"Larry Fishel" wrote in message
...

However...a microwave doesn't use a heating element as such. It does
have a high voltage power supply which IS pretty sophisticated
controlled by solid state electronics) it may try to maintain a
constant output power which would require a higher input amperage at a
reduced input voltage. Or, it may only care about maintaining the
correct frequency and let the power fluctuate with input voltage...
I'm not sure which...

The high voltage supply of a microwave oven is as simple as it gets. Just a
transformer, diode and capacitor. Then the one tube magnetron. If the
voltage drops, the heating power of the microwave goes down.
It does not even care about the frequency all that much. Just a simple
oscillator circuit.

The microwave ovens with the mechanical timers are about as simple as they
come.

The only complicated electronics in the microwave is the ones with the
electronic keypads for setting the clock and time. They are not really that
much more than an alarm clock.