Samsung microwave not heating. Whenever we have a microwave that’s not heating our food as it should be, there are several things to check before calling in a professional repair technician.
The good news is that the microwave has switches and buttons on the front panel that allows you to troubleshoot the issue without opening up the device to see what might need fixing.
Even though your microwave may still be under warranty, it’s nice to know when an appliance needs fixing versus when it may just be time to buy a new one.
Samsung microwave not heating
Microwaves are a great addition to any home kitchen. Unfortunately, though, sometimes things just happen that can’t be explained.
If your microwave heats on occasion and for certain portions but then doesn’t heat up again later in the day.
Then there may need to be a variety of replacements made on your unit to make sure it’s heating properly again. Components could malfunction in a variety of ways, or even be missing entirely.
But here are some common issues with microwaves: poor heating performance panel lights not working at all among others like that.
No continuity exists at the door switches
Most microwaves have three or 4 door switches. In order to ensure that the microwave door is properly closed, the door switches actuate in sequence when the door closes. If any of these switches fail, your microwave will not start or heat up food.
Often, it’s easy to replace a faulty switch using basic soldering techniques and a multimeter to test continuity when needed.
Diode burnt out
The diode converts alternating current to direct current, doubling the voltage from 800 to nearly 1700 volts. The magnetron heats the food with this high voltage.
If the diode shorts out, the magnetron won’t receive enough of a charge to heat up normally and your microwave will stop heating up your food.
When diodes fail, they generally can be visibly seen as being burnt out. Inspecting them reveals how much damage has been done or if it needs replacing at all.
Test the diode in a multimeter or put a battery (like 9V or even 6V) in parallel with it. If it doesn’t usually have continuity between leads in forwarding circuits (like most diodes do).
Then reverse leads to see what happens – this might tell you more about whether it’s shorted out or not (again, most don’t continue to exist if they’re shorted).
Magnetron needs to be replaced
Microwaves are generated by high voltage, high current DC power in the microwave oven. In the event of a burnt-out magnetron, the microwave will not heat.
In the event of a burned-out magnetron, it cannot be repaired; it must be replaced.
Possibly, the main control board is faulty
The main control board might be obsolete. However, this is often not the case.
Control boards are mistakenly diagnosed as defective more often than they actually are; before replacing the control board, make sure all of the other electronic parts involved with making your microwave oven function properly are checked.
Replace the main control board if all of these parts are working properly.
(Caution: Although the microwave is unplugged and no electricity flows to it, speaking in terms of circuits and wiring inside, there can still be residual electricity left in its capacitor, which was used to power its high-intensity light assembly.)
The high voltage capacitor is defective
A capacitor is a component that helps take the voltage that comes out of a transformer and direct the electrical charge to what’s known as the output.
If this component were to fail, it could potentially cause an incredibly large amount of damage, including fires and injuries. To test if this component is performing adequately or not, use a multimeter with capacitance testing capabilities.
(Warning: A microwave can store enough electricity in its capacitor even when it is unplugged but it can still hurt you because of all of that stored electricity. It will be very dangerous.)
The Thermo protector should be replaced
The Thermo protector device cuts power to the microwave when it heats up. When there is an issue with the thermal protector’s sensor, the microwave won’t start or heat up.
To fix this problem, replace the Thermo protector using a multimeter to test for continuity and if the device doesn’t have continuity, then replace it.
Thermal fuse blown
When the microwave overheats, it will trip the thermal fuse. To check if the thermal fuse has blown, place a multimeter test meter led across it and check for continuity
(make sure both ends are touching the metal connectors on each side of the wire). If there isn’t continuity (no blink), replace it. You must replace the thermal fuse if it is blown; it cannot be reset.
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