Changing Panasonic Microwave Oven Light

isofa

Our Panasonic combi oven/microwave's internal light has blown, it says in the manual you shouldn't attempt to replace it yourself, you should call out a Panasonic engineer...

It's model NN-A774S (combi oven, grill and 1000W microwave).

Most oven lights are simple to replace, but there doesn't seem to be any easy access, do you have to dismantle half the casing to get to it, and is that an unwise thing with a microwave?

:beer:

imho

I used to have the same combi microwave. I am sure you take the take the case off to get to it. You will find it so dirty in there with all the fat splashes.Its easy to do but the bulb always goes,so buy a few off them.

isofa

Cheers imho, I'll give it a clean, unplug and investigate further!

There is a little screwed on hatch inside the oven, but unhelpfully it is much further below the light to gain access

imho

I just had a look at my one as its in the garage at the moment waiting to be put in the council skip.Mines a Panasonic Dimension 4. So not the same as yours. But its worth taking the panels off just to clean it out any way.
I had mine for about 10 years. Loved it,only used my main oven at Christmas time.
Microwave went on mine ,and i had to hit it to get the main oven bit working. But it was well used and if i remember rightly its was nearly £400 when i bought it.But well worth it.

sweetpickle_2

The bulb has gone on our oven as well but we were put off after reading this thread.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=435646&highlight=microwave

isofa

Thanks for the link, I think as long as you are careful, you'll be ok, depends if you are competent with electronics, which I am. Certainly steering well clear of any massive capacitors as you would with a TV. Best to leave it switched off at the mains for a couple of days, but still plugged in to help dissipate stored charged, long before you even open it up.

Also I'm sure it'd be better to use an oven rated bulb, which can withstand high ambient temperatures, rather than just a standard bulb... E.g. http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/variant_select.asp?Prod=12 but I could be wrong

*~JAZZ~*

Hi All,

I know this thread is old now, but for anyone looking now.....

The cheapest service cost at the Panasonic centre was quoted at £70+ with parts as an extra..... A lot of money for a job that cost me less than £7 - the bulb is expensive.

I have just replaced the bulb in my Panasonic NNA873 Dimension 4.

Please be careful,although it was an easy job, there is a capacitor inside which stores heavy loads of power and will release the electricity into you if you touch it!

YOU CANNOT REPLACE THE BULB FROM INSIDE THE MICROWAVE....... DO NOT REMOVE THE CARDBOARD-STYLE COVERING WHICH IS ATTACHED WITH ONE SCREW INSIDE THE MICROWAVE ON THE RIGHT.

To replace bulb will take 5 minutes.

UNPLUG microwave. Remove the outer cover by unscrewing about 6 screws (ordinary phillips) don't lose them into the workings.......

Bulb is located on the right side (as you look from the front), nearer to the front. You cannot see the glass of the bulb, only the black plastic end piece, as the bulb sits upside down and vertically. Best if you check out what a T170 looks like on the internet, then you will know what you are looking for. For my Panasonic I needed a T170 (but be careful, they have different ends, some are straight, some right angled - mine was right angled - check before you buy and no, I don't think you can get them from any ordinary supermarket etc. Mine came off Ebay!!). Do not touch the bulb when replacing as the oil on your fingers will shorten its life.

Old bulb can be removed by taking out one screw and then pulling off the connectors - there is a little tab to push down to ease them off.

Then simply replace bulb!

isofa

Great info Jazz thanks

Strider590

You..... Shouldn't take apart microwave oven's.
Access hatches/covers are ok, but not the chassis.

Do you have the (can't even remember what it's called) special calibrated tool for measuring the external microwave radiation leakage?
Your supposed to check the levels once you reassemble the oven, it's extremely important for you own safety. I sat through a 90 minutes lecture about it from a guy who used to repair them lol

isofa

To get to the bulb you remove the cover, not any of the chassis... as long as all the seals are kept as is it will be fine, there is far great risk of leakage from a dirty door seal than a competent DIY person replacing a bulb, and I'd bet 75% of home microwaves aren't kept clean with food spattered around the seal...

Strider590

isofa wrote: »

To get to the bulb you remove the cover, not any of the chassis... as long as all the seals are kept as is it will be fine, there is far great risk of leakage from a dirty door seal than a competent DIY person replacing a bulb, and I'd bet 75% of home microwaves aren't kept clean with food spattered around the seal...

Just thought it best to mention, wouldn't want anyone hurting themselves