The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case apart
to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt plug in
bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal spades
shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open or
the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad even
when it shows continuity?

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....

On Feb 21, 9:57�am, "Charlie Darwin" wrote:
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message

...

The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad
even when it shows continuity?

Make that ...NO continuity....

bad bulb ........

Charlie Darwin wrote:
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....


yes, NO continuity mean bad bulb. duh.

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad
even when it shows continuity?



*NO continuity equals a broken filament. Replace the bulb.

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....

Happens often Spend the 2 bucks for a new one.

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be
bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....



You are asking if a burned-out bulb is bad? This is why I don't believe in
evolution.

If you stick it in another (more portable) lamp and flick it with your
fingernail while it is on sometimes the filament will reconnect and weld
itself back in place. This, of course, works better with DC than with AC.
I have fixed many incandesant bulbs this way.

"Ulysses" wrote in message
...

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male
terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is
open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be
bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....



You are asking if a burned-out bulb is bad? This is why I don't believe
in
evolution.

If you stick it in another (more portable) lamp and flick it with your
fingernail while it is on sometimes the filament will reconnect and weld
itself back in place. This, of course, works better with DC than with AC.
I have fixed many incandesant bulbs this way.



Better reread the OP a bit more carefully and The Origin of the Species too
;-)

Charlie Darwin wrote:
....
Better reread ... The Origin of the Species too
;-)

Might "otter" check on the title of the work...

--

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:06:25 -0500, Charlie Darwin wrote:

"Ulysses" wrote in message
...

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male
terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is
open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be
bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....



You are asking if a burned-out bulb is bad? This is why I don't believe
in
evolution.

If you stick it in another (more portable) lamp and flick it with your
fingernail while it is on sometimes the filament will reconnect and weld
itself back in place. This, of course, works better with DC than with AC.
I have fixed many incandesant bulbs this way.



Better reread the OP a bit more carefully and The Origin of the Species too
;-)

What an imaginative work of fiction!

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Ulysses" wrote in message
...

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25
watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male
terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is
open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be
bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....



You are asking if a burned-out bulb is bad? This is why I don't believe
in
evolution.

If you stick it in another (more portable) lamp and flick it with your
fingernail while it is on sometimes the filament will reconnect and weld
itself back in place. This, of course, works better with DC than with
AC.
I have fixed many incandesant bulbs this way.



Better reread the OP a bit more carefully and The Origin of the Species
too
;-)



Hmmm... I re-read it and it looks like you asked if a bulb does not light up
and shows no continuity... obviously I'm missing something here... maybe I
decended from the other race of humans :-|

In article , Ulysses wrote:

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be
bad even when it shows continuity?

Make that ...NO continuity....

You are asking if a burned-out bulb is bad? This is why I don't believe in
evolution.

If you stick it in another (more portable) lamp and flick it with your
fingernail while it is on sometimes the filament will reconnect and weld
itself back in place. This, of course, works better with DC than with AC.
I have fixed many incandesant bulbs this way.

My dad taught me that trick - as in worked roughly or maybe a little
over half the time with his bedtable light that had a 12V output
transformer and used a # 93 lamp/"bulb".

In my experience, a resuscitated incandescent usually dies again fairly
soon and less repairably. Resuscitating a burnt out incandescent appears
to me to be a temporary repair, allowing someone to put a replacement lamp
/ "bulb" on the weekly shopping list and still have light that morning or
the next evening.

- Don Klipstein )

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....


OK guys-- off to the appliance parts store. I'll post back later...

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be
bad even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....


OK guys-- off to the appliance parts store. I'll post back later...


Parts guy was stumped by the intact filament/no continuity too (see Van's
post). But I decided to try a new bulb (for $11.24.

It shows continuity.....and works. Thanks to all for the helpful
suggestions.

Charlie Darwin wrote:
....
Parts guy was stumped by the intact filament/no continuity too ...

Just because you the break was visible doesn't (obviously) imply it
was/is intact. Nor, of course, that the fault could be at the
connection of one end of the filament to the base, etc., ...

When it doesn't light and measures open, it's pretty clear it's defective.

--

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
Parts guy was stumped by the intact filament/no continuity too (see Van's
post). But I decided to try a new bulb (for $11.24.


What is so special about the bulb that they can get that price? You can
probably find it cheaper on the internet but then the S&H would be $10.

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
Parts guy was stumped by the intact filament/no continuity too (see Van's
post). But I decided to try a new bulb (for $11.24.


What is so special about the bulb that they can get that price? You can
probably find it cheaper on the internet but then the S&H would be $10.

Bulb is 25 watt, tubular, about 2 inches tall, integral plastic base with
two blades protruding beneath that slide into female connector.

The filament is circular going around the circumference of the glass and is
supported by 5-6 separate wire posts -- each topped with a loop to
support/lock the filament wire.

The parts people only had a 20 watt, about 1 1/2 inches tall. That's the one
I bought and put into the microwave.

No reason a 79 cent standard appliance bulb couldn't have been designed into
it originally-- but then again, these are the same guys that forced me to
take the entire sheet metal cover off. Good thing I had the right bit to
remove the 6 locking torx screws they used to fasten the case.


It's really ridiculous they way so many products are designed by graduate
engineers using custom/proprietary parts and sub assemblies when standard
parts would do just as well. Adds cost, complexity, assembly errors--- and
no real benefit to the end user.

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:08:42 -0500, Charlie Darwin wrote:

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be
bad even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....


OK guys-- off to the appliance parts store. I'll post back later...


Parts guy was stumped by the intact filament/no continuity too (see Van's
post). But I decided to try a new bulb (for $11.24.


I just had an auto light like that. The problem was not inside the glass,
but between the glass and the mount. That is quite high for a bulb.

It shows continuity.....and works. Thanks to all for the helpful
suggestions.

Continuity means it should work. No continuity means it is broken. End of
story.

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:57:55 -0500, "Charlie Darwin"
wrote:

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact.

If you flick the bulb with your finger, you may see the filament
vibrate, usually only on one side of the break.

However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

What happens when you touch the meter leads to each other?

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....

"mm" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:57:55 -0500, "Charlie Darwin"
wrote:

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact.

If you flick the bulb with your finger, you may see the filament
vibrate, usually only on one side of the break.

However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

What happens when you touch the meter leads to each other?

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be
bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....


The filament is circular going around the circumference of the glass and is
supported by 5-6 separate wire posts -- each topped with a loop to
support/lock the filament wire.

When touching the meter leads together-- the needle deflects all the way
showing continuity.

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:33:55 -0500, "Charlie Darwin"
wrote:

"mm" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:57:55 -0500, "Charlie Darwin"
wrote:

"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact.

If you flick the bulb with your finger, you may see the filament
vibrate, usually only on one side of the break.

However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

What happens when you touch the meter leads to each other?

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be
bad
even when it shows continuity?




Make that ...NO continuity....


The filament is circular going around the circumference of the glass and is
supported by 5-6 separate wire posts -- each topped with a loop to
support/lock the filament wire.

It still might vibrate when flicked. Depends on where it breaks.

When touching the meter leads together-- the needle deflects all the way
showing continuity.

Then your lightbulb is bad, whether the filament vibrates or not.

In article , Charlie Darwin wrote:
"Charlie Darwin" wrote in message
...
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case
apart to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt
plug in bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal
spades shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open
or the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad
even when it shows continuity?

Make that ...NO continuity....

Bulb shows lack of continuity and fails to glow, but filament appears
intact.

I have seen this before. Bulb is bad. Usually the bulb is bad by
having a nearly-miscropic-small break in the filament, though bulbs can
break elsewhere less visibly.

- Don Klipstein )

Charlie Darwin wrote:
The light in my GE microwave quit coming on so after pulling the case apart
to get at it (great design, guys!), the filament of this 25 watt plug in
bulb looks intact. However, a meter across the two male terminal spades
shows no continuity.

There's power at the connector supplying the light when the door is open or
the oven is running-- so that's not the problem. Could the bulb be bad even
when it shows continuity?



Hi,
Anything is possible. Is there proper voltage across bulb socket when
door is open?