"machinesmith" wrote in message
...
This is probably a stupid question, but when you have the microwave going
and you disable the door open switch so the microwave doesnt go off when
you open the door while its running what happens?

Not a very smart thing to do, but.....

There's an issue of distance. At a couple of feet, you're likely to feel
warmth. Closer, and you will sense the RF as heat ranging somewhere from
really hot to boiling the moisture and fat in your body. At about 4 feet
from the opening of the waveguide, the levels are down to about 5 mw/cm3,
which is the limit for a "controlled environment" Your eyes, and other
"enclosed, fluid filled" organs are most sensitive. Short of having your
head in the oven, it's likely that you'll move away from it before anything
really serious happens, as it will feel like you're in .... well, an oven.
I've read further down in the thread, and cancer was mentioned. While RF
energy can cause damage as a result of exposure, cancer is NOT one of the
results.

The other half of the equation is the electronic control panel for the oven.
Exposing the panel to a bunch of RF from an open door oven is likely to give
it a serious headache, and probably will put it to sleep, shutting down the
RF, but, maybe not.