Yes, it's an exaggeration, but not by much. Yesterday I was cleaning the counter under where that oven had been. Unfortunately, I did not realize a burner was on, which might have had something to do with that slight popping sound. Then I noticed that a nearby outlet, but not the microwave one, had a red light switched on suddenly. I unplugged the thing (yeah, I should have earlier) and left it off the rest of the day and night. Just recently I plugged it back in the outlet (no dice), the other part of the outlet (no), and another outlet (still not). Finally I got really stupid and tried it in one more outlet, next to the red one. There was a nasty noise and a bit of smoke, along with a dark scorch mark (?) that I was thank goodness able to scrub off easily. I assume the microwave is toast, though I sure would love to get it repaired. I bought it for $25 at a yard sale earlier this year and it works (worked) great. What do I do about the outlets and such? I suppose that will take a professional electrician.
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Microwave disappearing in puff of smoke
- Thread starter Rgarner
- Start date
Well we don't want to start off 2022 wondering why you aren't posting here anymore, so I'd say get an electrician in as soon as possible and stop using those outlets until you do.
As for the microwave, if it's trashed it will cost more to fix than buying a new one assuming you can find a shop to fix it. Small countertop microwaves aren't that expensive, look for some post-holiday sales.
As for the microwave, if it's trashed it will cost more to fix than buying a new one assuming you can find a shop to fix it. Small countertop microwaves aren't that expensive, look for some post-holiday sales.
Does the outlet with the red light have a button you can push back in? It sounds like you might have tripped the GFCI which could disable multiple outlets until you reset it. Think of it as a mini breaker switch built into the outlet for lack of a better explanation. If that isn't it, I agree, get an electrician out there if you can.
puppykickr
Android Expert
Yup, sounds like a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet, which by modern standards is what is supposed to be anywhere near water.
Older ones had two colored buttons (test and reset) and newer ones sometimes have lights.
Sometimes the buttons (especially newer outlets) are harder to press than you think.
Pressing 'Test' will stop the outlet from working, and pressing 'Reset' will make it work again.
If something trips the safety switch in the outlet, the Reset button often will pop out a bit, and pressing it feels like resetting a tripped breaker in a fuse box (basically that is what it is in miniature).
My dad has (a newer) one in an upstairs bathroom that does not pop out, and is quite a pest to reset, while the one in the downstairs bathroom is old and the reset button is quite easy to press.
Older ones had two colored buttons (test and reset) and newer ones sometimes have lights.
Sometimes the buttons (especially newer outlets) are harder to press than you think.
Pressing 'Test' will stop the outlet from working, and pressing 'Reset' will make it work again.
If something trips the safety switch in the outlet, the Reset button often will pop out a bit, and pressing it feels like resetting a tripped breaker in a fuse box (basically that is what it is in miniature).
My dad has (a newer) one in an upstairs bathroom that does not pop out, and is quite a pest to reset, while the one in the downstairs bathroom is old and the reset button is quite easy to press.
Hey, happy new year to all, and thanks again for the help from everyone here. What is the best way to reset? I hope it wouldn't involve the fuse box because even though I know where it is it's oddly enough a bear to open. You wouldn't know how to fix a microwave oven, would you?
When a GFCI pops you should be able to reset it just by pressing the button on the outlet. If that doesn't do it you have bigger problems that have to be addressed by an electrician. GFCI's are designed to trip very quickly when a ground fault is present, faster than a fuse or breaker can blow.
I know how to fix a lot of things but not over the internet.
I also know when not to fix things and a countertop microwave is one of those. There is a magnetron tube in there with high voltage.
I know how to fix a lot of things but not over the internet.
I also know when not to fix things and a countertop microwave is one of those. There is a magnetron tube in there with high voltage.
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puppykickr
Android Expert
I have an old but very good microwave that works, but the fan has a bad connection where it plugs in.
I can soldier it, but that means taking the fan out of the microwave and reinstalling it.
No real problem there, except for one thing...
the condenser inside is wired to the magnetron right where I have to be to take the fan out.
These consensers hold much more voltage than standard outlet power- they can be in the order of tens of thousands of volts- and they hold a charge for a long while even after the unit is disconnected from the power outlet.
Not anything that I am currently ready to fool with.
(I have been saying that for around two years now.)
I can soldier it, but that means taking the fan out of the microwave and reinstalling it.
No real problem there, except for one thing...
the condenser inside is wired to the magnetron right where I have to be to take the fan out.
These consensers hold much more voltage than standard outlet power- they can be in the order of tens of thousands of volts- and they hold a charge for a long while even after the unit is disconnected from the power outlet.
Not anything that I am currently ready to fool with.
(I have been saying that for around two years now.)
Dngrsone
Android Expert
As an electronics technician, I can say that the information on GFCI here is correct. Resetting the GFCI should get most of those breakers working.
That last outlet may have tripped a breaker (or blown a fuse) in your breaker box, though. If you are lucky, there is a list or map inside the box that will give you an idea of which breaker to reset (also, some breakers have indicators to shoe they have tripped). Resetting a breaker is a matter of turning it off and then on again.
AS for repairing the microwave, as @puppykickr says, the magnetron and condensers can hold a nasty, heart-stopping charge for a long time, and there is not likely anything in there that you can repair/replace anyway.
That last outlet may have tripped a breaker (or blown a fuse) in your breaker box, though. If you are lucky, there is a list or map inside the box that will give you an idea of which breaker to reset (also, some breakers have indicators to shoe they have tripped). Resetting a breaker is a matter of turning it off and then on again.
AS for repairing the microwave, as @puppykickr says, the magnetron and condensers can hold a nasty, heart-stopping charge for a long time, and there is not likely anything in there that you can repair/replace anyway.