"Appliance Repair Aid" wrote in message
oups.com...


With a noise being made by pressing the key panal pad, that would be a
good sign the key/touch pads are working and the problem is on the main
control/smart board. I'd open it up ( power off first ) and remove the
smart board and inspect front and back side of the board for any burnt
traces first.

jeff.
Appliance Repair Aid
http://www.applianceaid.com/


OK, I pulled the panel/board combination out and took it to a local
appliance repair shop. They took it in back for a few minutes and told me
they checked it, and the board is fine; the buttons are fine. They asked me,
"What's wrong with the microwave?". I said (pointing to the light buttons)
that the work light and night light buttons don't work anymore (but the fan
button, right next to those, works). They told me I'd have to bring the
whole microwave in. Ouch! It's an over-the-range model. I don't even know
where I'd start to try to unmount the thing from the wall.

OK, I'm out of ideas now. I know it's not the bulbs; I swapped the good
in-oven bulb with the work light one, and the work light still didn't come
on. I pulled out each bulb's socket and examined the connections; they're
all solid--not loose or broken. The only thing left I can think of would be
a wire INSIDE the plastic casing has broken...but I can't believe that
happened. There is a plain old fuse sitting there behind the control panel
(inside the main microwave, not part of the panel board), but it doesn't
seem like a little work light would use such a fuse (it's about an inch
long, 1/4 inch in diameter).

Anyone have any other ideas as to what can be knocking out my microwave's
worklight/nightlight? Again, the buttons still beep; they just don't do
anything. Can I just get replacement wires (they have the little plastic
connectors soldered to their ends)? Do they need to be "official" Sharp
wires or can I just use some Radio Shack wires? Any help is appreciated;
thanks.


F