Microwave Turntable Repair Guide
If your microwave turntable isn’t working this repair guide can help. Most
microwaves have turntables. A turntable is just a motor that slowly rotates a
glass plate in the microwave to provide a more even cook. If your microwave
turntable doesn’t work, you are not getting as much performance out of the
microwave as possible. However, it will work fair. On some microwaves there is
an option to turn the turntable off so make sure it isn’t turned off before
trying to troubleshoot. If it isn’t turned, off read each section until your
turntable is working again. Sometimes a microwave turntable motor will become
noisy and this is covered on this page as well.
Microwave Turntable Won’t turn
If
your turntable will not turn there are a few possibilities: and they are the
control, turntable motor coupler. I will say right up front that the turntable
motors go out a lot more than the control in this regard. So if you are
uncomfortable with the diagnosing process, check to make sure the coupling isn’t
broken or cracked and if it is not replace the motor and most likely it will be
repaired. The coupler is the plastic piece that connects the motor to the
turntable. This should be the first thing you check because it is easiest to
access. Simply remove the turntable and you should be able to pull the coupler
off with a screwdriver. If it isn't the coupler follow instructions below.
If you have an over the counter microwave you should be able to remove the bottom of the microwave without taking the microwave down. But disconnect power before doing so.
Once done you should see the
turntable motor, remove the wires. Then using an ohmmeter, to check for
continuity across the motor and if it is open replace it. Note when checking
ohms across the motor be sure to set your meter as high as it will go or you may
get a false negative result because some of these motors are high resistance. If
the motor isn’t open it still could be bad, the only way to confirm is to check
voltage. Please do not attempt to do this if you are not comfortable doing so.
Look on the turntable motor and see what voltage it is rated for. If it is rated
for 110V set your meter to read 110V. Some are rated for 21V and if that is the
case set your meter to read 21V. Turn the microwave on and check for voltage. If
there is voltage and the turntable will not turn, replace the turntable motor
and if there isn’t voltage replace the control board.
If you have a
countertop microwave it is a little more difficult to diagnose. For one, running
it to check for voltage is out of the question because the entire case will have
to be removed exposing High Voltage. Do not run the microwave without the case
on. I will say the best thing to do is to just replace the turntable motor
rather than trying to diagnose the problem on countertop models.
Microwave Turntable Noisy
There are a few things that will cause a microwave to become noisy. The
microwave turntable motor and the stirrer motor are the two most likely things
that will cause microwaves to become noisy if you are not having problems with
it heating. Most of the other things such as the diode, magnetron tube or the
capacitor will cause a microwave to become noisy but they will also cause it not
to heat.
Just to be sure it is not these things, put the microwave on the
lowest setting. This will cause the diode, capacitor and magnetron tube to only
run about 10% of the time. If the noise is continuous you know the problem isn’t
the magnetron tube, capacitor, or the diode. If the noise is only there 10% of
the time refer to this page and read about
microwaves
not heating
Turntable motors and stirrer motors are basically the
same, only one is at the bottom of the microwave turning the turntable and the
other is at the top turning the stirrer.
If your microwave is noisy, the
first thing you should do is turn the turntable off if your microwave has the
option to turn it off. If the noise goes away your turntable motor is bad, if
not you may have a bad stirrer motor.
If your microwave doesn’t have the
option to turn the turntable off you will need to locate the turntable motor by
removing the bottom on an over the counter microwaves and removing the case of a
countertop microwave. Once done unplug the motor put the microwave back together
and run it. If the noise is gone replace the motor. If not, do the same to the
stirrer motor.
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