of the plastic housing was very slightly worn down. Second I would replace the plastic piece holding the switches. That middle switch shorten 127 VAC power and blow the fuse. Mine is blowing the 20A fuse at first when opened door during cooking. After replacing the monitor switch (KW3A normally closed from ebay) the fuse did not blow when opening the door to interrupt a cook cycle. Thanks fo the comment. You could try a ceramic delay burn fuse it is not your standard fast blow fuse. If you read my answer, it said the fuse was blown, not that the circuit breaker tripped. I say do those first because they are the most likely causes and you don’t have to take the microwave down to do it. © 2021 iFixit — Licensed under Creative Commons — Privacy — No heating. That will blow the fuse. Has anyone altered the board by installing a hard wear surface? An object might have gotten lodged in the fan and stopped it from rotating. plus replacement parts are exorbitant. Posted by 1 year ago. Trying, w limited success, to train the wife to turn the unit off before opening door. Check your door first, easier than replacing the relay. When your done you can test the operation of each switch with and ohmeter and repeatedly opening and closing the door. Every time I close my built-in microwave the fuse blows in the electrical panel box. Better yet, if you don't know what you're doing (obviously because you removed it) you should spend a few hundred dollars and just go get a new microwave. A spot where our concurred should be noticeable you are in fact creating a surge which is what trips the breaker and this should be noticeable if you were to get inside it. Then, I found out that opening any of the rear passenger doors, as well as the back door, will instantly blow the dome fuse. User account menu. 1 week agoFebruary 8, 2021 by I blew up four fuses in couple weeks, but now microwave works without problems. The oven will disable itself rather than let this happen. Strange way to protect. 08/14/2018 by asked Nov 10 '19 at 3:32. thom_nic thom_nic. The test to make sure its a faulty door switch, is to leave the door open after replacing the blown fuse with a new one, turn power back on then close the door. Robert S. • Clinton, MO • January 16, 2015. Archived. Most homes have circuitry that's limited to a 3000w per set and you can have multiple sets such as when set runs the ceiling lights other sets run other rooms walls or sections of the house. Microwave oven blows internal fuse when door is closed; How does a microwave door interlock work and is a DIY repair feasible? In several such case the switch can weld contacts together and fuse will be blown every time when plug into outlet. Oven blows / Trips fuses. WARNING the capacitor is storing high voltage and is a potential shock hazard. This one: Today the door was opened while it was running. This caused one of the lower switches to activate a fraction of a second sooner . just to the left of the control panel. I just fixed mine!!! Regardless of whether your microwave oven is on a dedicated circuit, it’s a good idea to move on to the next step, to ensure the appliance is operating correctly. Over time the hooks from the door latches wear away where they meet the white housing. Do NOT attempt if you have not been properly trained on microwave repair. Free installation ; Free delivery* Free returns within 14 days* Peace of mind from AEG ; Find a Retailer Log in Menu. Appliances Go back Appliances. Inspect the interior for any suspicious objects. The door safety latch mechanism on your microwave contains several small switches. The door safety interlock switch is bad or the connection terminals at the magnetron capacitor is loose causing arching/intermittent voltage surge. Definitely it is flaw in firmware (can easily delay in FW) and in design idea that is from 196x? Arthur Rubinstein. As others have said, timing or adjustments are critical, and this wear pattern disrupts correct operation. Removing it could fix the problem. Stevan Rounds, Sorry i need to add that i only secured the second and third or middle and bottom switches, Nick Nishino Removing the bulb, and turning the light to "OFF" did not solve the problem though, opening back doors still blows the dome fuse. This, surprisingly, is actually a feature. Also, what makes you think I have limited electrical knowledge? Log In Sign Up. After fixing the door hinge, I noticed there was some slack on the right side of the door where the handle is. My microwave oven had a similar issue. Oh, and don’t use Goof Off to clean tape residue off the control panel. A couple years ago, when it was really cold outside (below -30C) it blew a fuse when the door opened. . If the fuse blows when you open the door, the door interlock might be malfunctioning. I assume your replacement fuse is the proper type and specific rating. @jim143. If the fuse blows when you open the door, the door interlock might be malfunctioning. I ended putting duct tape into the actual cavity and so far it has stayed. I live in a northern Canadian city. The oven will disable itself rather than let this happen. I have an advanced degree in Electrical Engineering and after looking at the schematic, I have a part on order that I suspect is causing the problem. Before you install a new switch, ensure that it, and not the latch, is the component that's defective. Thank you. Comments are limited in size so read the next comment also... 05/15/2019 by Consider cooling your jets and not to take things personal. Yes it gets cold. At 120 volts it would only take 2400 watts to cause a 20A circuit breaker to trip. By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described in our cookie policy unless you have disabled them. It might happen when you open the door, or when you start heating. Long term solution? My microwave oven had a similar issue. either applied to the tip of the latch or, preferably, glued to the worn portion of the latch board. If the fuse blows when closing the door, one of the door microswitches is likely fused closed and … After trying everything else (and I mean EVERYTHING), I noticed the worn latch and started experimenting, opening and closing the door very slowly and listening for the switches to activate. Seem to be ok. That is the purpose of the "crobar" relay you removed which results in a "fail-safe" condition to the user at the expense of blowing a fuse or tripping a breaker, or even damaging the microwave itself. Have the door check and, if needed, realigned professionally. Or the fan may just have stopped working, in which case you’ll need to replace it. It comes down to a design flaw. I replaced the capacitor. Another possible problem is a short in the controller or near the line cord that feeds power into the microwave unit. If you don't have a vent above your door, you'll need to remove the entire outer shell of your microwave to access the switches. If it has a dedicated circuit, the tripped breaker should be labeled with the word “microwave”—if not, it’s likely a shared circuit. I bent and glued a very thin piece of metal ( from an old floppy disk slide cover - PERFECT thickness) over the worn plastic area about 6 months ago I believe...so far still working fine...thanks to all who brought this to my attention, I thought the fuse flowing was a bad diode or capacitor. That still did not correct the fuse blowing but I think it was one reason. January 20 by Avoid GE microwaves in the future. Thanks for posting! I found this thread and the next time the fuse blew, I took a look at the switches and found that they had some play in where they were positioned. I began noticing that fans starts and plate rotates for one sec when I opening the door. I have - Answered by a verified Appliance Technician . Did it work? So, my microwave pops the circuit breaker when the door is opened while the microwave is running. The part was ordered from China on ebay for $4, SONG CHUAN 302 302WP-1AH-C M02 12VDC and took 2 weeks to come. Here’s an answer I’ve not seen elsewhere: Over time the door latch wears down such that the timing of the interlock switches gets confused. Cheap. My fuse blowing was a result of one of the two interlock switches failing. So thank you for your insight and advice! . If you see something lying loose, you may be able to get it out. . They were cheap. If the breaker does not trip while testing on a higher amp circuit, then you know the microwave is not faulty and a dedicated circuit is needed in your kitchen for the microwave. A new board will solve the problem again. I need to check the door switches. 201 1 1 silver badge 7 7 bronze badges. I have had the door switches out and don't appear to be bad. There was a poof/flash and it was … Press J to jump to the feed. A JVM1540 or JVM1750 over-range microwave has a 20 amp line fuse behind the control panel (part # WB27X10928). Sometimes, though, the new fuse will blow when you try to cook anything. Igor Blokhintsev. How would I find the schematic for this? My guess is that the cold weather caused them to shift such that when the door opened they did not open/close in the right order.