Hello All - can anyone advice on how difficult it is to replacement the magenetron tube? Thanks very much…
-JG
You have to remove the outer cabinet cover from the microwave oven. On the right side (as you face the front of the appliance), you’ll see the magnetron. It is very promenant; almost as large as the power transformer. It’s held in place by four screws or nuts. Two wires connect to the filament (usually as one connector).
[COLOR=“Red”]Be very careful to discharge the capacitor after you unplug the machine. The voltage it stores can very seriously hurt you (it is lethal)[/COLOR].
Be very careful in handling the new magnetron: Don’t bang the antenna or filter end against any part of the cabinet, as you position the component.
One more thing: What symptom or symptoms led you to the decision to replace your magnetron?
Thanks very much for the quick reply and now I am wondering if I should call a technician based on your comment in red. Hmmmmmmmm.
Symptoms are:will not heat up, but still runs. However when running it will sometimes completely turn-off and then reset itself.
P.s - I can have the tube sent from GE for free based on the waranty.
Thanks again.
There are some tests that you can make (if you are comfortable with using a meter; and working near live circuits) to determine whether the problem is truly the magnetron.
How do you check a magnetron if it is a good, besides it has no continuity between two pins and metal case, has continuity between two pins no bad odor, no any type of damage( eletrical, or physical), no internal short, but stil make a loud sound. If a loud sound only is a negative factor here and the rest of functions perform normal, how to determine, if a magnetron cheks OK? I cheked a h.v. diode, h.v. capcitos, h.v. transformer, magnetron thermistor, cavity thermistor and no indication of faulty components in a high voltage area ov a microwave oven…Microvave oven still doesn’t heat at all, only loud sound.
Look at the magnets attached to it. Look all around them and make sure they don’t have any cracks or fissures that can disrupt the magnetic field. The loud sound you heard may just be a dying transformer. Would you describe it as a growling sound?
Thank you for your reply!..Magnetron magnets are in good shape, no cracks, or anything abnormal. Yes, oven makes a very loud sound, as you described. Is it defective transformer? What exatctly is a couse of that loud noise? Please, tell me! Thanks a lot!
Yes I have the same issue. I just replaced my capacitor and diode and still the same issue. Web says maybe tranformer or magnatron ?
…The problem is, neater magnetron, nor high voltage (h.v.) transformer don’t have any abvious infication of being partially eletrically mulfunction. That it what makes it hard to determine exactly without costly replacement a mgnetron, or h.v.transformer. In my practice, I have seen both: magnetron and transformer were replaced, when unit will not heat and made a loud noise, with no obvious faulty components.
What is a solution here? Does anybody knows??? Any suggestion to narrow down a guess work would greatly apreciate it! Thank you!
…What exactly would you suggest??? What tests should be done/ Thank you!
You first have to discern whether the HV transformer is getting 120VAC. To do this, unplug the oven and open up the cabinet and [COLOR=“Red”]DISCHARGE THE CAPACITOR[/COLOR]. Disconnect the transformer lead to the diode and isolate it from any metal contact. Plug the machine in and select a cook mode. Measure voltage at the transformer connection to the control board. If you don’t read 120VAC, the problem is the control board. If you get the proper voltage from the board, the transformer is probably the culprit (a bad transformer usually makes a loud, growling noise).
Thnaks a lot!!! I’ll do that.))
Let us know what you find.
…Here is what I have found:
- H.V. transformer has ~120VAC on primary side, resistance is within a normal range,lesss than 0,5ohmm, due to a thick wire diametr of a cupper wire used in primary winding.
- When power has been applied to unit and secondart and filament winding are disconnected from circuits( ground, h.v.diode,h.v.capacitor, magnetron, e.t.c.) transformer still maked loud noise, but less loud, when all h.v. transformer winding wires connected to circuits. That tell me, I have a defective h.v.transformer.
- When I checked a resistance between a socondary winding and a ground pont( a trnasfomer core case, or unit chassis) resistamce on my multimetr is 72 ohm( R=72ohm), which is low. Normaly a secondary winding aproximately has a resistanse of 100 ohms, but in my case it doesn’t. So, I think I have a defective transformer! Bingo!!!
I want to thank you for all advices you have been given!!! I am apreciate that!!!
…Now I need to replace a h.v. transformer to see, if I have any other surprises!!! …I hope not!!!
How did you get GE to send you the magnetron? I have a GE that will no longer heat. A local repair shop said they thought it was the magnetron but it would cost about $80 to have it fixed if I brought the microwave in and even more if I had them come out.
I’m capable of replacing the magnetron myself but they will not send it to me. Thanks
…I haven’t replaced a magnetron yet…No need at this point…until I find out what is going on in this microwave oven…
…I replaced a high voltage(h.v.) transformer, but it didn’t help…I still have the same loud sound comming from oven, when unit works. I need a further evaluation…It act, as a defective magnetron, or h.v.transformer, but that isn’t the case…H.v. diode and h.v. capacitor are ok. It makes a loud souns, when only primary winding of a h.v. transformer connected to circuit and all high voltage componets are disonnected…Something going on on primary die of circuit…A line filter cheks ok…fan capacitor cheks ok…I know, PCB can’t couse a loud sound in unit, if a h.v. transformer has ~120V on it’s primary winding. All thermistors in unit cheks OK also…It means something else…What is it?