Emerson microwave. +95% of the time when the door is opened the timer stops and the start button has to be pressed after closing the door. Every now and then the timer will keep running and when you close the door it automatically starts back up. I have experimented and can’t find a way to duplicate. Any thoughts?
2 door switches?? One of them sticking?
Is it possible that you have a “regular” timer running at the same time as you’re cooking something?
In our case, the cooking timer will stop, but the display will show the (still counting down) countdown timer … that I set to time something not in the microwave.
Seems odd it would shut off the microwave but not the timer. I was kinda wondering if it’s a feature I don’t know how to use. If I’m just opening the door to stir something the auto restart is convenient. Saves me a whole push button step!
This thread just reminded me of old microwave ovens with a dial timer. Then I find out they still make them for atavists.
I think one or more of your ICs have been corrupted.
Next time it happens take note of the input time.
We do not use our microwave very often. It’s a very old Sharp Half Pint, one of the smallest ever sold. It will be a sad day when it dies.
I remember when microwave ovens first became more broadly commercialized in the 1970’s. My dad bought a large one the day after Christmas, because there was a significant discount. It had these recipe cards that you could swipe in a card reader for certain food items [high power for 3 minutes, then turn the food over and then medium power for 3 minutes] stuff like that. My mom used that same microwave oven for 25 years before it broke.
I wanted to see what would happen if we put our cat in it, but was told very sternly not try anything like that. It was fun to put one of my mom’s china bowls with a silver rim on it to see the sparks jumping everywhere, I was also told to quit doing that as well.
The one thing I wanted to try but I was too afraid to given all of the warnings from my parents about how dangerous an appliance it was, was to trigger the door as being closed, but leaving the door open and turning it on. I was too afraid that the equivalent of an atom bomb would happen, so I never did.
Anyone ever done that?
ETA: answer from Forbes:
"Basically, unless you have a huge kitchen, your entire kitchen would fall into the “cook zone”.
Even if you and your pets avoided this cooking, you will get all sorts of other fun effects. Stuff in your cabinets might start to cook. Sparks may jump across metal objects as they act as inefficient receivers and get large potentials across their surfaces. You might fry electronics that are in the line of the beam (especially cheap, poorly protected and un-shielded ones). Moisture in the wood holding up your house will absorb the heat. While this would not be enough to start a fire, it might cause warping (doors in the beam might not close quite right if they have moisture in the wood). Your electric wires may act as an antenna and carry the high-frequency energy to connected devices. It probably won’t do any harm, but it depends on a number of factors.
Basically, you might not die from this, but you could get internal burns (which would be a serious pain since you can’t rub ointment on inner muscles). Any pets in the beam would suffer more because they have lower body mass and therefore the energy per kg will be higher."
So not deadly, but not good either.
A few weeks ago, while browsing piles of electronic treasures in the flea market/swapmeet at an amateur radio festival (a hamfest), I overheard a seller talking to another passerby. He mentioned that the door switches are by far the most common microwave oven failure component and to buy some he happened to have for sale.