willald
NC
Senior Member
Joined: 07/15/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
We just got back a few weeks ago from a great trip (camping), at a hipcamp farm camp site up in Maryland. Was up there visiting family, friends, and had a great trip. We were at a very remote campsite at a farm, where was plugged into just 20 amp power (with appropriate adapters).
Anyway, all went great, we have camped there many times and love it up there. However, on last day, the microwave in the Motorhome quit working. Would still come on, act like it was working, but would not heat anything. Magnetron blew out, I believe.
When we got home, I started looking into a replacement. Of course, Whirlpool only has a 1 year warranty, unit is 2 years old so its my problem, haha.
Called Newmar customer support (RV is a Newmar, see signature), they wanted $1200 for the replacement (Whirlpool) microwave, plus installation! I found almost exact replacement microwave they were referring to at Best Buy, for just $500! Anyway, I told Newmar, no thanks, and decided I am quite capable of removing and installing a microwave myself. Soo, bought the microwave from Best Buy, had old one out, new one in and working, maybe an hour of work, tops (and I was taking my time). Also got a great discount since my son works there (Best Buy), that included a 5 year warranty on the new microwave in case this happens again.
Newmar wanted $1200, for a microwave I was able to get locally for $500! I guess Newmar thinks that anyone that buys their RVs must be very, very wealthy and blow their nose on $1000 bills, haha. Nope, not me.
This is not at all meant as a slight or bash on Newmar, I'm sure all RV companies do similar things. Its more a reminder, that the more you can do yourself with these things, the better off your bank account will be, haha.
Anyway, now, trying to understand why a microwave blew out after just 2 years. I've owned microwaves for years and years, this is first time I've ever had one quit, and never, ever heard of one going out this soon. Sooo, why, what caused it to quit after just 2 years?
Here is my suspicion, that I'm curious what everyone thinks: The RV has a power management system, that sheds, adds various loads to keep you within your power limits, and keep you from blowing any breakers. It senses whether you are on 50, 30, or 20 amp power, and limits your power use accordingly. It will shed power to the water heater, air conditioners, and to the microwave if you have too many things drawing too much power at once.
I have seen sometimes when we'd run the microwave when on 20 amp power when something else is on using a lot of power, that it would somehow shed power to the microwave such that microwave would still run, but it would not heat anything. Somehow, the power management unit would limit the amperage the microwave could have, so it would either not heat, or heat very slowly. Seen it do that a handful of times, didn't think it was hurting anything. I'd just turn off whatever it was that was using up all the amperage (water heater typically) and start microwave over and it'd work fine.
When microwave quit, we were running both the microwave and a toaster at same time (was making breakfast). Wondering if the lesson learned here is that the power management system limiting power to the microwave, while it works to keep you from blowing a breaker, it seems to shorten the microwave's life drastically, and in this case fried it. Maybe from now on, we don't run the microwave unless we make dang sure no other large load is running, because power management system will shut power off to microwave and burn it out before its time?
Does this sound plausible? Does anyone have any other thoughts?
Will and Cheryl
2021 Newmar Baystar 3014 on F53 (7.3 V8) Chassis ("Brook")
2018 Jeep Wrangler JK ("Wilbur")
|
RedRollingRoadblock
Oregon
Senior Member
Joined: 11/26/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Not surprised on the price that Newmar wanted. Had a similar thing with my Bounder when the MW died - during dinner prep. Fleetwood wanted around $1100 if I recall. Of course the model was out of production, so nothing available. Figured out the problem, and it was recommended that I replace the failed part, door switch, with a upgraded design for about $20.
|
willald
NC
Senior Member
Joined: 07/15/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
RedRollingRoadblock wrote:Not surprised on the price that Newmar wanted. Had a similar thing with my Bounder when the MW died - during dinner prep. Fleetwood wanted around $1100 if I recall. Of course the model was out of production, so nothing available. Figured out the problem, and it was recommended that I replace the failed part, door switch, with a upgraded design for about $20.
Yes, mine was already out of production, too, but fortunately the manufacturer (Whirlpool) made a unit almost identical to the original, with actually more features. Thats the one that Newmar wanted $1200 for, and I got from Best Buy much cheaper.
I thought about taking the microwave apart and trying to fix it like you did, but got nervous when read about having to discharge that capacitor in it, and how bad it could hurt you if you mess that up somehow. Besides, was pretty sure based on what happened that it was the Magnetron that had gone out, and I really didn't want to mess with replacing that.
Will
|
navigator2346
Wa and points South
Senior Member
Joined: 03/29/2019
View Profile
Offline
|
Newmar buys a few hundred, Best Buy buys thousands. Why would you even go to a manufacturer to buy an off the shelf item?
|
willald
NC
Senior Member
Joined: 07/15/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
navigator2346 wrote:Newmar buys a few hundred, Best Buy buys thousands. Why would you even go to a manufacturer to buy an off the shelf item?
Good point.
Only reason I called Newmar was, I couldn't find the exact original model, and thought maybe Newmar could get their hands on such. Turns out, they had same model I'd already found at Best Buy for much cheaper.
Will
|
|
|
dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 06/11/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Appliance fail. Does not make any difference if Home or RV. Of course, RV's are NOT supposed to be run on power less than 50 or 30 amp. 20 amp you have run on. BUT, your EMS system does NOT protect from low voltage. So, Rvr's continually operate on suspect line voltages and even some CG voltages are suspect (30 and 50). LOW and HIGH voltage will cause appliances to fail. I will relate a story since you have a Newmar. We used to sell Newmar 1993 to 2008.(2003) A customer under warranty went to Northern Illinois and parked at a 50 amp CG. Came back after a day of sightseeing and there was a note on his door. Went next door and his neighbor explained that a bolt of lightning hit the Power electrical pole behind his Camp site. Went inside his RV and found almost all his 120 electrical appliances were burnt out. IF his neighbor had not told him what happened he would have blamed Newmar and the appliance makers. Doug
PS, so things happen when camping on various 120 power supplies.
|
willald
NC
Senior Member
Joined: 07/15/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
dougrainer wrote:Appliance fail. Does not make any difference if Home or RV. Of course, RV's are NOT supposed to be run on power less than 50 or 30 amp. 20 amp you have run on. BUT, your EMS system does NOT protect from low voltage. So, Rvr's continually operate on suspect line voltages and even some CG voltages are suspect (30 and 50). LOW and HIGH voltage will cause appliances to fail. I will relate a story since you have a Newmar. We used to sell Newmar 1993 to 2008.(2003) A customer under warranty went to Northern Illinois and parked at a 50 amp CG. Came back after a day of sightseeing and there was a note on his door. Went next door and his neighbor explained that a bolt of lightning hit the Power electrical pole behind his Camp site. Went inside his RV and found almost all his 120 electrical appliances were burnt out. IF his neighbor had not told him what happened he would have blamed Newmar and the appliance makers. Doug
PS, so things happen when camping on various 120 power supplies.
Thanks, Doug, was hoping you'd chime in on this, as always value, respect your expertise on these things. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
Hadn't really thought of low voltage, and the fact that EMS does not protect against that. That may well be what caused this.
Perhaps running both a microwave and toaster at same time was a very bad idea when only on 20 amp power. That alone may have caused the voltage to drop. We won't do that again, and I guess will just have to be much more cautious the few times we camp where we only have 20 amp power.
Will
|
RLS7201
Beautyful Downtown Gladstone, MO
Senior Member
Joined: 10/26/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
Microwaves have a fuse inside. Check that fuse before you spend big $$.
Most microwave manufactures use safety fasteners that may require you to purchase special fastener drivers.
Richard
95 Bounder 32H F53 460
2013 CRV Toad
2 Segways in Toad
First brake job
1941 Hudson
|
Johnny G1
Clearwater, British Columbia ,Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 11/13/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
When micro waves first came out, ours blew a fuse the first yr we had it, simple fix as the unit lasted for 15 yrs as I recall, was plugged into its own 30 amp breaker and that was back in the early 1980s when they were not cheap to buy.
98 Mountain Aire 34' 210 Cummins Puller and 2001 dodge dully with all the toy's, 400 + hp pullin a 2001 32.5' Okanogan 5th wheel, new to us after 5 yrs with the 28' Travel Aire. Lots of fun.
|
pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 12/18/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
wiladd,
Great that you found a good replacement. I might have gone to walmart instead.
Low voltage is an inductive load device killer. The microwave is an inductive device.
I use my autoformer a lot.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.
|
|
|
|
