GE Above-Range Microwave Sparking

GE above-range microwave sparking

Sue -- Monday, 29 January 2001, at 1:34 p.m.

I posted about a year ago with a problem that I was having with my GE microwave making popping noises and then going dead, tripping the breaker. GE came and replaced some major board, and we had no problems. (Since the unit was slightly more than a year old, they honored the warranty)

Then, a few days ago, I came downstairs to find the microwave was dead. The night light was on the night before, and the microwave was not used during the night. Sure enough, the breaker was tripped. I reset the breaker, and then tried to reset the clock on the microwave. Same thing, popping noises and it went dead.

We reset the breaker, unplugged the microwave, and plugged a drill into the same outlet and ran it, to see if it was a problem with the line or the plug. The drill ran fine. We plugged the microwave back in, heard pops, and it went dead. We then noticed that the plug was out of the outlet. We plugged it back in, reset the breaker, and watched as, when we tried to set the clock, a spark came from the outlet and the plug flew out.

We have noticed arcing marks on the inside wall of the microwave, near where the metal shelf rests. We have called GE and I am not looking forward to the hefty repair bill.

Needless to say, it remains unplugged. Any idea what could be causing this? It could have easily caused a fire.

Re: GE above-range microwave

Dan O. -- Monday, 29 January 2001, at 8:09 p.m.

: We have noticed arcing marks on the inside wall
: of the microwave, near where the metal shelf
: rests.

Arching can take place in that area if food residue is not thoroughly cleaned off. This residue will continue to cook in place when the oven is used again later. Once carbonized, it will produce the aching and cause damage the surrounding painted surface.

: We have called GE and I am not
: looking forward to the hefty repair bill.

: Needless to say, it remains unplugged. Any idea
: what could be causing this? It could have
: easily caused a fire.

For sparks to be coming out of the wall outlet, there must be a short in the appliance. Items that could fail and cause this are the diode, capacitor and high voltage transformer. There's also the possibility that a wire has come off and is now shorting to ground.

I look forward to hearing what the technician finds the cause to be.

Dan O.

Re: GE above-range microwave

Sue -- Tuesday, 30 January 2001, at 1:30 p.m.

: I look forward to hearing what the technician finds the cause to be.

The technician simply painted over the marks and everything was fine. He did not charge us as it was only 27 days past the warranty. I do make a point of keeping the inside of the microwave clean. I belive that when the shelf goes in and out, it scratches the interior and causes the problem.

Re: GE above-range microwave *LINK* *PIC*

Dan O. -- Tuesday, 30 January 2001, at 9:26 p.m.

: The technician simply painted over the marks
: and everything was fine. He did not charge
: us as it was only 27 days past the warranty.
: I do make a point of keeping the inside of
: the microwave clean. I believe that when the
: shelf goes in and out, it scratches the
: interior and causes the problem.

Thanks for the follow up, I'm glad to hear it wasn't a serious problem. There is good microwave oven cavity touch up paint available (see the link below) if the inside coating gets damaged. Just the paint deteriorating would not cause any kind of 'leakage'.

One thing though, I can't see how the interior oven finish could possibly relate to sparks coming out of the wall outlet for the microwave oven or how it could possibly trip a house breaker. A bad finish in the oven interior could result in arching when the microwave was cooking but at no other time and certainly wouldn't cause sparking at the wall outlet.

Maybe I misunderstood your original post?

Dan O.

Microwave Oven Interior Touchup Paint

Re: GE above-range microwave

Sue -- Wednesday, 31 January 2001, at 1:13 p.m.

: One thing though, I can't see how the interior
: oven finish could possibly relate to sparks
: coming out of the wall outlet for the
: microwave oven or how it could possibly trip
: a house breaker. A bad finish in the oven
: interior could result in arching when the
: microwave was cooking but at no other time
: and certainly wouldn't cause sparking at the
: wall outlet.

: Maybe I misunderstood your original post?

: Dan O.

No, you didn't misunderstand my original post and I also could not understand how that could have happened.

We used the microwave yesterday and it was dead again this morning. The outlet was sparking so I unplugged the unit and left the breaker tripped. I called GE and they came out. They reset the breaker and then heard it pop with nothing plugged in. It looks like an electrical problem after all. The

Thanks for the follow up.

Re: GE above-range microwave *LINK* *PIC*

Dan O. -- Wednesday, 31 January 2001, at 2:12 p.m.

: We used the microwave yesterday and it was dead
: again this morning. The outlet was sparking
: so I unplugged the unit and left the breaker
: tripped. I called GE and they came out. They
: reset the breaker and then heard it pop with
: nothing plugged in. It looks like an
: electrical problem after all. The

The components I mentioned that could cause the house breaker to blow (diode, capacitor, high voltage transformer) should only do so when the microwave oven was cooking. I can't think what would cause it when the unit was not in operation. Hopefully they can get to the bottom of it for you.

BTW. Numerous GE OTR (over the range) microwave ovens have a problem with the microwaves being directed right back to the magnetron tube causing damage to it and also the oven's high voltage diode eventually resulting in not heating food and possibly burning smells. Models affected include JVM1630, JVM1631, JVM1640, JVM1642, JVM1650, JVM1651, JVM1660 and JVM1661.

If such a problem was occurring, there is a repair kit (see the link below) which should be installed to totally correct the problem and also replace any of the possible affected parts.

I don't see how that problem would cause sparking *from the wall outlet* though.

JFYI

Dan O.
Appliance411
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

GE OTR Microwave Oven Repair Kit