Your Microwave Is Not Heating Food Properly

Have you recently been finding that your microwave isn't heating your food evenly? Here we explain the possible reasons for this issue and how to resolve it.

THE POTENTIAL CAUSES FOR THIS ISSUE:

• The plates are not made from the right material

• The rotating antenna (stirrer) is defective

• The turntable drive coupling is broken

• The turntable motor is faulty

• The door latch is defective

WARNING
We recommend adopting a very cautious and safety-conscious approach if you need to take your microwave apart at any point.
Microwave ovens produce powerful electrical discharges that can potentially be fatal.
Never test and use a multimeter on the appliance with it still plugged into the mains. The voltages on either the magnetron, transformer or capacitor may be too high for the multimeter to cope with.
Even when unplugged, the capacitor inside the microwave oven can still produce power electrical discharges.
We therefore recommend you leave the appliance to discharge for at least one day before taking it apart.
When you first open the microwave up, make sure you short circuit the capacitor using a pair of electrically insulated pliers (with the appliance unplugged from the mains of course).
We also recommend wearing a pair of electrically insulated gloves to ensure you are able to work in complete safety.
Carrying out repairs on a microwave oven requires a very careful and safety conscious approach. SOS Accessoire cannot be held responsible for any accidents that may occur.

The plates are not made from the right material

Not all types of plates can be used in microwaves. Aluminium plates, gilded plates, and all metallic type materials are of course to be avoided. If you choose to use them regardless, you'll end up damaging the magnetron inside your microwave.
Earthenware plates and dishes absorb the waves. This means the radiation will first heat the plate or dish before heating the food, making your plate/dish very hot and your food only lukewarm in places. We recommend using plates/dishes made from glass or from plastics specifically designed for use in microwave ovens.

The rotating antenna (stirrer) is defective

Some microwaves are equipped with a rotating antenna. This acts as a wave reflector and rotates by means of a belt attached to a motor. It ensures the food you put in your microwave is cooked evenly throughout. If the belt breaks or the motor develops a fault, the microwaves will not be distributed properly and your food will not be cooked evenly. The rotating antenna sits just underneath the microwave's outer casing. Its motor can be checked and tested using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode (Ω). Remove the top panel from your microwave and find where the motor is located. Disconnect all the electrical connectors and place the multimeter's two probes on the microswitches' terminals. Make sure you carefully follow the safety instructions provided at the beginning of this article when doing this. If the antenna is defective, it will need to be replaced.

The turntable drive coupling is broken

The turntable drive coupling enables the glass turntable in your microwave to rotate. If it's damaged, the turntable will not turn properly and your food will not be cooked evenly. If the coupling does turn out to be defective, you'll need to replace it. Carefully follow the safety instructions provided at the beginning of this article when carrying out this operation.

Buy a microwave turntable support

The turntable motor is faulty

The turntable motor ensures that the food you put in your microwave is cooked evenly. If the motor develops a fault, the microwaves will not be distributed properly and your food will not be cooked evenly. If your microwave's turntable will no longer rotate, you can check the motor by testing it with a multimeter in ohmmeter mode. First find where the turntable motor is located underneath the appliance. Next, disconnect all the connectors and place the multimeter's probes on the motor's terminals to test for continuity (you should get a reading). If the resulting value oscillates between 6 and 11 kilo ohms, the motor is in good working condition. If this is not the case, it will need to be replaced. Important: carefully read the safety instructions at the beginning of this troubleshooting guide before carrying out any work on the microwave.

Buy a microwave turntable motor

The door latch is defective

Microwave door latches are fitted with several small switches. If any of these is defective, the appliance will not operate. You can check the door latch by using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode to test the switches with the door both in its open position and its closed position. Open up the outer panels of your microwave and locate the door latch microswitches. Disconnect all the electrical connectors and place the multimeter's two probes on the microswitches' terminals. They should have continuity in one of their two positions (door open and door closed). Make absolutely sure you remember to follow the safety instructions provided at the beginning of this article when doing this.