Microwaves
Expert answers to microwave oven questions covering heating problems, turntable issues, sparking, error codes, power settings, sensor cooking troubleshooting, and maintenance tips for countertop and over-the-range models.
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the clock on my ge profile microwave resets to 0:00 every time i turn the kitchen lights off. why?
DIAGNOSIS You have a faulty or loose connection on the main control board's memory circuit. A brief power dip is causing a reset. FIX Check the house…
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my microwave works but the interior light won’t come on when i open the door. bulb looks fine.
DIAGNOSIS The door-activated light switch has failed. It's one of the three door interlock switches. That specific switch only controls the light cir…
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how do i clean the grease filter on this thing? it’s stuck and won’t come down from the vent.
DIAGNOSIS Grease has solidified in the filter frame or the filter latch mechanism is jammed. This is a routine maintenance issue. FIX Press up firmly…
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the sensor cook on my microwave burns everything. popcorn setting sets it on fire. what’s the deal?
DIAGNOSIS The humidity sensor is faulty or contaminated. It's a small sensor behind the inside front wall that detects steam. Grease or debris blocks…
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i replaced my stove and now the microwave won’t turn on at all, no lights, no display, nothing. did i break it?
DIAGNOSIS You probably disconnected or damaged the 120V power cord during the stove swap. This model plugs into a dedicated outlet inside the cabinet…
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the vent fan on my ge profile microwave is crazy loud, sounds like a grinding noise, how do i fix it?
DIAGNOSIS The blower wheel has likely come loose on the motor shaft or the bearings in the motor are failing. Debris can also cause imbalance. FIX Un…
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the turntable in my over the range ge microwave just spins super slow or sometimes not at all, is the motor dead?
DIAGNOSIS The turntable motor is likely failing. It's a common wear part. A slow spin is a classic symptom of a dying motor. FIX Order part WR55X1092…
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my ge profile microwave just shows F0 on the display and won’t respond to any buttons, what’s wrong with it?
DIAGNOSIS You have a door switch failure. F0 is a door interlock fault code. The main control board isn't detecting the correct open/close sequence f…
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the door feels loose and doesn't seem to close as firmly as it used to, is this dangerous?
DIAGNOSIS The door hinge assembly or latch mechanism is worn or out of alignment. This can affect the door switches that allow operation. FIX Inspect…
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the clock on my farberware microwave resets to 0:00 every time i have a power flicker, is there a battery?
DIAGNOSIS No. This model does not have a backup battery for the clock. The control board relies on constant mains power to retain memory. FIX This is…
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it just stopped working, no lights, no display, no power at all. checked the outlet and it's fine.
DIAGNOSIS Complete power loss points to the thermal fuse or main control board failure. The thermal fuse is a primary safety component. FIX Unplug th…
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the turntable won't spin at all, it just sits there and my food cooks unevenly
DIAGNOSIS The drive coupling or motor is obstructed or failed. First, check the physical assembly. FIX Remove the glass tray and the plastic roller g…
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how do i clean the inside? the top has this brown splattered film that won't come off
DIAGNOSIS The stained film is baked-on grease and food particles on the interior coating. FIX Place a microwave-safe bowl with 1 cup of water and 2 t…
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it makes a loud humming or buzzing noise when it runs but the plate still spins
DIAGNOSIS The noise is from the magnetron cooling fan or a vibrating component. A loud, consistent hum points to the high-voltage diode or transforme…
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the interior light in my fmo11ahtbkb won't turn on when the door opens or during cooking, is it burnt out?
DIAGNOSIS The bulb is likely failed. This model uses a standard 25-watt T7 halogen appliance bulb, not an LED. FIX Unplug the microwave. Remove the t…
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my farberware microwave just beeps three times and won't start when i hit the cook time buttons
DIAGNOSIS The microwave is throwing an error state. The three-beep sequence indicates a control panel or touchpad malfunction. FIX Unplug the microwa…
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why does the exhaust fan on the bottom run for like 5 minutes after i'm done cooking?
DIAGNOSIS That's normal and by design. It's a cooling-down period for the magnetron (the part that generates the microwaves) and other components. Th…
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the door on my compact microwave feels loose and doesn't always latch shut firmly
DIAGNOSIS The hinge mechanism or the door latch assembly is likely worn or out of alignment. These doors get opened and closed thousands of times, an…
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it keeps showing an H97 error code on the display, what does that mean?
DIAGNOSIS H97 (or sometimes just H-97) is a communication error between the main control board and the touch panel/operation board. It means the micr…
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how do you clean the inside of this thing? the top looks like it has a brown stained coating that won't come off
DIAGNOSIS That's not a stain, it's the fluorocarbon coating on the interior walls starting to break down from heat and splatter. Once it gets rough a…
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there's a really loud humming or buzzing noise coming from my microwave, way louder than the fan
DIAGNOSIS That's usually the transformer humming excessively. It can happen as the microwave ages, or if it's operating on a slightly low voltage fro…
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the number pad on my nn-sn68ks is totally unresponsive, only the start/+30 sec button works
DIAGNOSIS This is typically a control panel lockout, not a hardware failure. The Safety Lock (often called Child Lock) feature is almost certainly en…
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my panasonic microwave starts for a few seconds then just stops and beeps, the turntable isn't moving
DIAGNOSIS The microwave is detecting an obstruction or a failure in the turntable system. The most common cause is the roller guide (the little plast…
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just got this panasonic microwave and the clock is flashing 12:00, it won't let me start anything
DIAGNOSIS This is the default power-on state. The microwave has lost its memory for the time, usually from being unplugged or after a brief power out…
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the sensor cook functions keep overcooking my popcorn or melting my butter.
DIAGNOSIS The humidity sensor is being triggered incorrectly, often because you're using the wrong container or the room is too humid. FIX For popcor…
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food heats unevenly in this microwave, some parts are boiling and others are cold.
DIAGNOSIS This is a limitation of the fixed, non-rotating turntable design. The 'Smooth Wave' system still creates hotspots if food is not arranged p…
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the clock on my breville microwave resets to 0:00 every time i unplug it, is the battery dead?
DIAGNOSIS Yes. The microwave has a small internal backup battery (typically a coin cell) that maintains the clock and settings during brief power out…
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how do i clean the inside roof of this microwave? it has that brown splatter and won't come off.
DIAGNOSIS The splatter is baked-on grease and food. The stainless steel interior can be cleaned, but the textured 'roof' around the light and vents i…
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my smooth wave makes a loud humming or grinding noise when it runs, not the normal fan sound.
DIAGNOSIS The noise is almost certainly coming from the cooling fan. Debris has gotten into the fan blades or the fan motor bearings are failing. FIX…
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the control panel on my breville microwave is completely unresponsive, no lights, nothing.
DIAGNOSIS Total power failure. The most common cause is a tripped thermal fuse inside the unit or a loose power cord connection at the wall. FIX Chec…
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why does my breville smooth wave smell like burning plastic when i use it?
DIAGNOSIS You're likely smelling overheated plastic from a foreign object inside the cavity or a packaging tag left on the unit. It's not the microwa…
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my breville smooth wave microwave just beeps three times and won't start cooking, what's the deal?
DIAGNOSIS The microwave is detecting the door isn't fully closed or the latch switch is failing. Three beeps is its standard 'door open' alert. FIX F…
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the clock on my whirlpool microwave resets to 12:00 every time i have a power flicker.
DIAGNOSIS That means the internal clock/control board doesn't have a backup power source like a capacitor holding a charge. It's a common 'feature' o…
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there's a loud humming or buzzing noise when my microwave runs, but it still heats food.
DIAGNOSIS That's typically the sound of the cooling fan motor struggling. It's located behind the rear panel and can get noisy if its bearings are wo…
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how do i get the charcoal filter out of this thing to replace it? i can't find any latch.
DIAGNOSIS It's tucked up inside the vent chamber and isn't meant for frequent replacement unless you're in recirculating mode. People often miss it b…
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the touchpad on my over-the-range microwave is completely unresponsive, none of the buttons work.
DIAGNOSIS This is usually a failure of the membrane touchpad or its connection to the main control board. Spills or grease seepage over time can dama…
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my whirlpool microwave keeps tripping the circuit breaker in my kitchen when i use it.
DIAGNOSIS The microwave is drawing more current than the circuit can handle, which points to either an overloaded circuit or, less commonly, a short …
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the light under my microwave won't turn on with the touchpad buttons, but the microwave works fine.
DIAGNOSIS You've likely got a burned-out halogen bulb. They're high-heat bulbs and have a finite lifespan, especially if you use the under-cabinet li…
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the fan on my whirlpool hood microwave comes on by itself and i can't turn it off, what gives?
DIAGNOSIS This model has an automatic fan feature tied to humidity. If it senses high moisture from cooking (like boiling pasta), it'll kick on the v…
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my whirlpool microwave just shows a flashing 'FF' code and won't start, what is that?
DIAGNOSIS That's a control board communication failure. The main board isn't talking to the touchpad board properly, usually because of a loose conne…
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the sensor cook functions burn everything. popcorn setting leaves half burnt, half unpopped kernels.
DIAGNOSIS The humidity sensor (steam sensor) behind the vent grille is dirty or faulty. It detects steam to determine cook time. FIX Unplug the unit.…
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i get an 'F2' error code on the display sometimes, what does that mean?
DIAGNOSIS F2 is a temperature sensor fault. The sensor monitoring the cavity or magnetron temperature is giving an out-of-range reading. FIX Unplug t…
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my microwave's turntable won't spin at all, food heats unevenly. it just sits there.
DIAGNOSIS The turntable motor (drive coupling) has failed or the roller guide is jammed. FIX Unplug the microwave. Remove the glass tray and support …
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how do i clean the inside roof of this microwave? it's got splatter baked on and the manual says not to scratch it.
DIAGNOSIS Hardened food splatter on the mica cover. This is the cardboard-like sheet on the inside top of the cavity. It protects the waveguide. FIX …
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there's a loud humming or buzzing noise when my microwave runs, it wasn't this loud before.
DIAGNOSIS The cooling fan motor is failing or the fan blade is hitting something. The fan is behind the vent grille on the right side. FIX Unplug the…
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the wifi on my ge smart microwave keeps dropping and won't reconnect to my home network.
DIAGNOSIS Weak signal or a glitch in the microwave's Wi-Fi module. The 2.4GHz band it uses doesn't penetrate the metal cavity well. FIX Move your rou…
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why does my jes1097 keep beeping three times after it finishes cooking? it's driving me crazy.
DIAGNOSIS The door switch assembly is faulty or misaligned. The three-beep alert means the microwave thinks the door wasn't closed properly during th…
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my ge smart microwave just shows a blank screen and won't respond to any buttons, what's wrong?
DIAGNOSIS Main control board failure. This is the most common cause of a completely dead unit with a blank display. FIX Unplug the microwave for five…
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door won't close all the way on my lg neochef, it feels like it's hitting something
DIAGNOSIS An obstruction is blocking the door latch mechanism, or the door seal (gasket) is misaligned or folded over. FIX Inspect the door's inner e…
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the popcorn button always burns my popcorn, is it just broken?
DIAGNOSIS The 'Popcorn' sensor button is calibrated for a specific weight and bag type (typically 3.0-3.5 oz conventional bag). Using smaller bags, d…
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can't get the smart things app to connect to my neochef, it just times out every time
DIAGNOSIS The most common cause is an incorrect Wi-Fi setup sequence or a 5GHz network incompatibility. The LMC0975ST only connects to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi n…
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the turntable in my lmc0975st makes a loud grinding noise and sometimes just stops turning
DIAGNOSIS Debris (food crumbs, hardened spillage) is lodged in the turntable track or the roller guide assembly is misaligned or broken. FIX Remove t…
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i get an f2 error when i try to use the sensor cook functions, what does that mean?
DIAGNOSIS Error code F2 indicates a fault with the humidity sensor. The sensor cannot detect steam properly, so all automatic sensor cooking, reheati…
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the easyclean coating inside my neochef is turning brown and sticky, is it ruined?
DIAGNOSIS The ceramic enamel (EasyClean) interior has absorbed grease and food spatter from normal use. The sticky residue is polymerized grease, not…
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lg neochef keeps beeping 3 times after it finishes cooking, how do i make it stop?
DIAGNOSIS This is the normal end-of-cycle signal, not a malfunction. It is a user-adjustable setting for audible alerts. FIX To disable it, press and…
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my lg neochef microwave just shows '88:88' on the display and won't respond to any buttons, what do i do?
DIAGNOSIS The control panel is locked or the internal clock/control board has a power glitch. The '88:88' display is a default state, not a specific …
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how do i get the damn burnt popcorn smell out of this samsung microwave? the usual tricks aren't working.
DIAGNOSIS The smell is likely stuck in the grease filter or has seeped into the charcoal filter (if you have recirculating mode enabled). This model …
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the touchpad on my samsung microwave is super unresponsive, have to press buttons multiple times, especially the number pad.
DIAGNOSIS This is usually caused by a slight gap or moisture barrier between the touchpad membrane and the control board, often due to a loose connec…
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my microwave just stopped working mid-cycle, no display, no power, nothing. checked the outlet and breaker and they're fine.
DIAGNOSIS A complete, sudden loss of power points to the thermal fuse (also called a thermal cut-off). It's a one-time safety device that blows if th…
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the led lights under my samsung microwave are really dim or flickering, can i replace them myself?
DIAGNOSIS The under-cabinet LED light strip is failing. On this model, it's an integrated strip, not a standard screw-in bulb. Individual LEDs can di…
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the sensor cook function on my me21m706bas always seems to undercook everything, it's basically useless.
DIAGNOSIS The humidity sensor isn't getting an accurate reading, usually because the interior isn't completely clean or you're using the wrong type o…
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i get an 'e-1' error code when i try to start cooking, what does that mean on this samsung microwave?
DIAGNOSIS E-1 indicates a door switch problem. The microwave's safety system isn't detecting that the door is properly and fully closed. It could be …
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the vent fan on my samsung over-the-range microwave is so loud it sounds like a jet engine, even on the low setting.
DIAGNOSIS That roaring or rattling noise usually means the centrifugal fan wheel (the squirrel cage blower) has come loose on its motor shaft or some…
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my samsung me21m706bas microwave just shows a blinking '88:88' on the display and won't respond to anything, what's the deal?
DIAGNOSIS Yeah, this one's common. The control board is temporarily locked up or has lost power, often after a brief power surge or outage. It's not …
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there's a loud humming or buzzing noise from my toshiba microwave even when it's not cooking
DIAGNOSIS The cooling fan is running continuously due to a faulty control relay or a stuck switch, or the transformer is vibrating abnormally. FIX Fi…
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the number pad on my toshiba microwave is super unresponsive, have to press really hard
DIAGNOSIS The membrane touchpad is wearing out or has a layer of grease/film disrupting the electrical contact. Spills are a common cause. FIX Unplug…
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my toshiba em131 beeps three times and won't start when i press start, door is shut
DIAGNOSIS The control unit isn't receiving a proper 'door closed' signal from all the interlock switches. The triple-beep is a standard error sequenc…
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the clock on my toshiba microwave keeps resetting to 0:00 every time i unplug it
DIAGNOSIS The internal backup battery on the main control board is dead. Its sole job is to maintain clock memory during brief power outages. FIX The…
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i get a burning plastic smell from my toshiba em131 when i use it, not from food
DIAGNOSIS Spilled food or grease is burning on the waveguide cover (the mica or cardboard-like panel on the right side wall inside the cavity). FIX U…
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my toshiba microwave light stays on all the time even when the door is closed
DIAGNOSIS The door switch assembly is faulty. A microswitch that tells the control board the door is closed is stuck in the 'on' position or has fail…
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the turntable in my toshiba em131 spins super slow or gets stuck, it's not turning right
DIAGNOSIS The roller guide or hub underneath the glass plate is dirty with grease/food debris or is cracked/worn, creating drag. FIX Remove the glass…
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my toshiba em131 microwave just stopped and shows F-11 on the screen, what is this?
DIAGNOSIS The control board has lost communication with the keypad/touchpad unit. It's a common internal wiring or connection fault. FIX Unplug the m…
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door on my panasonic microwave won't close all the way unless i really slam it, latch feels sticky
DIAGNOSIS Sticky or resistant door closure is almost always caused by a buildup of grease and grime on the door latch hooks (on the door) and the cor…
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the clock on my microwave keeps resetting to 0:00 every time there's a brief power flicker
DIAGNOSIS This model doesn't have a backup battery for the clock/memory. It relies on constant, minimal standby power from the wall outlet to keep th…
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panasonic microwave makes a loud humming or buzzing noise the whole time it's running, not just the fan
DIAGNOSIS A constant, loud hum or buzz that's distinct from the normal fan and turntable motor sounds usually points to the high-voltage diode or the…
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the sensor cook on my nn-sn966s always overcooks my food, it's useless. what am i doing wrong?
DIAGNOSIS The sensor (auto cook) works by detecting steam humidity. If you're covering the food too tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, or using a co…
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how do you clean the inside roof of this panasonic microwave? it has that brown splatter on the inverter thing
DIAGNOSIS The brown splatter on the flat, rectangular metal panel on the ceiling is baked-on food hitting the waveguide cover. That panel protects th…
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the turntable in my panasonic microwave spins for a second then stops, makes a grinding noise
DIAGNOSIS The drive coupler—that's the little three-pronged plastic piece under the glass tray that connects the motor to the tray—is either broken, …
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panasonic nn-sn966s keeps tripping my kitchen gfci outlet every time i try to use it
DIAGNOSIS The microwave is drawing a sudden, high current that's exceeding the GFCI's sensitivity. This is often caused by a minor internal arc or a …
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my panasonic inverter microwave just shows three zeros on the display and won't heat anything, what's wrong?
DIAGNOSIS That display means the control lock or child safety lock is almost certainly turned on. It's a common first-day or accidental button-press …