Replacing microwave light Help Please

welsh_worrier

I have bought a microwave of the market (new but missing grill rack) cheap.
Anyway as i was cleaning it the light must have blown .is it safe for me to remove the back cover?.I`m guessing this is where the bulb is as i can`t see where else it can be.I have tried googling and i can`t find the answer as to where the bulb is.It is Hitachi model MCB30.Can anyone help me?

pinkmexican

Do you need to replace it? My mum's one has been knackered for the last 7 years and it works fine without.

Other than that I am no help.

P

totalsolutions

If its customer replaceable there will be a small single panel you can remove secured by a single screw on the outer cover.
Any other lamp is internal and the ones are unique that a replacement is hard to source from a shop.

Regarding your question is it safe- Are you safe?? These are very heavy due to the transformers in them. UNPLUG from the wall socket. There is very little in them. Microwaves are very dangerous and will burn and you would not know it- ie your eyes and other soft tissues. The lamp is inside on top if you remove the cover, replace bulb and REFIT covers before use. If this was cheap are the door seals intact and not damaged. Also buy a microwave tester and use it, this goes for everyone.

kaya

DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES REMOVE THE COVER OF YOUR MICROWAVE i have discharged microwaves that have been unplugged for years and still held enough voltage to kill you, there is a capacitor inside which stores energy, think along the lines of a Tazar gun the police use and youve got the idea, there is enough voltage to kill you outright even when the unit is unplugged as most microwaves fail to discharge this energy through the earth lead, many engineers have been killed like this, this is not a "rumour" i have 20 years experience with microwaves, please don't do it

debbie42

Totally agree with Kaya. Even if it's unplugged it may still be very dangerous. It's the capacitance, not the transformers (or the actual microwaves) that is the issue.

kaya

Its the capacitor inside the oven casing, microwaves dont leak, in 20 years i never found one, if you are worried the a cheap electrical "neon" screwdriver from any diy store will work as well as any leak detector

Basil1234

hmm i work in air con we use single phase motors with caps huge ones as well and when i was trained some 5 yrs ago by the director of engineering we where told all capacitors discharge within 24hr, and to kayas comment of "when the unit is unplugged as most microwaves fail to discharge this energy through the earth lead" in my view is complete and utter rubbish capicators are always dispatting the earth lead is myth as a capicator can only hold a charge for 24hrs, also i worked in electronics for major manufacturers for 15yrs. Alot of people don't know what there upto i agree with that but your post is completely wrong that i do know with that info as screams panic to me. The sensible thing to do would be leave completely unplugged for say 24-25 hrs remove outside cover to access bulb, remove bulb which in most microwaves is at top of unit careful to leave rest of the unit alone. buy new bulb if you can get one refit in reverse making sure is all done up tight.

debbie42

Basil1234 wrote: »

when i was trained some 5 yrs ago by the director of engineering we where told all capacitors discharge within 24hr, and to kayas comment of "when the unit is unplugged as most microwaves fail to discharge this energy through the earth lead" in my view is complete and utter rubbish capicators are always dispatting the earth lead is myth as a capicator can only hold a charge for 24hrs, also i worked in electronics for major manufacturers for 15yrs.

Some equipment does have discharge resistors built in to dissipate the charge when it is powered off. Even if this is present, it isn't necessarily guaranteed to be functioning correctly, and I wouldn't personally rely on it if my health was at risk.

To suggest that a capacitor in isolation would inevitably discharge within 24 hours is incorrect.

welsh_worrier

Thank you all I think I`ll leave it be till i can afford to pay an expert to do it.It works fine but it is handy having a light to see what`s going on.

kaya

lol, i worked for zanussi and was trained by them, i also worked on commercial kitchen equipment for years, your entitled to your view , im sure your "director of engineering" was a very nice guy, being a company director really means diddly squat in engineering terms, why would i lie? Im concerned that somebody will get killed , thats all, ill even tell you how to repair your gas boiler if you want, but dont mess with microwaves, next time your in a microwave messing about you can prove your ignorance to anyone present by touching the capacitor with your fingers, but please dont encourage others to do it, this is serious, not an "i know best" bragging contest