"wave" wave@waving wrote in message ...
| Have spent over 2 hours trying to find out if most or all microwaves do
true
| variable power output as opposed to the traditional cycling on & off to
| attain different power levels, panasonic call this inverter technology,
they
| make it sound like they are the only ones that do it, have not been able
to
| determine if this is so yet, I searched webpages as well as the newsgroup
| archives but frustratingly I could not find the answer to what I would
have
| thought would be a common question.

I have one of these and AFAIK only Panasonic is using it. 'Genius' is their
trademark, inverter technology is not. It's a very powerful switchmode power
supply that varies the input power to the microwave. BTW, don't buy the
convection version - they are a swine to keep clean.

All other makes I know of cycle power to control cooking which does not work
as well for some items (oatmeal for one).

N

"NSM" writes:

"wave" wave@waving wrote in message ...
| Have spent over 2 hours trying to find out if most or all microwaves do
true
| variable power output as opposed to the traditional cycling on & off to
| attain different power levels, panasonic call this inverter technology,
they
| make it sound like they are the only ones that do it, have not been able
to
| determine if this is so yet, I searched webpages as well as the newsgroup
| archives but frustratingly I could not find the answer to what I would
have
| thought would be a common question.

I have one of these and AFAIK only Panasonic is using it. 'Genius' is their
trademark, inverter technology is not. It's a very powerful switchmode power
supply that varies the input power to the microwave. BTW, don't buy the
convection version - they are a swine to keep clean.

All other makes I know of cycle power to control cooking which does not work
as well for some items (oatmeal for one).

The sample I have drives both the magnetron high voltage and filament
from the same transformer. I would think this is hard on the magnetron
at moderate power where the filament isn't as hot as it should be but
perhaps it's not a big issue.

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Sam Goldwasser wrote in
:




The sample I have drives both the magnetron high voltage and filament
from the same transformer. I would think this is hard on the
magnetron at moderate power where the filament isn't as hot as it
should be but perhaps it's not a big issue.


lower filament voltage means longer tube life.
It would not be hard to include a regulated filament supply,though.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net

On 08 Dec 2004 19:23:31 -0500, Sam Goldwasser
wrote:


The sample I have drives both the magnetron high voltage and filament
from the same transformer. I would think this is hard on the magnetron
at moderate power where the filament isn't as hot as it should be but
perhaps it's not a big issue.



The best microwave design I've seen is an Amana from the late 70. It
has a separate filament transformer, so it can modulate the HV at
something like 1 Hz while keeping the filament hot. This is fast
enough to stop things from exploding/boiling over while the magnetron
is on. It's the only microwave I've had where the low power levels
were actually useful. It also has to be easier on the magnetron.
Andy Cuffe

"Andy Cuffe" wrote in message
...
On 08 Dec 2004 19:23:31 -0500, Sam Goldwasser
wrote:


The sample I have drives both the magnetron high voltage and filament
from the same transformer. I would think this is hard on the magnetron
at moderate power where the filament isn't as hot as it should be but
perhaps it's not a big issue.



The best microwave design I've seen is an Amana from the late 70. It
has a separate filament transformer, so it can modulate the HV at
something like 1 Hz while keeping the filament hot. This is fast
enough to stop things from exploding/boiling over while the magnetron
is on. It's the only microwave I've had where the low power levels
were actually useful. It also has to be easier on the magnetron.
Andy Cuffe


Those old Amanas were great, wouldn't mind having one now even, nice
stainless cavity, metal control panel, really slick.

"NSM" wrote in news:JkMtd.5013$Ya4.1618@edtnps84:



All other makes I know of cycle power to control cooking which does
not work as well for some items (oatmeal for one).

N



My 30 year old Sharp cooks my daily oatmeal just fine.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net

"Jim Yanik" . wrote in message
.. .

| "NSM" wrote in news:JkMtd.5013$Ya4.1618@edtnps84:
| All other makes I know of cycle power to control cooking which does
| not work as well for some items (oatmeal for one).

| My 30 year old Sharp cooks my daily oatmeal just fine.

So does my old 600W Toshiba, but my 1200W Sharp tends to explode it.

N