Why the microwave does not spin the dish and how to troubleshoot

Microwave tray malfunction. To warm food evenly, without rotating the plate, it becomes quite problematic

The very first microwave ovens were not endowed with such functionality as the latest generation microwave ovens, had no plates and did not warm the food well. I had to turn on the device repeatedly by turning the tray manually. It was inconvenient, not practical. Gradually, progress went forward and now mankind enjoys the benefits of already developed technologies.

Modern microwave ovens are real "helpers" in the kitchen and at home, accelerate the process of cooking, heating and thawing foods. In the basic kit, when buying a microwave oven, a spinning tray is included, on which a food container is installed. Due to rotation, magnetron microwaves evenly affect products. Therefore, a failed household appliance can create tangible discomfort in the already familiar, established rhythm of life. The most common malfunction is when an empty or food-filled plate does not spin, although it is still possible to reheat food in the microwave. This situation can arise for several reasons, however, as well as more than one way to restore the operability of the microwave or its individual parts, the pan in our case. Is it possible to make repairs at home, on their own, without resorting to the costly services of a specialist? This will be dealt with in this article in stages.

Reasons for lack of pan rotation

If, for various reasons, such an element as a plate does not spin in the microwave, it will be possible to warm the food, although it will take more time and physical effort. But talking about the preparation of a raw product is not necessary, it becomes impossible. If the time for repair is limited, you can contact a specialized service center for the repair of household appliances. The equipment purchased in the store is under warranty, it is worth checking its validity period so as not to overpay for repairs from another master. And with a great desire to solve the problem of clarifying the causes of the malfunction, eliminating the problem, you can conduct an independent correction of equipment defects.

There are malfunctions caused by consumer carelessness, for example:

• The diameter of the dishes is too large, mounted on a plate of a microwave oven, which creates interference during rotation;
• A stuck foreign object or piece of food that has fallen out of an installed dish;
• A large volume of defrosted product, which touches the walls and creates the opposing force of the rotatable pan;
• The amount of warm food should not be too large, calculated on the power of the microwave;
• In case of improper installation of the microwave plate in place, the displacement of the wheels from the guide grooves after regular cleaning;
• A large layer of accumulated dried food or fat leads to a violation of the function of rotation of the disk inside the microwave oven.

Self-repair in the absence of rotation of the pallet is possible, even if the breakdown is of a technical nature. The structure of the system, which is responsible for the spinning disk, is quite simple, you only need to apply skills and efforts, first get acquainted in detail with the nature of the problem and identify it. The causes of technical failures can be several types:

• The light bulb stopped working (burned out).In microwaves of the past generation, quite often there is another principle for constructing a chain of interaction of parts. Where the light bulb is one of the connecting components, its burnout is the cause of the malfunction of the pallet;

Light bulb for microwave. You must carefully select this item, telling the seller the model of the microwave

• The microwave motor is out of order and needs repair. More details about engine failure will be described later in the article. Various motor elements can be involved here: gearbox, motor shaft, poor-quality winding, coupling fastening, liquid ingress, and much more;

Microwave electric motor. The configuration is different, but the principle of operation is identical.

• Gears have undergone natural wear and tear, replacement is required. Many manufacturers invest heavily in the design and functionality of the microwave oven, saving on the quality of important components and consumables. The use of plastic, cheap gears instead of metal;
• Instability of wiring at the contacts, a violation in the power supply circuit. Without special knowledge in wiring, you should not solve the problem with the control unit and contacts. You can not only harm your health without observing safety precautions, but also permanently ruin the performance of household appliances, without the possibility of restoring your previous functions.

Microwave power circuit. Without basic knowledge of electricity, it’s difficult to determine where to break contacts

How to determine engine malfunction. Incorrect pallet installation

One of the difficult problems that could be the reason for the lack of rotation of the plate is a failed electric motor. Replacing a broken part will not be such an expensive option, but if the motor itself burns out, the only way out is to buy a new engine. To determine the malfunction of the motor element, it is necessary not only to disassemble it into components, but also to know the important details of its design:

• Gearbox. One of the most common problems of this part of the motor are gears, in which teeth break or are completely erased. Due to the manufacturer’s savings on the microwave during assembly. Replacing the worn out elements with new ones made of high-quality metal and the problem will be solved;

An important element of the engine is the gearbox. It is based on a large number of gears, their quality depends on the long-term service of the gearbox

• Motor roller (shaft). It is worth making an emphasis on creating this problem artificially. The result of this may be the negligent attitude of the consumer to work with the microwave. Setting too many products to warm up, a special stop of an unfinished program, or manual braking can curtail the motor shaft. Again, parts made in China obviously have a short life, choosing a replacement, pay attention to more expensive but high-quality parts;

The differences of the motor shaft. Sample how the work item should look - on the right, worn - on the left

• Short circuit of an electric winding. At home, it is difficult to eliminate this type of malfunction, you must have an ohmmeter to measure resistance. Only with the help of it can we find out if there is a break in the electrical winding or whether the reason lies in another problem. But you can identify the first signs of a possible circuit: if the motor starts to heat up very much, with the manifestation of a specific smell of burned wiring. Replacing the burned electrical winding with a new one, all engine functions will be restored, and the plate will rotate;

Ohmmeter "Revolution". Reliable electricity current meter

• A clamping device, such as a coupling, can weaken over time and lead to disruption of the motor shaft, disrupting the rotation function of the microwave tray. A worn part cannot be repaired, but installation of a new coupling will restore motor functions;

Coupling.A small but important part responsible for the stability of the motor shaft

• The quality of the connecting nodes (contacts). Each microwave has a set maximum power, voltage and other parameters for stable operation. Reducing or increasing resistance can adversely affect the power of the electric motor.

Pliers. Thanks to the usual pliers, pressing which contacts, the problem with the engine of the microwave oven will be solved

Incorrect pallet installation

Any microwave user will cope with this problem by carefully examining the role wheels and the sleeve connection, is the plate mounted correctly on the rails

Warranty and DIY Repair

Repair under warranty or by yourself. If there are no necessary tools, the presence of minimal knowledge about the microwave device, it is better to entrust the equipment to professionals

What to do in a situation if the plate in the microwave does not spin, but the device itself warms up? Try to figure out the causes of the failure yourself and solve it, or take it to a service center in the hands of specialists who understand the intricacies, nuances and have the entire professional set for work. A troubleshooting fee, if recognized as a warranty case, will not be charged.

If household appliances were purchased relatively recently, the warranty period extends to it, of course it is better to give it to a service center, since if the integrity of the device is violated, it will not be a warranty case if the pallet breaks. Therefore, if you nevertheless decide to open the microwave case, to determine the cause of the malfunction, make sure the warranty period has passed or be sure of your financial strength for 100% repair of a broken device.

Self-repair

Repairing at home, restoring disk rotation inside the microwave, determining the cause of a malfunction is not difficult to identify, carefully following the instructions, having a few skills and the necessary tools for work.

First of all, it is necessary to disconnect the microwave oven from the power source, open the housing cover by unscrewing the screws to carefully examine all the engine parts. If other methods of correcting the situation have already been tried (reinstalling the plate, examining the space for a foreign object, cleaning from fat and dried food, reducing the portion in the plate), you need to act, depending on the type of breakdown:

• If, when inspecting the gears in the gearbox, you notice worn teeth, you need to replace them, some “craftsmen" are able to fix the part by inserting a wire instead of a broken tooth;
• Having noticed the sliding of the coupling along the motor shaft, it is necessary to fix it more firmly or replace this element;
• Disruption of the winding (combustion) leads to repair by a professional, the malfunction of this part can be eliminated only by replacing or updating the microwave motor. It is definitely worth voicing the model of the microwave when buying a new engine part;
• The problem of the lack of rotation of the plate due to the accumulated layer of grease, dirt is eliminated quite simply with cleaning products. It is worth noting how important it is not to “flood” the motor itself with water, to worsen the situation. After drying the inner chamber well, you need to correctly install the pan and try to turn on the microwave again;
• If a problem is found in the wiring and suspicions of a malfunction of the circuit, it is necessary to find a break (a burnt element, such as a light bulb) and install a new part instead of not working;

In order for the microwave oven to serve for a long time, without failures and breakdowns, it is necessary to carefully read the operation manual initially. And also, carry out timely cleaning, follow all the rules according to the instructions, do not load the microwave and observe the cooking, heating food regimes.