panasonic microwave oven repair

[gizmo]

I have an oldish Panasonic microwave oven, it is a model NN-5558.

It has been a great machine, it is the only micro I have used that can defrost a small quantity of food (using the defrost-by-weight feature) without cooking the food, just defrost it to perfection.

Now its timing is playing up - quite often the time countdown on the display will freeze, when it does that it also doesn't respond to pressing the stop button, if it has frozen I have to wait for it to get its marbles back and start counting again, or switch it off at the wall.

I imagine the problem is something simple like a dried out capacitor that needs to be replaced. I am OK with PCB repairs, but have no circuit diagram and no idea where to look.

I'd like to keep the old girl going if possible, any suggestions?

If I decide to replace it, any suggestions re Sharp vs Panasonic? (the two preferred brands, or other suggestions.)

I'm not interested in fancy functions such as sensors, I rarely cook with a micro, all I use it for is mainly defrosting and reheating.

Lower power consumption is good as we are on solar power. So I'd be looking at a very basic model.

 

[rolls_rapide]

I would be very cautious about fiddling with a microwave oven, due to high voltages, charged capacitors, and the need to ensure that there is no microwave leakage when reassembled.

Might need a new control board, best to contact your local Panasonic repair centre.

 

[fltcoils]

my '82 Pennys (Panasonic) needed a new 50v 470uf

I just took the board with the VFD (display) off and found the smoked cap. These are all LV parts. After replacing 4 of the caps I put it back together. The VFD is still weak but the cpu board works.

I keep the parts at my computer.

Here you can see the burned up cap on the lwr left.

 

[fltcoils]

Another view, still a bit fuzzy

Note: you may disappoint some people if you repair one of these large old microwaves. Sometimes other members in a household anticipate the failure with joy. They do take much more room than todays units.

go figure

 

[fltcoils]

2nd pic

.

 

[gizmo]

thanks fitcoils

I'll have a look for obviously faulty caps - it's worth a try.

No-one here is cheering for the old micro to die - only my partner and I, both happy with the old girl.