microwave will not rotate

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garyb1st

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Microwave stopped rotating.  Otherwise is heats and operates normally.  Anyone have a similar problem?  It's a High Pointe that came with the trailer.  There is no manual. 

I don't have an issue with it not rotating, but I'm concerned it may be a fire hazard.  If so, we'll do without until we return from our current travels. 
 
Ours is a Sharp but it has a button on the front to toggle the turntable.
 
Thanks Tom and Ned.  The Repair Clinic says it's an easy fix but I didn't find anything on how to fix it. 

Ned, I looked and didn't see a toggle for the turntable.  But since your's has one, I'll assume it's probably OK to use it when the table isn't turning. 
 
Ours is also a Sharp. It recently had the same problem. The toggle on ours is button on control panel. The motor that turns the platter had failed. Not difficult to find and replace part, ordered at http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/index.action. The parts diagram showed location and access to motor.
To troubleshoot, get access to underside...should measure voltage on the two contacts, it was AC 120on mine.
Good luck
Bob
 
The Repair Clinic says it's an easy fix but I didn't find anything on how to fix it.

I guess you didn't read that part  ???
 
[quote author=bobsharon]Not difficult to find and replace part, ordered at http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/index.action.[/quote]

Aye,  Sears National Parts is usually a good source - if you know which part(s) you need. In addition to ordering online, I've had positive experiences talking to them on the phone; They can't diagnose the problem, but are very good at identifying and describing parts.
 
Tom said:
I guess you didn't read that part  ???


I did.  It doesn't recognize the part number.  When I type in the model number it brings up a Gaggenau product with a similar number.  I doubt there is a relationship to Gaggenau, whoever they are.  When I google High Pointe, I get one site that sells them.  It's a $98.00 item.  At that price, I doubt anyone repairs them.  They're made in China and apparently only for Chinese made luxury RV's.  ;D I guess Keystone got a break when they were able to buy a truck load of these microwaves for their super deluxe entry level POS rvs.  Obviously Keystone didn't think it necessary to include a manual for these units since replacement parts don't appear to be available.  :mad:
 
Tom said:
I didn't know the model number, but scrolling down the page they give you some generic answers, such as turntable doesn't turn.

Been there done that.  Didn't do anything other than bring up more options with a bunch of broken links.  I assume their broken.  Maybe I need to sign up before I can use the site. Here's the model number if your bored. EM925BSC.  ;)
 
I've never logged into the site, but it appears they're out of stock on every part for that microwave. They say it was made by Gaggenau.  They show a turntable motor for that brand (costs $12.80), but it doesn't say it's specifically for that model.

If the oven costs only $98, I'd be tempted to get out a tape measure and head to Best Buy or Costco. Here's a couple of examples of where I did that and saved $$ in the process:

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=12883.msg117439;topicseen#msg117439

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=47845.msg440293;topicseen#msg440293
 
I checked Gaggenau and they appear to be a manufacturer of high end products.  Likely either a German or French company.  Name sounds French but some of the products they make, Miele for example, I think is German made.  In any event I doubt they are associated with this Chinese made unit. 

I like your suggestion and will probably do that if it ceases to work.  For now, I can live without the rotation.  However if the Chief isn't happy with it's performance, we'll pick one up at Costco.   
 
Wifi was down in the park yesterday and thus it was very late in the day before I got on, which is why the short answer...

The Dometic by LG in my house did that too.. I found the following:

The motor was turning (I stuck some plastic over the shaft, put a glass of water inside to absorb the Microwaves and observed rotation of the extension)

The problems were two fold

1: The shaft on the motor was not long enough, and the end had slightly rounded (Nylon shaft) so the tri-arm tha holds the glass turntable popped off easily.

2: The hole in the metal part of the microwave the shaft extends through was too small so the tri-arm could not push down fully onto the shaft.

The solution was 2 parts.
1: I replaced the original motor with a GE part, electrically identical the shaft was brass and SLIGHTLY LONGER, NOTE brass at this point is not a danger.

2: Enlarged the hole JUST till the tri-arm shaft passed through (perhaps 1/64" to 1/32" Larger to allow for expansion)

Been over six years and no problem so far.

In my life I have been very impresed with the quality and design of LG products, Very impressed, and it is NOT a good impression,  LG = Lousy Goods in my book.
 
Thanks for all the help.  Just read that rv microwaves plug into a receptacle and are not hard-wired.  Looks like two brackets and four screws hold it in place.  So, when I have time, I'll take it out and see if anything is binding the motor.  The DW tells me that old microwaves didn't rotate, so I guess it can be used as is for the time being.   
 
Maria is correct.  The early microwave ovens did not rotate.  We still have our original Amana Radarange and it does not rotate.  I bought a wind-up roundtable to have rotation.

If you end up getting a new microwave I sure like our Sharp microwave/convection oven, so much so that we got one just like it for the house.  They're basically the same model, except the one in the RV has the turntable on/off button that was mentioned.  Never have figured out why they dropped that feature by the time we got the one for the house.  ::)

ArdraF
 
We still have our original Amana from the 1970s, also. Turntables are a (relatively) recent development. Their purpose is mainly to get more even heat distribution in the food, as the microwave distribution in even the best designed units is rather uneven.
 
Ardra I like the idea of a convection oven.  Do you also have a gas oven in your coach and if so, which one do you prefer to use?  Aside from an occasional use, maybe pizza, it serves as added storage.  I'd rather have an entire cupboard.  :) 
 
Larry, I've wondered about that.  When we make popcorn, I was concerned that too much energy concentrated in one area might cause a fire.  We've had smoked pop corn on more than one occasion and I'm sure a few more seconds in the microwave would ignite the bag.  That was in our s/b unit which also rotated so maybe it was a power issue.  Never did pay attention to that aspect of the unit.  But then my biggest use is reheating coffee.  I'm the driver.  I  leave the cooking to the DW.    :)
 
Larry N. said:
Their purpose is mainly to get more even heat distribution in the food, as the microwave distribution in even the best designed units is rather uneven.
You know, I haven't understood the actual need for the rotating platform. I know microwaves have a slowly rotating metal fan outside the cooking cavity called a "stirrer fan" that is designed to change the RF characteristics to prevent standingwaves in the corners and to even out RF distribution. Some checking says that most commercial versions have no turntable and work quite well. My wife's favorite oven was a full size range with a convection microwave oven that worked very well without a turntable.
My real question I guess is has anyone seen any "real evidence" showing that the turntable does anymore than the stirrer fan already does? Was this added as a gimmick that sounds good but doesn't help in cooking? I know I have heard everyone say "it works better"; but does it?
I am being just a little cynical  :)
Bob
 

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