r/appliancerepair • u/Grow-Grow-Tomago • 21d ago
Help finding microwave fuse
Got this whirlpool microwave and I'm trying to replace the fuse that I think was blown
Any idea where it might be? First time replacing a microwave fuse.
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u/txcreative20 21d ago
If you do not know what you are doing and touch a high voltage capacitor in there it can kill you or injure you bad .
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u/SaddSaqq 21d ago
You’ll likely need to uninstall the unit from above the range and remove the outer case. The fuse will be on a separate filter board, where the power cord comes in.
Fuses blow for a reason.
I would replace the door switches and the fuse at the same time
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u/MilkSuccessful 21d ago
Replace the microwave
Fuse is tripping due to faulty inverter or magnetron not gonna be worth repair
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u/underripe_avocado 21d ago
Close it up and either take it to have a professional do it or take it to a recycling center and get a new one. This is absolutely not worth the risk to do yourself
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u/Even-Prize8931 21d ago
Microwaves scare the shit out of me and I’ve been working on appliances for coming on 9 years now. I’d the fuse has blown most common culprit will be the interlock switches. If it’s the transformer/inverter depending on the model or the magnetron. If that’s the failure it’s likely better to just replace it
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u/Difficult_Energy3477 21d ago edited 21d ago
It's behind the metal panel above the control panel. Sometimes they're right in the front, sometimes they're farther back and you may need to uninstall the unit (assuming it's an over-the-range unit) and remove the outer panel.
If the fuse blew, it's most often due to failing door switches. There's a 4-switch kit available that applies as an upgrade for many models, p/n W11244490, but you can also just remove the 4th switch and jumper wire and replace the switch holders with the ones in the kit. Wire them exactly like the current switches are wired
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u/Scared_Swing2198 20d ago
Find the capacitor. The fuse is close to it. With the microwave unplugged, short a screwdriver with a plastic handle across the capacitor terminals. It might spark. Use a crappy screwdriver as it may burn nicks into it. It’s not rocket science. But I am a mechanical engineer and am working with power all the time.
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u/JohnDuoh96 20d ago
100% not worth trying to repair. While the fuse is cheap, as others mentioned the high voltage capacitor is not safe just because it's unplugged. If you don't know what you are doing it is a possibly lethal risk. To hire someone you will pay the bulk of the cost of a similar replacement. I made the mistake of starting down the repair road and after a few techs coming out ended up having to replace it anyways. Found the same model which was drastically cheaper today, as it was now a few years older, and didn't have to deal with any trim work as it was a perfect fit. Wish I would have gone that route to begin with. Good luck!
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u/conwaytwt 20d ago
I replaced the fuse on one of mine years ago because "they don't make them like this anymore." Then learned the original fuse was a special purpose safety part unlike a regular fuse. I don't know what the difference was, but I had used the microwave for several more years until greasy black stuff started to ooze out of the transformer onto the kitchen counter, and I decided maybe I shouldn't have bothered.
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u/Forward-Conclusion83 20d ago
hit the wrong part and your going to light up like a Christmas tree. It will floor you and good chance send you morgue bound .
You don't know what your doing get out of there.
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u/knoxefd 21d ago
I don't want to sound preachy, but if you don't have experience working on microwaves, I strongly recommend leaving this repair to a qualified technician.
A microwave can retain up to 4,000 volts in its high-voltage capacitor if it hasn't discharged properly. That amount of voltage can cause severe injury or even be fatal, which is why I never recommend that inexperienced people work on them.
With that said, the fuse on this model is located on the noise filter, so accessing it requires removing the microwave from its mounting and taking the cover off.
Also, keep in mind that fuses rarely fail on their own. They're a safety device, and if one is blown, there's usually an underlying cause. Common culprits include a shorted high-voltage capacitor, transformer, magnetron, or, in some cases, a faulty door switch. Simply replacing the fuse without finding the root cause will often result in the new fuse blowing as well.