Sharp microwave oven hazard

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Chet:  I have a report number from my first calls to Sharp.  I will pursue this again.  You are exactly correct. The tube on the bottom of the turntable support is way too large and wobbles on the spindle.  Additionally, the teensy groove that is supposed to hold the thing in place is a joke.  It can't possibly manage heavy food. 

I'll call Sharp again tomorrow.  I'm aware of the danger and manage the problem when I'm microwaving, but it's quite impossible to control when I want to bake some things.  Appallingly bad, isn't it? 

--pat
 
Jerry

We need you or Ardra to come to our coach and clean our microwave. ;D ;D  Have you ever used it ??? ??? ???

Bernie,

Ardra just keeps the microwave looking new.  I'm the messy one and she is the clean one!

JerryF ;D ;D
 
Called Sharp today.  The first guy was pretty useless, but the second person was very helpful and concerned.  Somebody's coming out to look at it Thursday.  I'm told the oven I have is the newer model.  I was also told that my original report was forwarded to Sharp's engineering department, but apparently nobody felt there was any danger.  Let 'em try and bake a Mrs. Smith's coconut custard pie in it.


--pat
 
Ron:  What really exacerbates the problem with the Sharp model is that they are allowing them to be installed in RVs.  Many RVs are never 100.00000% level; although, mine is pretty perfect right now.  I'd be a little leery about selling this place with the current oven in place. 

--pat
 
Pat,

RV/s are usually pretty level because the firdge has to be fairly level, the newer ones are more tollerant.  However, looking at the photos you provided IMHO it is a very poor design.  Looks like a cost cutting measure that will probably cost them more than they save.
 
Ron:  The initial problem report was sent to the engineers who did not react.  I guess people get a little defensive about their designs.  It would make a whole lot more sense if Sharp's procedure was to send the reports of potential problems to Sharp's Legal Dept.  It's like leaving the fox to guard the henhouse having the engineers review these issues. 

Even a smidgeon of off level that a refrigerator wouldn't notice would send liquids sloshing in ever wider waves.  Even in a house, the oven could be on a slightly crooked shelf.  The repair folks are also dependent on Sharp, so that should be interesting.  I think I'll put some water in the teflon coated cake pan and run it in the convection oven. 

--pat
 
Have you ever met an enginer who made a mistake or bad design? ;D ;D ;D ??? ???

You are correct about hte fox gaurding the henhouse. ;D ???
 
Sharp's repairman ordered a replacement turntable platform, which arrived yesterday.  Absolutely no difference.  I'm going to run a quick convection test with a teflon coated pan holding the equivalent of a layer cake Thursday when I have the generator exercising, and then I'll get back to Sharp about the nonresults.

--pat
 
Pat said:
Sharp's repairman ordered a replacement turntable platform, which arrived yesterday.  Absolutely no difference.  I'm going to run a quick convection test with a teflon coated pan holding the equivalent of a layer cake Thursday when I have the generator exercising, and then I'll get back to Sharp about the nonresults.

--pat
Click to expand...

Sounds to me like your oven was assembled with a spindle that is undersized for the size hole they now are putting in the turntable.  Did the Sharp guy put a micrometer on the spindle and check it for correct diameter? I bet the original oven design was with the small spindle and they fixed the tipping with with a larger diameter one. You probably got one that has the old spindle and the new turntable. So much for the Japanese QC.

Chet
 
Pat,
In the meantime, why not take your turntable to an ACE or other good hardware store? They should have a selection of thin-wall brass tubing that will slide into the spindle opening of the turntable, and over the existing spindle, taking up the wobble-factor. They are usually available in 6" sections, and are sized in diameters to fit one inside another, so you should be able to use one or more small sections to get the job done. Just be careful when cutting them to length as they don't have much compression strength and can deform or collapse from too much pressure. Use a 32 tooth metal cutting hacksaw blade and short, light strokes.
 
THAT's what I wanted to know.  I would think there should be something I can wrap around the (nonremoveable) spindle to make it a little bigger to fight more snugly in the tube coming down from the bottom of the turntable support.  The spindle does not wobble at all, but the tube on the turntable support is too big for the spindle.  Still, if the oven is supposed to dissasemble for cleaning, I would imagine that the fit can't be too tight.  Somebody I know with a Jenn-Air says hers snaps in place.

--pat
 
As a (probably) final follow-up on this, Sharp never fixed the problem.  They had someone mail a third turntable support and turntable.  I think the thing wobbles worse than ever.  They have no intention of doing anything, including fixing their awful design.  Some of their clerks got beliigerent and insisted their commercial ovens with the same design don't wobble.  When I get to the Chinook plant next time, I'm going to discuss the claim with Chinook and see about having the oven replaced. 

--pat
 
I have had a number of "Turntable" type microwaves, Including SHARP and without exception they had a glass turntable that was turned by a "Y" shaped drive shaft and which road on rollers which were held in a circular ring, either 3, 4 or more rollers, this ring was nearly as large (diamater) as the plate of the turntable.

I have never seen another design

Sounds like someone messed with yours.  Though I have yet to look at the picture

Suggestions... There is one model of under-cabnet mount microwave where if you open the door and look inside you can see light entering from ventalation slots at the rear... Avoid this, where light can enter, for the most part microwaves can leave, this means, among other things. you loose efficency (Takes longer and more power to cook).  I won't go into the other dangers as if it's properly mounted they should not be that much of an issue.

GOLDSTAR: Makes what i consider to be the world's most dangerous microwave... At least one of their models has no START or COOK buttion,  You open the door, put your food in, turn the time knob.  When the popcorn stopps popping you open the door, take the bag out, close the door and without your telling it to it restarts itself and sets the house a-fire.. Well, office in my case, thankfully someone was quick with an extinguisher

I'm sure they make them with proper safety interlocks and start buttons, but I'm not giving them a 2nd chance to literally burn me

 
Pat,

Sounds to me like it is letter writing time.  Write a letter to Sharp with compies to the state Attorney General, any consumer groups you can think of and to the coach manufacturer.  Be sure to mention your safety concerns. 
 
Ron:  Everything has been documented to all parties. Except the AG.  I think I need to wait on that one till I get the installer, manufacturer of the RV an opportunity to change it.

JID:  This ridiculous design is just a straw-like spindle holding a losse tube attached under a turning plate about 5" in diameter that further holds the heavy 12" diameter turntable.  Wobbles like crazy. They are so defensive about inventing a bad product.  And all reports are turned over to the engineers whose paychecks are dependent on the perceived success of their designs and not to their legal department.

--pat
 
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