# Help, Appliance Repair Man! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 27, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107 "2005-10-27T03:00:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/1 "2005-10-27T03:00:54Z")
I’m working on an old GE microwave - model JVM46007. The (flourescent) light switch disintegrated - part number WB24x5093. The switch itself has an “F” inside a circle, “Model 1901”, “FLS”, and “40W 125V” markings. GE hasn’t carried the switch for four years. The switch is one of those with a cam in it and has three positions: off, on and start. Four leads. You punch it and hold it until the lamps start, then release. Another punch turns them off. !. How would I go about finding a GE switch? 1. Failing that, how would I find the original manufacturer and check for stocks elsewhere? 2. Failing that, where would I find a switch that could duplicate its functions? (I could probably rig a rotary “off-on-momentary” switch to work.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/2 "2005-10-27T12:01:38Z")
GE might have made the switch or a subcontractor. GE needs to try and get this for you, or you’ve lucked out. I had a real hard time getting a fuse for a microwave years ago. I’ve gotten some parts from where I worked from archives, I can’t help you though. We had manufacturers asks for a couple parts for old product before, and we might have one to ten parts they can have from our production archives. They won’t pay for a tool to go back into production for a couple parts, if the tool still exists. You likely have one chance here, and that is to find the switch in a dead appliance. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/3 "2005-10-27T13:48:47Z")
You might try (if you haven’t already) taking the old switch to an appliance parts/service store to see if they have something similar that would work. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/4 "2005-10-27T15:17:45Z")
How old is old? There’s a fair chance that Sears might have the part or its current replacement. I’ve had good luck finding old (10+ years) GE washing machine parts through them. Hopefully, they’re just as good with microwaves. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/5 "2005-10-27T15:29:32Z")
Based on the rough description of the manufacturer’s logo on the switch, I suspect [this](http://www.statetool.com/history.htm) is the maker of the OEM switch, or rather, the current parent company. They are still in business, apparently. Contacting them would be your best bet for obtaining an exact match. Electrically, this sort of switch is commonplace, but it’s the mechanical dimensions and mounting configuration that’s going to be problematic to match up. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/6 "2005-10-27T16:52:26Z")
dumb question, but have you tried [repairclinic.com](http://repairclinic.com)? They have parts for all sorts of stuff there. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/7 "2005-10-27T18:01:56Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > You might try (if you haven’t already) taking the old switch to an appliance parts/service store to see if they have something similar that would work. That’s probably the next step. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/8 "2005-10-27T18:03:02Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > How old is old? There’s a fair chance that Sears might have the part or its current replacement. I’ve had good luck finding old (10+ years) GE washing machine parts through them. Hopefully, they’re just as good with microwaves. Thanks for the suggestion - I’ll give 'em a call. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/9 "2005-10-27T18:04:12Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Based on the rough description of the manufacturer’s logo on the switch, I suspect [this](http://www.statetool.com/history.htm) is the maker of the OEM switch, or rather, the current parent company. They are still in business, apparently. Contacting them would be your best bet for obtaining an exact match. Electrically, this sort of switch is commonplace, but it’s the mechanical dimensions and mounting configuration that’s going to be problematic to match up. I think that is probably the right company. They don’t show it currently, but their numbering system is similar. I shot off an email to them. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/10 "2005-11-04T19:32:54Z")
In case anyone is curious, I finally went to the right place (a lighting specialty store) and got a [Leviton switch](http://www.levitonproducts.com/catalog/model_388.htm?sid=FFAAB8574F2EF71B6C78489C9970C10B&pid=1208) which was nearly an exact replacement. One more notch in the tool belt for Oslo, rescuer of aging and deceased appliances. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/11 "2005-11-04T19:39:22Z")
> [@Oslo Ostragoth](#): > > One more notch in the tool belt for Oslo, rescuer of aging and deceased appliances. Or Oslo, owner of Zombie Microwaves. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/12 "2005-11-05T00:13:44Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > How old is old? There’s a fair chance that Sears might have the part or its current replacement. I’ve had good luck finding old (10+ years) GE washing machine parts through them. Hopefully, they’re just as good with microwaves. Hmm. Your response struck me as odd, given that Kenmore dishwashers have been Whirlpool or Caloric in my experience-I’ve never seen a GE rebranded as Sears. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-appliance-repair-man/328107/13 "2005-11-05T07:07:11Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Hmm. Your response struck me as odd, given that Kenmore dishwashers have been Whirlpool or Caloric in my experience-I’ve never seen a GE rebranded as Sears. Who said anything about Sears putting their name on GE appliances? They sell parts for pretty much any brand - they claim to have [over 6.6 million parts and 750,000 on-line parts diagrams.](http://www3.sears.com/) They do have the diagram and parts list for **Oslo’s** oven, but sadly, they don’t have the switch. [These folks](http://www.appliancepartsworldwide.com/Store_Part.aspx?Id=85800) also say “NLA” or no longer available, and to call. Perhaps there’s a substitution they can make that’s not listed online? Ah, nevermind, I see that a reasonable replacement has been found.