Radarange troubles

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Hi Cory,
The stirrer does not stir. The blower is running. The RR is out in the garage now and it is raining hard here. Tomorrow after I get off work I will perform your stirrer test.

You can hear the transformer hum a couple of seconds after the MW is started. It continues to hum the entire time the MW is on. (it makes a pulse sound on defrost though) It seems that this MW has never worked very well since a bought it about 8 months ago. It took too long to heat up,and heated unevenly. Once in awhile the food would be stone cold after cooking for five or six minutes. The last couple of weeks have really been bad,and today after trying to heat a frozen dinner for lunch for 30 minutes (five minutes at a time) I knew it was time to "have a look" inside.

BTW: As a rather poor performer, I have always thought that this RR must have been the lower wattage model,and was suprised after pulling the unit off the countertop to see it reads 1500 watts on the back.

Thanks Cory!

Rick
 
rickr:Yes-good point on the door seal.If the magnetic seal isn't sealing against the main cabinet-radiation could leak out---and expose someone watching the oven cook-right where their eyes could be.VHF,UHF and microwave radiation can cause cataracts in your eyes after prolonged exposure-this happened to some UHF TV transmitter engineers (in the very old days)who were replacing tubes in a "dead" power amp cabinet-others were one so the station still on air-you would have to sight down a waveguide to align the tubes output guide to the transmitters--their eyes would be exposed.Newer transmitters don't have this danger.It does sound like the oven you are working on may have a bad magnetron or as one other member pointed out a defective controller.I think the "1500W" is what the machine must pull from the powerline when its running at full power.Small magnetrons used in microwave ovens are about 75-85 percent efficient.The efficiency goes up in higher powered models used in radar transmitters-those are another HORROR STORY to work on-know people that have worked on radar transmitters-VERY dangerous!!
 
Rick the oven uses 1500 watts but the magnetron only puts out something like 750 watts of cooking power on high in these old Radaranges. Many of the newer ones are up to 1000 watts output etc but unless your in such a hurry a la Liz Taylor then the difference isn't all that important.
 
While we are on this subject

Anyone know where I can find a new glass tray for my RR-10A? The original broke into pieces while nuking some popcorn. I have been using it without the tray and it seems to work fine, but would like to have it back to original.

Scott
 
Sleepwalking at work.....

Scott,

In trying to keep a few extras on hand, due to popcorn, I usually spot one or two each trip I make to Goodwill. Make sure it is an actual Amana glass tray, (Will either say "FRONT" or Front with a bunch of warnings) as there were other MFG's who used glass trays. Amana states that you are not to use the machine w/out a tray... does it still cook the same? =)

Ben
 
Hi Scott,
You can have the tray from mine,IF I end up scrapping it,and purchase another brand of MW. Will let you know in a few days.

Rick
 
Thanks to Ben and Rick

While it seems to work fine without it, I will stop using it until such proper equipment is re-installed, I love my RR and don't want to harm it.

Thanks guys!
 
I really like my radaranges. The one I tend to use the most is the one with the two timer dials because it's the simplest. Most everything I use a mw oven for is under 5 minutes and with the timer dial you just put the food in, tweak the dial quickly and press the start button rather than following a sequence of button pressing.
And who doesn't like the solid sound of that big chrome door clunking when you close it, or the definite click when you hit the light or start and stop buttons.
 
I have a "newer" Radarange--doesn't have the pretty chrome or bank vault like door.Its pretty generic-now just sits in the corner.It too-is missing its chamber "shelF"-got lost in a move.It worked the last time I used it-several years ago-but bet the electrolytics in its control panel are dried out-nonuse dries the electrolytics out.the shelf in mine was some sort of plastic-not glass.Bought the unit at Wards-the one in Marlow Heights,Md ,about 14 years ago.Just haven't gotten around to getting it a shelf-have two other microwave cookers I use.
 
Wow, small world

Bought the unit at Wards-the one in Marlow Heights,Md ,about 14 years ago.

I know the place, last time I went there, I came out to the top level of the back parking lot and there was a body in the dumpster.. police everywhere, etc. Yikes...

A friend of mine got a great deal on a top of the line Signature brand microwave, he asked to buy the dented display model for like $50 bucks when the price for it was in the hundreds, he went down to the pick up area with his ticket, they loaded a nice new in the box unit for him.. :-)

Sorry to ramble on, it just surprised me to see someone on here that shopped where I did growing up.
 
water test result

Cory,
the water got warm in 1 minute,and the stirrer never moved. Any idea what that means?
Thanks (:
Radarange Rick
 
Southermdgeguy:How long ago were you there?I was living in the "Marlow Towers" Apt house-right behind the Marlow Heights Shopping Center-Sad how it was going-was there from about 1987 to 1990.One night while coming home from work there was a dead body right in my apt house driveway!Then another night someone was shot in the leg in front of the building.Another night i had to "Lock &Load" becuase someone was trying to bash in my apt door-the sound of the 12Ga being racked sent him well on his way!!-So sad to see that neighborhood go-My mom lived there in the 60's and it WAS VERY NICE!Her hairdresser was in the center and I loved going to all the stores while her hair was being done.Those were the days!! I was so glad to move out of there-luckly a paid work job transfer got me out.
 
Tolivac
I left that area in the mid 80's but worked for a while at Sheehy Ford. I do remember shopping up there and at Iverson, my mom liked "casual corner" and Woodies, etc. I grew up going to Sears down on Alabama Ave. then we started to go to the one at Landover, at least that is still open. You are right, back in the day it was a nice area, but now has the highest crime rates in the state.
Scott
 
rickr,

I have had my share of RR's. The last one did the same thing your complaining of. when you remove the top and right side you will see some brown foam. It will look kinda like weather stripping trailing around areas where the air is suppose to go. Mine had began to discentegrate and was falling out. It provides a seal so the air is driven thru the unit down the wave guide, catch the big plastic "fins" on the stirrer and make it turn. Please be carefull. Unplug when you have the unit open.

Scott
 
Petek: have noticed the same thing-microwaves are becoming less expensive than other machines-even some hi-end blenders cost more.Microwaves are priced to the point you could almost have one in every room in the home.I also miss the mechanical timers-granted they aren't as accurate as the electronic ones-and were easier to use.For the microwave "stirrer" would have to figure the oven is using air from the magnetron cooling blower or fan to turn it--and the Waveguide would make a good air duct as well.
 
The weatherstrip is falling apart in there....

So if I replace the weatherstrip this RR would work correctly?

I am going to Lowes Homecenter tomorrow after work. I can purchase weatherstrip,or a new MW. Please let me know.

Thanks,
Rick
 
Should work

rickr

The discption your giving me of the problem sounds like what happen to mine. Mine would turn sometimes but very slow, other times not at all. As a result it did make for uneven cooking. It worked for me and I figured some weather stripping is cheap since you wont need much, worse case. :)

Scott
 

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