Anonymous wrote:
Lately I've been noticing that when the microwave cycles on
half-power
setting, the lights in the kitchen and every where else on that
particular circuit flickers perilously along with it. Sometimes just
turning on the kitchen light makes the other room lights flicker.

I suspect a short, but since nothing ever trips a circuit breaker, it
doesn't seem to be anything I can definitely put my finger on to test
or
repair. Does anybody have any suggestions for tracking down this
problem?

Ron



Andy replies:

Bear in mind that when your microwave is on the 50% setting, it
is going FULL ON 50% of the time and MOSTLY OFF for 50% of the time.
If it is a big mother microwave, this can be a 10 to 15 ampere change.

An experiment would be to turn on the lights, then turn on the
microwave to full power. If there is a single flicker when you
energize the microwave, and a single flicker when you turn it off,
you are certain of the source and the reason. When the mother
microwave turns to "ON, FULL POWER", there is a big current draw.
Much like when you turn on your vacuum cleaner.....

Go to your breaker box and tighten the connections to the breaker
that feeds the microwave. Then tighten all the connections on the
neutral bar. If these connections are loose, this should clear up
the problem. However, usually the mother microwave has it's own
circuit breaker and it doesn't usually feed other circuits......
at least in newer construction.

I hope this helps. Wear gloves. And if you are really scared around
the electrical box, have your brother-in-law do it for you......

Andy in Eureka