Smoke and a burning smell came out of the microwave

Even the most expensive and reliable equipment sometimes breaks down, and microwave ovens are no exception. If an electrical appliance purchased shortly before the breakdown fails, problems usually do not arise - it is repaired or replaced under warranty. Everything is much more complicated if the equipment has been used for a long time and the warranty period has long passed. The microwave oven does not heat, sparks, smokes - each of these breakdowns has its own reason, which can be found out and, if possible, corrected. As a last resort, you can call a specialist. Let's look at typical breakdowns of microwave ovens.

Microwave oven smokes during operation

If the microwave oven makes a loud noise, smokes, does not work, or emits a smell of burnt wiring, then the possible cause of these malfunctions is the failure of the transformer. The cause of the breakdown may be power surges in the network, manufacturing defects, a short circuit of the feed-through transformer, or a large load. In this case, remove the casing from the device and check the resistance of all windings: primary, secondary, filament. If everything is in order with them, and the ohmmeter shows resistance within the normal range, then a possible reason why the oven does not work may be the lack of voltage. It is checked by connecting a multimeter to the terminals of the primary winding, connecting the device to the network and starting the warm-up program.

The transformer should be changed independently only if the person has experience working with electricity, since it can hold some charge even when turned off.

Why does mica burn out?

During operation in the microwave oven, fat begins to accumulate on the walls and parts. Once on the mica plate, the fat begins to gradually burn out and because of this, the metal overheats (sometimes completely burns out). If you continue to use the oven, the cap and magnetron antenna may burn out.

A magnetron is a special device that generates high-frequency electromagnetic waves up to 12 cm long. The special design of the internal chamber allows water molecules to resonate at a certain frequency and heat food.

It is very important that there is no mechanical damage inside. Otherwise, the radiation will be able to escape and irradiate surrounding objects.

So why does a microwave spark? When working in a furnace, a very large load is placed on the electrical circuits, so over time some parts may malfunction. Waveguide covers especially often burn out (example in the photo below).

The waveguide in a microwave is a special recess containing the magnetron antenna inside. The waveguide cover is most often made of a material that does not allow electricity to pass through, but allows electromagnetic waves to pass through (dielectric) - mica and plastic.

When dirt and grease adhere to this plate, it begins to burn, which is why the microwave sparks when turned on from the waveguide side. It looks like some kind of cardboard is burning and sparkling inside.

Eliminating sparks

You can eliminate the appearance of sparks yourself, without turning to specialists for help:

You can quickly save the situation if damage to the enamel inside the oven is detected. To do this, you need to remove the remnants of the old paint and apply a special store-bought product.

To restore enamel in a microwave oven, you cannot use ordinary household paint.

Precautionary measures

You can avoid sparks coming from the microwave. For this I recommend:

• Cap.
  When cooking and heating food (especially fatty foods), use hoods and lids.

• Foil and metal
  . Do not use foil or dishes with metal edging (including all-metal plates).
• Pauses in work
  . If the microwave operates for more than 75 minutes without stopping, there is a risk of internal parts overheating. So try to take breaks to cool down.
• Cleansing
  . Clean and check the oven regularly for possible problems.

Fuse burned out

Is your microwave oven humming but not heating? Or does it show no signs of life at all? One of the fuses may have blown. If it does not turn on, the possible cause is a blown mains fuse or control panel fuse. If it hums, but there is no heating, it is possible that the high-voltage fuse in the protective casing has tripped.

This breakdown can be easily confirmed or refuted; just remove the casing and inspect these elements. If they burn out, the fuses will turn black and the filament will break. It is enough to replace this element with a new one for the microwave oven to work.

Probable 4 reasons

Why does it spark and crackle inside the microwave? Main reasons:

1. Violation of the integrity of the enamel coating
   . The enamel is gradually destroyed by regular cleaning.

1. Metal decor on dishes
   . If the plates sent to the microwave oven have a metal edging, it is almost impossible to avoid sparks.

1. Using all-metal cookware
   . Due to the design features, it is prohibited to heat such dishes (unless there are exceptions specified by the manufacturer).
2. Diffuser plate burnt out
   .

The microwave shoots and sparks for each of the reasons listed, but the most common is always mica burning.

Magnetron faulty

In this case, the microwave does not heat, but hums and hums. To determine whether the possible cause of the malfunction lies in a broken magnetron, it is necessary to open the case, disconnect the magnetron terminals from the power circuit and touch them with ohmmeter probes. A working device should produce a resistance of 2-3 ohms, a faulty one will not react to touch. If the experiment shows that the magnetron is not working properly, it will need to be replaced. As practice shows, replacement in many cases is impractical, since a new spare part will cost up to 60% of the cost of a new microwave.

Additional ways to combat unpleasant odors in the microwave

There are several other methods that can be used to eliminate odors from the microwave:

1. Milk will help remove the smell quickly. You need to mix 6 tablespoons of sugar with a liter of milk and boil this mixture in the microwave.
2. Onions absorb foreign odors well. The onion should be cut into small pieces and placed inside the microwave overnight.
3. You can use menthol toothpaste. Apply a small layer of paste with a soft cloth to the inside of the microwave. After a few hours, rinse the stove with warm water. In this way you can carefully clean it of dirt. Toothpaste will also disinfect and help remove the burning smell from the microwave.

Other faults

In addition to the above, there are a number of other circumstances why a microwave may not work. It happens that due to poor quality welding one of the contacts comes off. The power cable or socket burns out due to a short circuit. The door is deformed and does not close tightly. It happens that the voltage in the network drops to less than 200 Volts and the device stops working for a while.

Be that as it may, it is worth doing home repairs only if the owner is confident in his knowledge and skills. Otherwise, it is better to show the microwave to the technician so that he can give his opinion. Moreover, not every breakdown can be eliminated immediately.

The design and principle of operation of a microwave oven

The heart of a microwave oven is a magnetron. This vacuum tube uses a magnetic field to generate centimeter-wavelength waves that can loosen water molecules. When microparticles of liquid actively vibrate, heat is released

, due to which the entire product is heated.

The heart of a microwave oven is the magnetron.

The process is intended to be carried out in a special chamber that does not allow radiation to penetrate its walls. For more even heat distribution over the entire surface of the food

There is a rotating table inside. Additionally, hot air is used for heating, which is formed when the magnetron is cooled and is fed into the chamber by a fan.

Also, in order to enhance the effect of waves, a desector can be used, which is installed in the upper part of the heat chamber. Externally resembling a fan, the device creates certain waves, which also contribute to uniform heating of the product. Steam and excess hot air are discharged outside

using ventilation holes that dampen microwave radiation.

Advice! How the waves created by the magnetron affect the human body is not yet fully understood. But they disrupt the functioning of the pacemaker at a distance of up to 30 centimeters. Therefore, it is extremely undesirable for people who have such an implant to be close to a working device.

Mica plate needs to be replaced

The most common reason for sparks appearing inside a microwave oven is the burning of the mica plate, which is the microwave diffuser. If you do not care for your microwave oven carefully, grease and burnt food residues accumulate on the plate. This leads to overheating of the plate and its destruction. If the mica is not replaced in a timely manner, damage to the magnetron may occur, and this is the main element of the device and costs almost as much as the microwave itself.

To understand whether the cause of the sparking is really in the diffuser plate, you need to take a closer look at which side is sparking. If sparks only come from the mica side and there is a burning smell in the chamber, this indicates that the plate needs to be replaced. Using a microwave with a faulty plate is unsafe for the appliance.

Replacing a mica plate is one of the DIY repairs you can do. First you need to make sure that it is the microwave diffuser that is the problem and check it for burnt spots. Before installing a new plate, the chamber must be thoroughly cleaned of grease.

You can purchase a new mica plate from a hardware store or from the online store of the manufacturer of your specific microwave oven. The first option will most likely be cheaper, but the size of the plate may not match the one that was installed and will have to be cut. To do this, the old mica is placed on top of the new one and the excess is cut off with a sharp knife, and all uneven edges are processed with sandpaper so as not to scratch the camera coating during the installation process. New holes for fastenings can be made using a hammer drill.

More detailed instructions on how to replace the mica plate yourself can be obtained from the video:

After installing the plate, you need to check the microwave and make sure that the sparks inside have disappeared. During such a check, you cannot turn on the oven with an empty chamber.

Damage to the coating inside the chamber

Another common reason for a microwave to crackle and sparkle could be damage to the interior lining of the appliance. The chamber where food is cooked and heated is coated with special enamel. Burnt food and scratches from dishes lead to various damage to the walls over time.

Only special enamel is suitable for restoring the coating. Ordinary paint does not have the necessary properties. Of course, it is better to entrust this repair to specialists. The procedure is not that expensive, but you will have to tinker with finding coverage. But if you have free time, you can do everything yourself.

Before restoring the coating, all dirt must be removed from the chamber walls. In those places where the old enamel comes off, it needs to be removed. Blow out the damaged areas with the purchased product and leave for a while. Then check the functionality of the device. If no sparks appear when you turn it on, then all manipulations were carried out correctly and gave a positive result.

To prevent fat and food from accumulating on the walls of the chamber, it is worth cleaning regularly. Grease and carbon deposits are easier to remove if, before washing the camera, warm up the microwave at low power for 10-15 minutes with water inside. Then wipe the walls of the chamber with a soft sponge soaked in a non-abrasive detergent with a fat-breaking effect.

Utensils that are too bulky and placed in the microwave can also cause damage to the enamel. Even if the plate placed in the chamber does not touch the walls, then when the tray is rotated, it may move a little. With constant friction of dishes against the walls, the enamel will become thinner, which will lead to deep damage.

Careful care of kitchen appliances will extend the life of the appliances for a long time and reduce the likelihood of costly repairs. For a microwave oven, it is important to clean the chamber on time and use only utensils intended for it.

It is impossible to imagine a kitchen without a microwave oven. It has merged very closely with the life of modern man. But one day it just stops working normally. And as a special case of a breakdown, the microwave sparks and crackles after being turned on. At this moment it’s scary to be near her! But you shouldn’t immediately transport it to a service center. After all, there is a high probability that the mica plate burned out in the microwave. And in this case, restoring the functionality of the household appliance is quite simple.

Why does the microwave spark?

Everything is banally simple. Most often, such improper behavior of kitchen equipment consists of burning out the gasket separating the magnetron. The mica plate for the microwave fails as a result of its contamination. And to be more precise, as a result of fat getting behind it. There, under the influence of direct magnetron rays, the fat begins to burn, which leads to similar consequences for the gasket itself. Through the resulting gap, rays from the magnetron penetrate into the body of the microwave oven, resulting in sparking.

Replacing the mica plate

First, you should make sure that the problem lies precisely in the mica plate. To do this, you need to open the microwave oven and find the corresponding element on the right side of the internal space. The photo shows that there is a small burn mark on the gasket. This is already enough for a replacement.

The microwave mica plate is easy to remove. To do this, unscrew one or two screws (depending on the model) and remove it from the latches. From the photo below you can see that the burn on the opposite side of the gasket is not so small. Traces of burning are also visible on the metal elements of the furnace in front of the magnetron. All traces of burning must be removed. It is also necessary to remove all grease from the area where the gasket is located. And ideally, it wouldn’t hurt to completely clean the interior space.

Restoring the device's functionality involves replacing the damaged element with a working one. But there is one small but unpleasant nuance - they are not on sale. The same thing is usually said in service centers, after which they offer to make a spare part to order. And this is already a waste of money.

The way out of the situation is to make the part yourself. You can buy mica at almost any electrical components store. Thus, the cost of a plate with dimensions of 30 by 30 was only 280 rubles (March 2015). You can make four gaskets out of it!

So, replacing mica in a microwave oven begins with making a duplicate of the damaged element. To do this, first wash the old pad in warm running water to remove any remaining fat deposits.

The old gasket should be placed on a plate purchased from a store. And using a simple pencil, outline it like a stencil.

The resulting outline is cut out using a sharp knife. You can also use other cutting tools.

The workpiece must be processed with sandpaper or a file to eliminate defects.

Well, the mica plate for the microwave is ready.

Next, you need to rinse it in running water to remove dust and crumbs, after which the already dried one can be installed in the place intended for it.

If the new gasket is suitable in all respects and no extra gaps are formed anywhere, then you can fix it with a screw and check the operation of the microwave oven.

This completes the replacement of the mica plate.

One of the most common malfunctions is the appearance of sparks and a characteristic crackling sound inside the device.

Household appliances tend to fail due to certain reasons.

Today we will talk about microwave oven malfunctions and find out why you hear a cracking noise and see sparking inside when you turn it on and in operation, and what to do in such cases.

The main reasons for sparkling

You can see sparks inside the chamber if you use metal kitchen utensils

(this also applies to any other metal objects, for example, baking foil or chocolate). Even the presence of a decorative metal edging on a plate is enough reason for the stove to sparkle. Therefore, all microwave utensils must have special approval.

When cleaning the surface inside the chamber with products containing abrasives, the internal protective layer is damaged

. This can also cause the stove to start sparking.

Important! The main reason why the microwave crackles and sparkles is due to the following factor - there is no mica plate. More precisely: the old insulator has burned out and does not perform its functions.

When cooking or heating food regularly, grease begins to accumulate on the walls. It also falls on the hot surface of the waveguide cover (mica), which acts as protection for the magnetron antenna. Hot fat particles can completely destroy the properties of the mica plate

. And without mica, the antenna itself will burn.

To summarize the above, it can be noted that when turned on, the microwave sparkles and makes an unpleasant crackling sound

, then the cause of the malfunction is usually one of three:

• the protective plate has overheated;
• the enamel on the walls was damaged;
• there is a foreign object inside.