How to repair an LG microwave oven yourself

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The ability to quickly heat up a dish, spending a minimum of time, makes microwave ovens a popular appliance in an apartment, office, or country house. Heating is provided by the operation of a generator that emits radiation in the microwave range. A fairly complex electrical, electronic and mechanical device, with proper and competent maintenance, remains operational for a long time in normal mode, but due to improper operation, wear of parts, exhaustion of the service life of individual mechanisms and components, the furnaces fail.

It is at least inadvisable for a person who is not versed in high-frequency technology to independently restore working capacity. At the first sign of failure or abnormal operation, you need to contact the Service Center, which serves Moscow and the cities of the Moscow region. By contacting us, the client gets the opportunity to use the device for its intended purpose again with minimal expenditure of material and time resources. The technician arrives at your home with tools, testing, measuring and adjustment equipment, original spare parts and promptly carries out diagnostics, repairs, technical warranty and post-warranty service.

Advantages of ElG microwave ovens

The LG microwave oven perfectly combines ease of operation and innovative technology. South Korean devices will quickly and without additional effort defrost food, heat food, and prepare new dishes. The company's products have the following advantages:

• high power, averaging 800 W;
• stylish and attractive design;
• the presence of a built-in Russified two-way dialogue function in the latest devices;
• easy-to-clean interior coating;
• the presence of automatic programs with ready-made recipes for various dishes, such as in the MS-2353HAR model and some others;
• are slightly cheaper than products of the same class from other companies;
• ECO ON energy saving systems.

The company produces products with microwaves propagating in a chamber using innovative I-wave technology. The system ensures uniform distribution and deep penetration of heat. Most devices are equipped with touch controls, child protection and a timer. In store catalogs you can find built-in and separately installed microwaves of the ElG brand.

Repair of LG microwave ovens at an affordable price on the same day

The service center provides comprehensive services for diagnostics, repair and restoration work, and maintenance of South Korean brand microwave ovens of all models, brands, and modifications. There is no need to deliver the device to a workshop or waste time searching for a reliable hospital. You should call 8(495) 213-33-33

or fill out the form and a specialist will arrive at the specified address after a while and professionally and promptly carry out the following actions:

• checking the condition and performance of the magnetron (high-frequency generator) using diagnostic, testing and measuring equipment
• The entire electrical circuit of the device, its individual components, and mechanisms are tested to determine the presence of power and its parameters
• testing the characteristics of a step-up transformer, which supplies high voltage (3-4 kilovolts) to the magnetron filament, since the temperature regime created in the heating chamber depends on it
• hardware control of the functioning of the electronic control unit and the front panel, such monitoring is especially relevant if there is a panel with touch control
• checking the functioning of the rotation unit of the built-in dish, examining the condition of all mechanical and electrical components of the drive
• visual control of the tightness of the radiation chamber door, the condition of the generator cooling fan

The actions taken will allow you to find the fault and restore functionality quickly and with guaranteed quality.

Basic malfunctions of the ElG microwave

Service center specialists note a number of the most common breakdowns in microwave ovens manufactured by South Korean manufacturers:

1. The food is not heated at all or very weakly. The cause is a lack of power or a faulty generator.
2. The device does not turn on. The breakdown is caused by problems in the operation of the transformer, fuse or control unit.
3. The stand does not rotate. The situation occurs due to damage to the electric motor or drive.
4. Sparks appear in the chamber during operation. Diagnostics of the serviceability of the camera, mica filter, and magnetron is required.
5. The microwave makes sounds and hums when it is running. Non-specific noise occurs when a transformer, magnetron or fan fails.

How to choose a new magnetron

Before you buy a new magnetron, study the technical specifications of the old one. On the outer wall of the device there is a label with the necessary information: model name, power, frequency, location of power terminals. Full compatibility can be achieved by choosing a model that matches your microwave oven model. Because if you have a Samsung, then the brand’s generator will not be suitable in many respects.

Now you have all the data to find the desired model in your browser search engine, find out how much it costs and where to buy.

Restoration prices

What is a magnetron?

Appliances for heating food include one essential element. This is a powerful electron tube called a magnetron. With its help, microwaves are produced to influence water molecules in food. This process can be explained by the interaction of the magnetic field with the flow of electrons.

Without going into details of the power of microwave ovens, it should be noted that most of these devices have a power of 700-850 W, which makes it possible to boil a glass of water in just 2-3 minutes. It should also be taken into account when diagnosing that there are tunable and non-tunable devices, while in the former, a change in frequency characteristics can be observed up to 10%.

Repairman services

The inability of a microwave oven to perform its main function—heating cooked food—occurs with any model and quite often. This may occur due to manufacturing defects, physical wear, non-compliance with operating rules, or mechanical stress. A microwave repair technician will check the electrical circuit, magnetron, repair a detected fault or replace a failed part.

It is not uncommon for the tray to stop rotating. To check the functionality and existing defects, specialists test the engine circuit and check the operation of the drive system. Problems with the motor can be corrected by replacing the windings or gears in the gearbox. Before turning to experts, you should make sure that the tray is not overloaded and that the grooves of the plate coincide with the rotation mechanism. You can fix these problems yourself.

If the microwave fails to turn on, the transformer is diagnosed, the ECU is tested, and the fuse is checked. Common causes are a broken power cord, a failed door locking mechanism, or damage to the temperature sensor.

How to fix it at home

You can change the following details yourself:

• antenna cap;
• pass capacitor.

Replacing the cap

This part can be bought at any radio market, or made independently from an electrolytic capacitor of a suitable diameter or a thimble. How to do it:

1. Turn off the power to the oven and carefully remove the power plug.
2. Disconnect the fasteners and pull out the device.
3. Check the cap. If there is carbon deposits, clean with fine-grit sandpaper.
4. The cap is electrocuted, burnt out - needs to be replaced.
5. Remove it from the antenna and check its integrity. If the anode is in order, the device can be repaired.
6. Install the new part, insert the magnetron into place.

Changing the capacitor

1. Remove the filter cover.
2. Use wire cutters to cut off the throttle contacts.
3. Use a drill (3 mm in diameter) to drill holes around the capacitor.
4. Remove from the filter housing.
5. Unwind one turn at each choke. This will increase the contact length.
6. Clean the contacts with sandpaper and a knife.
7. Insert the new capacitor into the filter housing in place of the old one, screw it in.
8. Connect the contacts so that they do not touch the walls of the box.
9. Close the lid.

Ready! We looked at breakdowns that you can fix without professional intervention. But if the magnetron cannot be repaired, it needs to be replaced.

Advantages of repairs at a service center

When contacting customers we guarantee:

• professional repair of LG microwaves by technicians with extensive experience in this field;
• complete and accurate diagnostics of operation;
• adequate cost of the work performed;
• performing work at a time convenient for the client;
• availability of original spare parts.

All information on the provision of services is reflected on the company’s website. Here you can leave a request to restore your microwave oven and find out about ongoing promotions. Contact qualified craftsmen, and you will forever forget about the problems of repairing household appliances.

You can submit a request for repair of an LG microwave oven by dialing the phone number or leaving a request on the website. It is necessary to indicate as much information as possible: model, nature of the malfunction, time, arrival address and contact phone number. The technician will arrive strictly at the appointed time, identify deficiencies, calculate the cost of work and spare parts, and, with the client’s consent, will quickly, inexpensively and efficiently repair the device. Upon completion of the work, the master will issue a receipt with warranty obligations and offer a discount card with discounts for future calls to our company.

Why us

Myguru has a reputation for quality service for many years. We work so that we are recommended to friends and acquaintances. The price of a private master, but a branded 2-year guarantee, payment in cash or by card, free consultation and diagnostics - these are just some of our advantages. Masters work in all areas and can arrive without a call within an hour, or exactly at the appointed time. Microwave oven repairs are performed in one visit, in front of the client. The cost of the service is announced once and does not change. Call or write to us, we will be happy to help you!

How to check if the magnetron is working properly?

In fact, the magnetron is the main part for the normal operation of a microwave oven. And in the event of a serious breakdown, most people prefer to purchase a new device rather than repair the old one. But if the oven still fails, be sure to diagnose the magnetron of the microwave oven for serviceability in order to make sure that the breakdown is caused by a malfunction of this part.

The main signs of a magnetron failure are the appearance of smoke, sparks and sounds from the microwave.

If these signs are absent, you should conduct a general check of the microwave oven using a special tester.

General check

First of all, disconnect the microwave oven from the power supply. To do this, unplug the power cord from the outlet. After this, conduct a visual inspection of the internal compartment of the furnace, which will make it possible to detect melted walls and places that have burned or darkened as a result of operation.

Such visual diagnostics make it possible to detect a blown fuse. If there are no malfunctions, you should use a special measuring device. Hidden magnetron failure can be detected using a tester.

Checking with a tester

It is important to diagnose the part not connected to the microwave. The check is carried out in several stages:

1. Connecting the tester probe to the magnetron terminals. If the filament burns out, the tester will display infinity.
2. Inspection of the main printed circuit board, which contains diodes, resistors, varistors and other parts. In order to carry out the test, there is no need to unsolder each element, since ringing can be done directly on the board.
3. If the thermal fuse rings at room temperature, a signal should occur.
4. The high-voltage capacitor should only be checked for breakdown. If it is in normal, working condition, then it will show infinity. If the capacitor is faulty, then a resistance close to zero will be displayed.
5. Diagnostics of a high voltage diode. Due to the series connection of diodes in its design, it is not possible to inspect it. The internal resistance level is high enough to allow measurement. Therefore, you should make sure that there is no breakdown in this part. You can use a megger for this.

Useful tips

Below are some tips to help extend the life of your microwave oven and the life of your magnetron:

1. If crackling or sparking noises occur during operation of the appliance, you must stop using the oven and find out the root cause. In any case, repairing a malfunction is cheaper than buying a new microwave oven. Most often, the culprit of such symptoms is the burnout of the magnetron protective cap.
2. Regularly monitor the condition of the mica pad, which is designed to protect the exit of the waveguide into the chamber. Fat and food crumbs often get into it, which leads to breakdown. If the cap malfunctions, the mica may be burnt, which becomes the main cause of magnetron failure. Therefore, it is important to keep the pad clean, since the fat that gets on it becomes electrically conductive under the influence of temperature. This causes sparks to appear in the oven chamber.
3. If the voltage is unstable, it is better to connect the microwave oven through a stabilizer. Due to minor drops and vibrations, some oven parts may fail. As the power drops, the wear of the magnetron cathode accelerates.
4. Remember that the main cause of failure may be not only the magnetron, but also other parts. Therefore, to begin with, it is important to check the voltage in the area where the furnace is connected to the electrical network, as well as the condition of the mica plate.

The magnetron is the main component of any microwave oven. And with proper care of the household appliance, as well as with timely detection of damage, it is possible to extend the service life of this device.

Magnetron replacement

Repair of a broken magnetron is not carried out even in specially equipped workshops, so you will have to purchase a new part. Before removing the magnetron from the microwave oven, you should mark the connector contacts to avoid confusion in their connection when installing a new part. If the leads are connected incorrectly, the magnetron simply will not function.

In fact, you can replace the magnetron with a new one yourself. To do this, it is enough to be able to use a screwdriver and be able to ring diodes. Therefore, narrowly focused knowledge and skills are not required. If you cannot find a specific magnetron model for a specific microwave, you should use the most suitable analogue.

To do this, it is important to select the appropriate magnetron power, which should be either equal to or greater than that of the broken original. The fastenings and connector locations must also match.

The magnetron device itself is the same for all manufacturers, but their design may vary, so it is important to pay attention to the fit of the analogue to the waveguide, which should be tight. If the thermal paste on the thermal fuse is dried out, it should be replaced with fresh one when replacing the magnetron.

Possible faults

Malfunction of the magnetron can occur for the following reasons:

• The protective cap has burnt out and therefore sparks during operation. Replaced with any whole one, since they are the same for all magnetrons.
• Filament burnout.
• Depressurization of the magnetron due to overheating.
• High voltage diode breakdown.
• The high voltage fuse has blown.
• There is no contact in the thermal fuse.
• The high-voltage capacitor is broken.

For all malfunctions, except for depressurization, repairs can be made with your own hands.

Measuring resistance with an ohmmeter.

How does a magnetron work?

A magnetron is a vacuum tube that performs the functions of a diode and consists of several main parts:

• a cylindrical copper anode, which is divided into ten parts;
• in the center there is a cathode in which a filament is built in, and its main function is to create a flow of electrons;
• at the ends there are ring magnets necessary to create a magnetic field, which provides microwave radiation;
• a wire loop connected to the cathode, which is removed from the magnetron using a special emitting antenna and directed along a waveguide into the chamber; its main function is to collect radiation.

During operation, the magnetron heats up greatly, and therefore the case of this device is initially equipped with a special plate radiator and a blown fan. To protect this element from overheating, the power circuit has a thermal fuse.

Troubleshooting

To find out why the oven is not working, you need to unplug it and remove the lid.

1. The inside is carefully inspected for melting, burning, or unsoldered wires. The condition of the high-voltage fuse is visible to the naked eye. The fuse with the broken thread is replaced with a intact one, and if during testing of the stove it blows again, the search continues.
2. For further diagnostics, you will need a multimeter or tester. The test begins with a printed circuit board on which the magnetron power supply circuit is assembled, consisting of resistors, diodes, capacitors, and varistors. Parts can be called locally, without soldering.
3. After that, the thermal fuse is checked with a tester. With normal contacts, the resistance is zero.
4. Testing a high-voltage capacitor with a multimeter is only possible for breakdown. If the device shows a short circuit, the part is replaced. Since some types of capacitors have built-in resistors for discharging, a working capacitor will show a resistance of 1 MOhm, instead of infinity.
5. The tester is not suitable for testing a high-voltage diode because it has a small resistance measurement range. To correctly assess the condition of the diode, you will need a megohmmeter with a scale of up to 200 MOhm. But it is unlikely to be found in a home workshop. Therefore, a diagnostic method is used using a two-wire home electrical network with mandatory compliance with safety rules. One terminal of the diode is connected to the network wire. A multimeter is connected between the second and the other conductor of the network to measure DC voltage in the range up to 250 V. If the diode is intact, the device will show the presence of rectified voltage. In the event of a breakdown or break, the arrow will remain at zero. Any high-voltage diode with an operating voltage of 5 kV and a current of 0.7 A is suitable for replacement.
6. Checking the magnetron begins with testing the filament. To do this, the resistance between its terminals is measured, which for a working filament is several ohms. If the tester shows infinity, this does not mean that the thread is burned out. To be completely sure, after removing the cover, the integrity of the connections of the chokes with the magnetron terminals is checked. Some craftsmen recommend removing the throttles. Under no circumstances should this be done, as the operating mode of the transformer is disrupted, which could result in a fire. After measuring the resistance between the terminals and the housing, you can judge the condition of the feed-through capacitors. At infinity - everything is fine, at zero - they are broken, and if there is resistance - with current leakage. Faulty capacitors are cut off with wire cutters and new ones with a capacity of at least 2000 pF are soldered in their place.
7. If all the elements are intact, but the magnetron radiation is not enough to fully heat the food, it means that the cathode has lost emission. This problem can only be corrected by replacement. When replacing capacitors, you cannot use conventional solder; refractory grades or a compact resistance welding machine are required.

The video shows a story for dummies on how to check a magnetron, everything is very clear:

How to check the magnetron