Still Dead Microwave

[normadesmond]

Hell-o again! Yes, I still have my beautiful late 1970s Quasar InstaMatic microwave oven sitting downstairs, sad & forlorn and still non-operative. I'm in the Twin Cities & every so often google, trying to find someone that might try & fix my oven.

Any suggestions will be most appreciated!

 

[phillymatt53]

It's likely that the Magnatron might have failed, or the control panel electronics have an issue.
Also the rectifier or main capacitor could have shorted, and blew the fuse.
These are all common problems we've dealt with in my repair shop.

 

[qsd-dan]

Faulty door switch(es), fuse, capacitor are all easily repairable. Locating a magnetron could be a task.

Is the timer mechanical or does it use a touch pad controls?

 

[phillymatt53]

Faulty door switch(es), fuse, capacitor are all easily repairable. Locating a magnetron could be a task.

Is the timer mechanical or does it use a touch pad controls?

I believe it's a touch pad style, so the electronics may have issues.

 

[pstehle]

It may only have "cold" solder joints on the PC board (generally not applicable to manual control units). These often occur over time and use, usually with components that generate heat, or carry large currents. The relay that controls the magnetron transformer may be failed as well. Does "non operative" mean stone dead, or does the clock light up but you can't cook? If you have a mechanical control unit, the above suggestions apply, bad door switch can either cut power to the magnetron, or the "shunt" switch could blow the main fuse... The light and fan may still work. These parts exist in all microwave ovens, so in either case (digital or mechanical timer), could be your trouble.

 

[william8]

What are the symptoms? Does it turn on? My Panasonic worked normally, except no heating. So I checked the magnetron, there are videos that show you how, it was bad.

5 minute repair.

 

[normadesmond]

Thank you EVERYONE for your replies! Most appreciated!

When it's plugged in, clock time can be set & I could enter time for Delay Start, but pushing on most of the choices, do nothing. I have no electronic skills regarding repair, so my explanations will probably be wanting. I replaced the fuse a few years ago & it worked fine after that.

 

[phillymatt53]

Thank you EVERYONE for your replies! Most appreciated!

When it's plugged in, clock time can be set & I could enter time for Delay Start, but pushing on most of the choices, do nothing. I have no electronic skills regarding repair, so my explanations will probably be wanting. I replaced the fuse a few years ago & it worked fine after that.

If this machine uses a smooth "touch pad" style keyboard, it could likely have gone bad due to aging. - tarnishing and corrosion interferes with some or all selections.
And there's no way to service the pads, nor are any still available for something that old.
In that case, I'm quite sure that the oven is history now.