"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
...
kjpro @ usenet.com wrote:
"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
...

kjpro @ usenet.com wrote:


wrote in message
egroups.com...


I have a small problem with my Samsung microwave where it occasionally
catches on fire. It last occurred when I was heating 2T of margarine
in a cup. I heard a bang, then saw the fire coming from behind a cover
which is presumably where the magnetron tube is. But I have used the
oven since, and it is still working fine. This same sudden fire
problem occurred many months before, where again, the oven worked fine
afterward. I have melted margarine like this many times since and used
the oven many times during those months, so I don't know why all of a
sudden it decides to go pyro on me.

That's the basis of my query: Can anyone tell me what might be causing
this, what to check and how to fix it so it doesn't happen again? I do
not want to risk fire when I am not around to monitor what's going on
with the oven, but at the same time, I do not want to replace it. I
have looked at getting another oven, but there's nothing that I like
as much as my Samsung. It has the size, the looks and the advanced
controls (ie. one touch, defrosting, etc) that I like.

This is a pic of what the damage looks like on the interior:

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.p...mtxmvt&thumb=4


And one of the exterior:

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.p...noyvgd&thumb=4



Clean the area up real well and get a new cover (wave guide). Some

appliance

dealers can cut you a new cover from bulk stock.

And then sit back and wait for the next fire?

Surely you jest sir... G



No, clean the cabinet and replace the shield and it's as good as new.

That's the reason it happened the second time, cause he didn't replace
the
wave guard cover!





I defer to your knowledge and experience, but my curious mind wants to
know what material actually cought on fire. Was it part of that 2T of
margarine which vaporized and combined with air to form a flammable
mixture?


The cover is normally a cardboard material that has a special coating on it,
very few are made of plastic.

The materail that caught on fire is a combination of food that has splatter
on the wall of the oven over the last few weeks, months or years. This is a
pretty common issue with microwaves.