hr(bob) , 1/15/2010,11:48:43 PM, wrote:

On Jan 15, 10:29*pm, mm wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:42:08 -0500, "badgolferman"





wrote:
WW, 1/15/2010,8:57:08 PM, wrote:

"badgolferman" wrote in
message
...
My GE microwave JEM31GA 002 does not heat. *Everything seems
to work fine on it except for cooking. *GE website does not
offer any self-help on microwave repair. *This microwave fits
in the cabinet opening so finding a replacement won't be that
easy.

I tried unplugging it for a few minutes but that didn't fix
it. *Any ideas?

Bad diode is common cause. But you must know what you are doing
because the hi voltage in a capacitor is deadly and can still be
there after the diode has failed. WW

Considering it is over 10 years old and I have no drawings or
parts list I assume it is not worth the effort.

Probably not. *When my Amana model 2 Radarrange broke, about 20
years ago the parts woman suggested it was the microwave tube,
about 250 dollars. * When I called again, she (another she)
suggested it was the diodes, about 125 dollars. * When I actually
took the thing apart, the insulation to the diodes was crumbling,
and if I couldn't see arcing, I knew there had been some. *This was
the second model ever made and pretty old. * I used some GE
silicone to insulate it. *I figured if they make glass out of
silicon, the GE silicone must have a high dielectric value. *

That worked for another 5 years and then the transformer went out.
Again they wanted 375 but said he would give me the wholesale price
of 250, dollars, for a replacement transformer. *I said to him, you
know I'm the last guy in America who's going to try to fix one of
these? You know you can buy a new one that's nicer for about 100?
Sell it to me for 50 so you can make a little money from your
leftover parts.

He told me to write Iowa. * I liked my prototype model, that looked
just like the ones in history books, so I did. * *I told them to
save 6 for their museum *and the family of the inventor and owners,
to keep theirs working, and sell the rest for what they could get.
*They wrote back and said to call a number in Pennsylvania. * I
called and it was like starting over again. *He still wanted 250-
Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

See: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_appfaq.html for good
information on uwaves. You can probably find a wiring diagram on the
inside of the metal uwave cover. Remove screws along the back and
bottom to get the cover off. Read the FAQ carefully about electrical
hazards. Then report here what you find and we can probably walk you
thru some fairly simple checks. Do you have a voltmeter?

Okay, I have done more troubleshooting of the microwave. There are
three interlock switches on the door and they all open and close
properly. There is a secondary interlock relay on the circuit board
that 115 VAC is getting through. That is directly connected to the
primary windings of the transformer and when I took both leads of the
transformer I read the 115 VAC on the White & Black wires. Ohms
checking of the primary and secondary windings are lower than what the
schematic shows which are 49 and 89 ohms respectively, more like 20
ohms or so. The high voltage diode cannot be read either way and a
replacement that someone gave me from their old oven reads the same
way. I tried that one out and still get no heat. I put my multimeter
on the capacitor on its highest ohms scale and get a wavering reading.

I do not think the interlocks or the diode are bad. The transformer
and the capacitor are probably good but I defer to the experts here. I
do not know how to check the magnetron. There are two round black
components inline with the power that I assume are the flame and gas
sensors. My guess is they are good since power is getting all the way
to the transformer.

Any more ideas?

On Jan 22, 3:25*pm, "badgolferman"
wrote:
hr(bob) , 1/15/2010,11:48:43 PM, wrote:





On Jan 15, 10:29�pm, mm wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:42:08 -0500, "badgolferman"

wrote:
WW, 1/15/2010,8:57:08 PM, wrote:

"badgolferman" wrote in
message
...
My GE microwave JEM31GA 002 does not heat. �Everything seems
to work fine on it except for cooking. �GE website does not
offer any self-help on microwave repair. �This microwave fits
in the cabinet opening so finding a replacement won't be that
easy.

I tried unplugging it for a few minutes but that didn't fix
it. �Any ideas?

Bad diode is common cause. But you must know what you are doing
because the hi voltage in a capacitor is deadly and can still be
there after the diode has failed. WW

Considering it is over 10 years old and I have no drawings or
parts list I assume it is not worth the effort.

Probably not. �When my Amana model 2 Radarrange broke, about 20
years ago the parts woman suggested it was the microwave tube,
about 250 dollars. � When I called again, she (another she)
suggested it was the diodes, about 125 dollars. � When I actually
took the thing apart, the insulation to the diodes was crumbling,
and if I couldn't see arcing, I knew there had been some. �This was
the second model ever made and pretty old. � I used some GE
silicone to insulate it. �I figured if they make glass out of
silicon, the GE silicone must have a high dielectric value. �

That worked for another 5 years and then the transformer went out.
Again they wanted 375 but said he would give me the wholesale price
of 250, dollars, for a replacement transformer. �I said to him, you
know I'm the last guy in America who's going to try to fix one of
these? *You know you can buy a new one that's nicer for about 100?
Sell it to me for 50 so you can make a little money from your
leftover parts.

He told me to write Iowa. � I liked my prototype model, that looked
just like the ones in history books, so I did. � �I told them to
save 6 for their museum �and the family of the inventor and owners,
to keep theirs working, and sell the rest for what they could get.
�They wrote back and said to call a number in Pennsylvania. � I
called and it was like starting over again. �He still wanted 250-
Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

See: *http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_appfaq.html* * * * *for good
information on uwaves. *You can probably find a wiring diagram on the
inside of the metal uwave cover. *Remove screws along the back and
bottom to get the cover off. *Read the FAQ carefully about electrical
hazards. *Then report here what you find and we can probably walk you
thru some fairly simple checks. *Do you have a voltmeter?

Okay, I have done more troubleshooting of the microwave. *There are
three interlock switches on the door and they all open and close
properly. *There is a secondary interlock relay on the circuit board
that 115 VAC is getting through. *That is directly connected to the
primary windings of the transformer and when I took both leads of the
transformer I read the 115 VAC on the White & Black wires. *Ohms
checking of the primary and secondary windings are lower than what the
schematic shows which are 49 and 89 ohms respectively, more like 20
ohms or so. *The high voltage diode cannot be read either way and a
replacement that someone gave me from their old oven reads the same
way. *I tried that one out and still get no heat. *I put my multimeter
on the capacitor on its highest ohms scale and get a wavering reading.

I do not think the interlocks or the diode are bad. *The transformer
and the capacitor are probably good but I defer to the experts here. *I
do not know how to check the magnetron. *There are two round black
components inline with the power that I assume are the flame and gas
sensors. *My guess is they are good since power is getting all the way
to the transformer.

Any more ideas?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I used to troubleshoot these things with a fused "fool killer",
connecting it directly to the primary of the transformer. This
elininates a lot of the circuity in a hurry.



JImmie