I've seen this with most microwave ovens I've had. When the microwave emitter kicks in to cook, the unit uses much more power, providing less to the internal bulb, which dims a bit. Unless it's very dramatic, for example the bulb turning off or going almost out, it's normal behavior. If the bulb is going very dim or out, it could be that the circuit it's connected to isn't providing enough amperage to adequately run the oven. In the case of your microwave, it's rated at 15 amps, so should have adequate power on a standard household circuit by itself.
Usually that's normal when you have regular light bulb installed inside microwave. When microwave is cooking, it takes a lot of power from the outlet, which causes the voltage drop at the outlet. This causes the light bulb to output less light as the as the light bulb power = voltage square / resistance of the light bulb wire (P=V^2/R)
Lets assume this scenario:
let say the voltage at the outlet is 120v then microwave is off and only light bulb is on, and when microwave is on the voltage drops to 115v.
Also, lets assume the light bulb is rated at 25W at 120v (resistance never changes !)
since P=V^2/R can be converted to R=V^2/P we can calculate the light bulb resistance first
So at 120v light bulb "produces" 25w of light, so the light bulb resistance is: R=120^2 / 25 = 14400 / 25 = 576 Ohm
Now since resistance does not change, when the voltage drops to 115v, the light output also drops. Lets calculate how much "Light power" will the same light bulb produce now, since we already know the resistance
P = V^2/R = 115^2 / 576 = 13225 / 576 = 22.96
From calculation we can see that the light bulb will "produce" 22.96 Watts of light, meaning it will be dimmer as at 120v it was "producing" 25watts of light.
If you would like to know what is the voltage at your outlet and how much it drops, how much power your appliance is taking, you can but Kill-a-watt meter http://www.p3international.com/products/p4400.html
Because a lot of people like to learn about green energy, and how to conserve power and save money on electricity bill, some of the libraries in US carry this device (you have to ask) and it can be borrowed for a day :-)
SOURCE: GE JVM 1650 Microwave Night Light does not work
We see (and repair) this
a lot. The problem is on the control panel, which
we regularly repair nationwide by mail for $39.95 postpaid in about a
week.
This light failure often
occurs when a bulb goes out and the filament
shorts, or when the bulbs are removed or installed without first
unplugging the oven from the power line. Either can cause such a
failure on the controller.
Sometimes this will also
affect the exhaust fan operation, too. The lights and fan can be
inoperable or stuck on too.
In your case, it may just be a shorted dimming diode, a black diode usually located between the light relay and the connector.
(Not to be mistaken for the tinier red-bodied diode on the other side of the relay that protects the relay coil).
If it is shorted, you will have bright lights in both the bright and dim settings.
In case you or someone you know has the tools and experience to desolder and solder small components, the replacement rectifier diode is not critical and can be any of these:
1N4001, 1N4002, 1N4003, 1N4004, 1N4005, 1N4006, 1N4007, NTE116, or NTE125 some of which are available form Radio Shack.
At
our Web site, you can get details of our service, plus we have a video
available showing how to remove a typical
over the range control panel assembly in under 5 minutes.
There
should be a "mini-manual" (tech sheet) hidden inside the unit
behind the
control panel or hidden on the left side behind the grille, which is
very helpful when troubleshooting, testing, and locating components.
Feel free to contact me directly (and please remind me of your
full model number) for more information & help.
We're
happy to help you with free advice and we'd appreciate your
thoughtful rating of our answer.
William E. Miller
[email protected]
http://www.microwavedisplay.com
SOURCE: My GE White Spacemaker Microwave
The magnetron has probably failed, there are also two other parts that can be a factor, the high voltage capacitor and diode, the high voltage is generated by these items which in turn heat the food.
SOURCE: I was cooking bacon. The
The line fuse is probally blown. Remove screws that hold the cabinet, and replace the fuse with the same type and rating. That should get you going again.
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