Comments on: Microwave Repair (failed interlock switch)

By: Anwar Y Shiekh

Anwar Y Shiekh — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 00:05:50 +0000

Thank you all for the warm welcome; repair can be a source of great pride.

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By: Yogesh Panchal

Yogesh Panchal — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 08:03:24 +0000

Anwar Y Shiekh,
Welcome! to the blog.
In these type of device actuation finger / Knobs are made of Bakelite.
Keep sharing....

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By: Lynn Blakely

Lynn Blakely — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 23:46:23 +0000

Good repair Anwar: Since you are in the US, for parts check"Repair Clinic" on the internet, they have OEM parts. That was a good tip that someone who replied said to stop the oven first then open the door to stop the high current going through the switch.

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By: Anwar Y Shiekh

Anwar Y Shiekh — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 16:02:22 +0000

Yes, I tend to clean the contacts so things keep running while the replacements are on the way. This repair would not be of much interest if it wasn't for the mixing of parts to get things working, and even then only time will really tell if the repair really worked.

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By: Brian Clark

Brian Clark — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 15:40:48 +0000

Interlock switches fail for one reason: opening the door while the oven is cooking. Simple way to avoid interlock switch failure - stop the oven before opening the door. Too many cooks use the door open to stop the microwave, which leads to arcing in the switches and eventual failure. Pressing the keypad "Stop" before opening the door is the proper means of stopping cooking and opening the door.

The high temperature in the switch isn't from current, but the arc-over flash that occurs when the switch is actuated at full current. Again, stopping oven operation, and then opening the door ensures that high current isn't present in the switch contacts when opening the door.

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By: Gary Drumm

Gary Drumm — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 15:14:18 +0000

I’ve had times when I ran out of switches and was able to split these in to, and simply clean the contacts inside and reassemble. They are very simple and can be cleaned and reused in an emergency.

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By: Anwar Y Shiekh

Anwar Y Shiekh — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 14:18:29 +0000

Perhaps I was unfortunate as the seller seems sincere that the switches are of superior quality and they seem to be working well after the modification. Even the old switches tended to show discoloration on the tabs which indicates a high temperature.

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By: Parasuraman S

Parasuraman S — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 13:57:00 +0000

Very interesting article! Welcome!

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By: Waleed Rishmawi

Waleed Rishmawi — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 13:33:23 +0000

I have not encountered any low quality interlock switches and i have been repairing microwave ovens for a long time. I guess it all depends on what brand the device is.. even the interlock switches that I have in the shop are also good quality ones which are usually taken from microwave ovens that the owners do not want to repair due to high cost of repair. have a very good day

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By: Albert van Bemmelen

Albert van Bemmelen — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 07:51:59 +0000

Interesting to know that they keep trying to sell lower quality parts for higher prices! Thank you for sharing this Anwar (Andy). It would also be interesting to know what firm or manufacturer sold those? This way avoiding buying those lower quality parts too.

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