Is operating more than 1 microwave oven in same kitchen safe?
 

I recently moved to a house that has a built-in microwave oven. Since the
new place has a large kitchen, and since I already owned a stand-alone
microwave oven, I wound up putting the extra stand-alone unit on the
counter, and so now I have two microwave ovens in the same room.

This is a serious question. Every once in a while, more than one person
wants to heat something up in a microwave, so I'm just wondering if it's
actually safe to operate both units at the same time from the standpoint of
radiation exposure. For example, would being in a room with more than one
microwave oven running at a time, in general, be unsafe, or would standing
anywhere within the space between the two units while they are both running,
be unsafe, etc.?

Currently the ovens are approximately 9 feet apart in distance. One of them
is an 800 watt stand-alone unit and I believe the built-in unit to be
approximately 1000 watts.

If 9 feet is too close a distance, than how far apart would they need to be
for the radiation levels to be safe when operating both units at the same
time? If you think it is a mistake to ever run more than one unit at a
time, then let me know, and I will ensure this never happens. (I'm just
talking about from a radiation standpoint, not an electrical-wiring
standpoint)

Thanks,

J.

"jay" wrote in message
news:1koFd.9552$6b.4112@trndny07...

| This is a serious question. Every once in a while, more than one person
| wants to heat something up in a microwave, so I'm just wondering if it's
| actually safe to operate both units at the same time from the standpoint
of
| radiation exposure. ...

I do it all the time. One is cooking lunch while I heat tea in another. We
had a bank of them in the cafeteria at work. What problem?

IMO, you could take 60 of them, stack them up in a tower and stand in the
middle while they were all running and not even get warm. Walking past
someone smoking on the street is more dangerous as is a sun tan booth.

N

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 06:13:17 GMT, "jay" wrote:

I recently moved to a house that has a built-in microwave oven. Since the
new place has a large kitchen, and since I already owned a stand-alone
microwave oven, I wound up putting the extra stand-alone unit on the
counter, and so now I have two microwave ovens in the same room.

This is a serious question. Every once in a while, more than one person
wants to heat something up in a microwave, so I'm just wondering if it's
actually safe to operate both units at the same time from the standpoint of
radiation exposure. For example, would being in a room with more than one
microwave oven running at a time, in general, be unsafe, or would standing
anywhere within the space between the two units while they are both running,
be unsafe, etc.?

Currently the ovens are approximately 9 feet apart in distance. One of them
is an 800 watt stand-alone unit and I believe the built-in unit to be
approximately 1000 watts.

If 9 feet is too close a distance, than how far apart would they need to be
for the radiation levels to be safe when operating both units at the same
time? If you think it is a mistake to ever run more than one unit at a
time, then let me know, and I will ensure this never happens. (I'm just
talking about from a radiation standpoint, not an electrical-wiring
standpoint)

Thanks,

J.


I see no reason to worry about it. We often run two at the same time.
I'm sure many lower quality/price restaurants often run several at the
same time. IIRC, unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about as far as
stray radiation. And it's not like it's stray x-rays, it's just radio
waves.
--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789

I see no reason to worry about it. We often run two at the same time.
I'm sure many lower quality/price restaurants often run several at the
same time. IIRC, unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about as far as
stray radiation. And it's not like it's stray x-rays, it's just radio
waves.

I agree that it's probably safe, but your argument here sucks.
1: The microwave frequency is specifically designed to cook meat.
If you happen to be living in the meat in question, cooking
it is clearly bad. You can do fairly significant long-term
dammage to yourself without becoming uncomfortable, by exposing
yourself to microwaves.

The good news is, the levels of such radiation that escape the
confines of a properly working microwave are so low that, with
the added defense of the inverse-square law, its's almost impossible
to get enough of them close enough together to do any damage.

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_...ovens.html#top

jay wrote:
I recently moved to a house that has a built-in microwave oven. Since the
new place has a large kitchen, and since I already owned a stand-alone
microwave oven, I wound up putting the extra stand-alone unit on the
counter, and so now I have two microwave ovens in the same room.

SNIP SNIP SNIP

If you wear your Tin Foil Hat and Shoes it should cover any stray rays.....

wrote in message ...

| I agree that it's probably safe, but your argument here sucks.
| 1: The microwave frequency is specifically designed to cook meat.
| If you happen to be living in the meat in question, cooking
| it is clearly bad. You can do fairly significant long-term
| dammage to yourself without becoming uncomfortable, by exposing
| yourself to microwaves.
|
| The good news is, the levels of such radiation that escape the
| confines of a properly working microwave are so low that, with
| the added defense of the inverse-square law, its's almost impossible
| to get enough of them close enough together to do any damage.

Plus, the dangers are much exaggerated. From a few feet away from the oven
you'd probably just get a slight warming sensation. More people are burned
by heating pads - or boiling water from the oven.

N

Plus, the dangers are much exaggerated. From a few feet away from the oven
you'd probably just get a slight warming sensation. More people are burned
by heating pads - or boiling water from the oven.

Yes, but that "slight warming sensation" from a broken oven
is actually more dangerous than the surface burn from normal
heat sources. Your body is set up to detect and avoid burning
on the OUTSIDE. If a microwave emmiter is having enough of
an effect that you can FEEL it, then it's sunburning your guts.
You can take a LITTLE of that, but over time it can cause
a fair amount of internal damage, and you won't even know it,
until and unless it kills you.

--Goedjn

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 06:13:17 GMT, "jay" put
finger to keyboard and composed:

... would being in a room with more than one
microwave oven running at a time, in general, be unsafe ...?

One of them is an 800 watt stand-alone unit and I believe the built-in unit to be
approximately 1000 watts.

Are they are on the same circuit? If so, then calculate the total
power consumption on that circuit, especially if other high power
appliances (eg toaster, electric jug) are being used concurrently. You
*may* find that your circuit breaker will be subject to nuisance
tripping.


- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 's' from my address when replying by email.

wrote in message ...
|

| Yes, but that "slight warming sensation" from a broken oven
| is actually more dangerous than the surface burn from normal
| heat sources. Your body is set up to detect and avoid burning
| on the OUTSIDE. If a microwave emmiter is having enough of
| an effect that you can FEEL it, then it's sunburning your guts.
| You can take a LITTLE of that, but over time it can cause
| a fair amount of internal damage, and you won't even know it,
| until and unless it kills you.

Microwaves are used to warm piglets on demand. The piglets enjoy it. It's
people not piglets who do stupid things, like sticking their heads in the
oven.

N

NSM wrote:

wrote in message ...
|

| Yes, but that "slight warming sensation" from a broken oven
| is actually more dangerous than the surface burn from normal
| heat sources. Your body is set up to detect and avoid burning
| on the OUTSIDE. If a microwave emmiter is having enough of
| an effect that you can FEEL it, then it's sunburning your guts.
| You can take a LITTLE of that, but over time it can cause
| a fair amount of internal damage, and you won't even know it,
| until and unless it kills you.

Microwaves are used to warm piglets on demand. The piglets enjoy it. It's
people not piglets who do stupid things, like sticking their heads in the
oven.


Those piglets are all dead less than a year later, aren't they?

wrote in message ...

| NSM wrote:

| Microwaves are used to warm piglets on demand. The piglets enjoy it.
It's
| people not piglets who do stupid things, like sticking their heads in
the
| oven.
|
| Those piglets are all dead less than a year later, aren't they?

But not from microwaves, although it does make the bacon crispy after
they're dead! Mmmm! Bacon!!

N

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 12:28:05 -0500, "
wrote:


I see no reason to worry about it. We often run two at the same time.
I'm sure many lower quality/price restaurants often run several at the
same time. IIRC, unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about as far as
stray radiation. And it's not like it's stray x-rays, it's just radio
waves.

I agree that it's probably safe, but your argument here sucks.
1: The microwave frequency is specifically designed to cook meat.
If you happen to be living in the meat in question, cooking
it is clearly bad. You can do fairly significant long-term
dammage to yourself without becoming uncomfortable, by exposing
yourself to microwaves.

The good news is, the levels of such radiation that escape the
confines of a properly working microwave are so low that, with
the added defense of the inverse-square law, its's almost impossible
to get enough of them close enough together to do any damage.

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_...ovens.html#top


I'd like to know just what about my "argument" you think sucks. I
very clearly said "unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about. Which
is pretty much exactly what the web page you cite says.

And if you think there is some danger realistically worth worrying
about in regard to two microwaves how about posting a link to a
verifiable story of someone being injured from even ONE PROPERLY
operating microwave. Like almost all "dangers", the dangers from
microwave ovens are grossly overstated by lay people and others.
--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789

Rick Shaw wrote:
jay wrote:

I recently moved to a house that has a built-in microwave oven. Since
the new place has a large kitchen, and since I already owned a
stand-alone microwave oven, I wound up putting the extra stand-alone
unit on the counter, and so now I have two microwave ovens in the same
room.

SNIP SNIP SNIP

If you wear your Tin Foil Hat and Shoes it should cover any stray rays.....

Those are also a big help if you operate two toasters in the
same kitchen. But they won't help much if you operate two
cell phones at the same time within a small room.

"George E. Cawthon" wrote in message
...
| Rick Shaw wrote:
| jay wrote:
|
| I recently moved to a house that has a built-in microwave oven. Since
| the new place has a large kitchen, and since I already owned a
| stand-alone microwave oven, I wound up putting the extra stand-alone
| unit on the counter, and so now I have two microwave ovens in the same
| room.
|
| SNIP SNIP SNIP
|
| If you wear your Tin Foil Hat and Shoes it should cover any stray
rays.....
|
| Those are also a big help if you operate two toasters in the
| same kitchen. But they won't help much if you operate two
| cell phones at the same time within a small room.

Add the tinfoil jock strap and you'll be OK.

N

Hi!

Using two or more microwave ovens in a single room will not be
hazardous, so long as both units are in good repair and don't have
anything broken around the door.

The biggest problem I could see occuring is an overload of the wiring.
If you want to run both microwaves in the same room at the same time,
make sure the wiring is up to it and use separate circuits for each if
available.

William

Watch MythBusters. The guys took out 5 magnetrons from (duh) 5 microwaves,
aligned them all to "air at the same target in a makeshift microwave. As
they measured the microwave radiation from different points, what they
recorded was in fact startling to them. The microwaves cancelled each other
out. The likelihood of the magnetrons starting at the exact same point of
the sine wave is very slim. The misalignment of the waves as they converge
causes a disturbance to the individual waves in turn reducing the overall
"effectiveness" of the microwave radiation.


"AZGuy" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 12:28:05 -0500, "
wrote:


I see no reason to worry about it. We often run two at the same time.
I'm sure many lower quality/price restaurants often run several at the
same time. IIRC, unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about as far as
stray radiation. And it's not like it's stray x-rays, it's just radio
waves.

I agree that it's probably safe, but your argument here sucks.
1: The microwave frequency is specifically designed to cook meat.
If you happen to be living in the meat in question, cooking
it is clearly bad. You can do fairly significant long-term
dammage to yourself without becoming uncomfortable, by exposing
yourself to microwaves.

The good news is, the levels of such radiation that escape the
confines of a properly working microwave are so low that, with
the added defense of the inverse-square law, its's almost impossible
to get enough of them close enough together to do any damage.

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_...ovens.html#top


I'd like to know just what about my "argument" you think sucks. I
very clearly said "unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about. Which
is pretty much exactly what the web page you cite says.

And if you think there is some danger realistically worth worrying
about in regard to two microwaves how about posting a link to a
verifiable story of someone being injured from even ONE PROPERLY
operating microwave. Like almost all "dangers", the dangers from
microwave ovens are grossly overstated by lay people and others.
--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789

"chillermfg" wrote in message
news:v1XFd.6954$4I2.3916@attbi_s01...
| Watch MythBusters. The guys took out 5 magnetrons from (duh) 5 microwaves,
| aligned them all to "air at the same target in a makeshift microwave. As
| they measured the microwave radiation from different points, what they
| recorded was in fact startling to them. The microwaves cancelled each
other
| out. The likelihood of the magnetrons starting at the exact same point of
| the sine wave is very slim. The misalignment of the waves as they converge
| causes a disturbance to the individual waves in turn reducing the overall
| "effectiveness" of the microwave radiation.

If you hooked 5 AC generators in parallel and started them up at random
points in time you would get poor results also. I suspect they might sync
themselves eventually but who knows?

N

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 21:42:51 GMT, "chillermfg"
wrote:

Watch MythBusters. The guys took out 5 magnetrons from (duh)

Not sure what the "duh" here means, but magnetrons are not exclusive
to microwave ovens.

Tom

5 microwaves,
aligned them all to "air at the same target in a makeshift microwave. As
they measured the microwave radiation from different points, what they
recorded was in fact startling to them. The microwaves cancelled each other
out. The likelihood of the magnetrons starting at the exact same point of
the sine wave is very slim. The misalignment of the waves as they converge
causes a disturbance to the individual waves in turn reducing the overall
"effectiveness" of the microwave radiation.


"AZGuy" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 12:28:05 -0500, "
wrote:


I see no reason to worry about it. We often run two at the same time.
I'm sure many lower quality/price restaurants often run several at the
same time. IIRC, unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about as far as
stray radiation. And it's not like it's stray x-rays, it's just radio
waves.

I agree that it's probably safe, but your argument here sucks.
1: The microwave frequency is specifically designed to cook meat.
If you happen to be living in the meat in question, cooking
it is clearly bad. You can do fairly significant long-term
dammage to yourself without becoming uncomfortable, by exposing
yourself to microwaves.

The good news is, the levels of such radiation that escape the
confines of a properly working microwave are so low that, with
the added defense of the inverse-square law, its's almost impossible
to get enough of them close enough together to do any damage.

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_...ovens.html#top


I'd like to know just what about my "argument" you think sucks. I
very clearly said "unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about. Which
is pretty much exactly what the web page you cite says.

And if you think there is some danger realistically worth worrying
about in regard to two microwaves how about posting a link to a
verifiable story of someone being injured from even ONE PROPERLY
operating microwave. Like almost all "dangers", the dangers from
microwave ovens are grossly overstated by lay people and others.

On 14 Jan 2005 07:28:11 -0800, wrote:

Hi!

Using two or more microwave ovens in a single room will not be
hazardous, so long as both units are in good repair and don't have
anything broken around the door.

The biggest problem I could see occuring is an overload of the wiring.
If you want to run both microwaves in the same room at the same time,
make sure the wiring is up to it and use separate circuits for each if
available.

William

Not even "if available"? I would think that two normal power units on
the same 15 amp breaker would pop it rather frequently.

Tom

Is operating more than 1 microwave oven in same kitchen safe?

NO
the atoms will collide and can cause a nuclear explosion!

( nuclear pronounced: (newk ya lerr))

lol.

wrote in message
...
|
|
|
|
| Is operating more than 1 microwave oven in same kitchen safe?
|
| NO
| the atoms will collide and can cause a nuclear explosion!
|
| ( nuclear pronounced: (newk ya lerr))
|
| lol.

[2F03] Treehouse of Horror V

"Time and Punishment: Homer's toaster transports him to the past, where he
inadvertently changes the future."

I think this is my favorite episode. Especially when he screams and goes
back to the past when they don't know what donuts are - just as it starts
raining donuts!

N

"Tom MacIntyre" wrote in message
...

| Not even "if available"? I would think that two normal power units on
| the same 15 amp breaker would pop it rather frequently.

Most kitchens are wired with split 220 so just choose the upper for one and
the lower for the other.

N

AZGuy wrote:

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 12:28:05 -0500, "
wrote:


I see no reason to worry about it. We often run two at the same time.
I'm sure many lower quality/price restaurants often run several at the
same time. IIRC, unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about as far as
stray radiation. And it's not like it's stray x-rays, it's just radio
waves.


http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_...ovens.html#top

I'd like to know just what about my "argument" you think sucks. I
very clearly said "unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave

The supporting factoids that you gave for your conclusion we
(A) That you do it a lot, and that (B) it's only radio waves.

The first factoid is irrelevent, all it proves is that it hasn't
killed you yet. and the second is almost, but not completely, false.
It's not "just radio waves", it's microwaves. And if you actually
managed to expose yourself to them, they could and would kill you.

I agree that operating two of them is safe, but the reason for that
is that the microwaves stay inside the oven, not that microwaves
aren't dangerous.

--Goedjn

Watch MythBusters. The guys took out 5 magnetrons from (duh) 5 microwaves,
aligned them all to "air at the same target in a makeshift microwave. As
they measured the microwave radiation from different points, what they
recorded was in fact startling to them. The microwaves cancelled each other
out. The likelihood of the magnetrons starting at the exact same point of
the sine wave is very slim. The misalignment of the waves as they converge
causes a disturbance to the individual waves in turn reducing the overall
"effectiveness" of the microwave radiation.

Wow... I suggest that you find someone who (A) you trust, and (B) who
can reasonably be expected to know something about the subject, and have
them explain to you the many things wrong with that.

--Goedjn

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:10:11 -0500, "
wrote:



AZGuy wrote:

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 12:28:05 -0500, "
wrote:


I see no reason to worry about it. We often run two at the same time.
I'm sure many lower quality/price restaurants often run several at the
same time. IIRC, unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave
AND it has a defective door you have nothing to worry about as far as
stray radiation. And it's not like it's stray x-rays, it's just radio
waves.


http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_...ovens.html#top

I'd like to know just what about my "argument" you think sucks. I
very clearly said "unless you are standing VERY close to the microwave

The supporting factoids that you gave for your conclusion we
(A) That you do it a lot, and that (B) it's only radio waves.

The first factoid is irrelevent, all it proves is that it hasn't
killed you yet. and the second is almost, but not completely, false.
It's not "just radio waves", it's microwaves. And if you actually
managed to expose yourself to them, they could and would kill you.


I guess you don't know this well kept secret but "microwaves" ARE
radio waves. They are just at a much higher frequency then what your
radio and TV set use. For the same reason you don't want to sit
inside a microwave oven you don't want to stand in front of a radar
antenna. Both use "microwave" frequencies and both are absorbed by
whatever hunk of meat is in their path. The absorbed energy
dissipates in the meat and turns to heat. It was this sort of
accident around radar that gave someone the idea of making a microwave
oven.


And mere exposure to microwaves won't kill you. If you travel by plane
or are ever near an airport (or a police radar gun for that matter)
you get exposed to microwaves. It is only if you get VERY close to
the transmitting antenna that you have a problem. The more powerful
the transmitter, the farther away "close" is.

I agree that operating two of them is safe, but the reason for that
is that the microwaves stay inside the oven, not that microwaves
aren't dangerous.

--Goedjn

--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789

In article v1XFd.6954$4I2.3916@attbi_s01,
"chillermfg" wrote:

Watch MythBusters. The guys took out 5 magnetrons from (duh) 5 microwaves,
aligned them all to "air at the same target in a makeshift microwave. As
they measured the microwave radiation from different points, what they
recorded was in fact startling to them. The microwaves cancelled each other
out. The likelihood of the magnetrons starting at the exact same point of
the sine wave is very slim. The misalignment of the waves as they converge
causes a disturbance to the individual waves in turn reducing the overall
"effectiveness" of the microwave radiation.

There is ZERO chance that five magnetrons (or even two) would be
operating at the same frequency, much less the same phase. If they're
not on the same frequency, they cannot operate coherently, and if
they're not coherent, their powers cannot "add".

Isaac

I think Mythbusters botched that one. Had they properly terminated and
combined the magnetrons there should have been some degree of injection
lock and therefore, coherence. I have toyed with this idea for an EME
(moonbounce) experiment. I don't recall what they used to measure power
with, but a thermal power meter would have shown some additive power
regadless of "coherence".

The RFI-EMI Guy

Isaac Wingfield wrote:

In article v1XFd.6954$4I2.3916@attbi_s01,
"chillermfg" wrote:



Watch MythBusters. The guys took out 5 magnetrons from (duh) 5 microwaves,
aligned them all to "air at the same target in a makeshift microwave. As
they measured the microwave radiation from different points, what they
recorded was in fact startling to them. The microwaves cancelled each other
out. The likelihood of the magnetrons starting at the exact same point of
the sine wave is very slim. The misalignment of the waves as they converge
causes a disturbance to the individual waves in turn reducing the overall
"effectiveness" of the microwave radiation.



There is ZERO chance that five magnetrons (or even two) would be
operating at the same frequency, much less the same phase. If they're
not on the same frequency, they cannot operate coherently, and if
they're not coherent, their powers cannot "add".

Isaac



--
Joe Leikhim K4SAT
"The RFI-EMI-GUY"

The Lost Deep Thoughts By: Jack Handey
Before a mad scientist goes mad, there's probably a time
when he's only partially mad. And this is the time when he's
going to throw his best parties.