# Microwave Problem



## kev (Oct 10, 2007)

I just noticed last season that the microwave doesn't stay on. Whenever you hit start it just shorts out and doesn't work, no power or anything. So this year I pulled it out and plugged it in the house and it works fine!! What else could be the issue?? Please help, we're going on a long trip in July and we need the Microwave.
Kev


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

It could be a bad breaker or a loose connection at the converter.

My AC would work off and on. It finally quit on me on a trip when it was over 100 degrees each day. Took it to the dealer and they found that the neutral wire for the AC circuit was loose and had fallen out of the neutral block on the converter. Gilligan had installed two wires into once connection. They put the wire back in, tightened it up and it's been fine ever since.

It is a normal practice in household wiring to insert two wires into one hole in the neutral or ground blocks on an electrical panel. When this happens on a trailer that may have wire runs that are a little to taught and the whole frame flexes when being towed, the wires can work out. If you find two wires in one connection and you have extra connections that can be used, just move them over now and be done with it.


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## Up State NY Camper (Apr 7, 2010)

Speaking of microwaves, I had a problem on my last trip. I was watching tv late at night and it went off along with the microwave (which beeped) for a moment. I assumed the power went out for a minute then came back on. When it came back on, the microwave was making a "fuzzy" for lack of a better word, beeping noise and the display had a dim flicker. I truned off the microwave at the breaker til the next mourning. Turned it back on and everything was ok.







Thought I had a power surge and it fried the microwave but I guess not. Has this happen to anyone else?


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## Up State NY Camper (Apr 7, 2010)

thefulminator said:


> It could be a bad breaker or a loose connection at the converter.
> 
> My AC would work off and on. It finally quit on me on a trip when it was over 100 degrees each day. Took it to the dealer and they found that the neutral wire for the AC circuit was loose and had fallen out of the neutral block on the converter. Gilligan had installed two wires into once connection. They put the wire back in, tightened it up and it's been fine ever since.
> 
> It is a normal practice in household wiring to insert two wires into one hole in the neutral or ground blocks on an electrical panel. When this happens on a trailer that may have wire runs that are a little to taught and the whole frame flexes when being towed, the wires can work out. If you find two wires in one connection and you have extra connections that can be used, just move them over now and be done with it.


I'm going to open up the converter and check the neutral wires. Thanks.


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## joy-rick (Jan 27, 2008)

This comment does not pertain directly to the OP's question, but it is something I meant to post sometime back and his question reminded me that I hadn't done it.

Toward the end of last season the door to the microwave in our 23RS wouldn't close and stay shut. The push button seemed to be loose and inoperative. I decided to do the unthinkable and open up the cabinet on the microwave and see what the matter was. Unfortunately, one of the cabinet fasteners is of the "tamper proof" design so I couldn't remove the cabinet without damaging the fastener.

Then I remembered that my son-in-law told me about a kit available from Griot's Garage for (I think) $19.95. This kit contains tools that will remove every special fastener known to man. I purchased the kit, removed the microwave cabinet, and, within 2 minutes, identified the "push button linkage over top dead center" problem, and fixed it. Problem solved for $19.95. Since then this kit has saved me several times. And, while this might not solve the OP's problem, I recommend this kit for every DIYer.

Rick


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## Patty (Mar 4, 2010)

What is the kit called? I looked for fastener removal kit and came up empty. I checked in tools and didn't see anything that might be it.
I think it is the 113 piece Tamper Proof Bit Set for $19.99.My link


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

I think it is this one.


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## joy-rick (Jan 27, 2008)

thefulminator said:


> I think it is this one.


Yup, that's the one. The best $19.95 I've ever spent.

Rick


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## Ish (Jun 15, 2010)

kev said:


> I just noticed last season that the microwave doesn't stay on. Whenever you hit start it just shorts out and doesn't work, no power or anything. So this year I pulled it out and plugged it in the house and it works fine!! What else could be the issue?? Please help, we're going on a long trip in July and we need the Microwave.
> Kev


Hey Kev - did you ever find out what your problem was? The HighPointe in my 2010 250RS is doing the exact same thing!

I haven't pulled it out yet and connected directly to my home wiring, but that is next on my list.


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## TennesseeOutback1 (Feb 1, 2008)

Bringing an old one back from the dead.

The wiffie was heating some food up in the MW last night and it quit, like a fuse blowed or breaker tripped. So I checked everything and nothing was tripped. So I pulled the MW out and plugged it into another outlet and it worked fine. I got to looking at the outlet and noticed the white wire looked loose. I tried to press it back in and finally got it. Plugged back in and the same thing happened.

So I am assuming the outlet is bad. My question is can I just replace it with a regular house box and outlet or does it need to be the same style as the original?


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

The 120v outlets in our TTs are standard UL listed 120v outlets. They are the same as we all have in our houses.

Buy a new outlet that matches --usually white ones have white cover plates, brown outlets have brown, and so forth. You do not have to change the box. WITH ALL POWER OFF (no shore power, no generator), remove the cover plate, and loosen the two screws on the top and bottom of the outlet that hold it in the box. Unscrew the bad outlet screws and pull it out of the box gently and then remove the wires. You should discover three--white, black and a bare copper for the ground. But there may be more wires if the construction electrician daisy-chained wires to carry the electricity on to another outlet.

If the wires are pushed into the back of the bad outlet, instead of being wrapped around a screw head, you will need a small flat-blade screwdriver. Push the flat blade into the small rectangular slot next to a wire and that will push a tab and release the wire. While pushing in on the blade, pull the wire out of the outlet. Repeat for the others. Construction folks like Keystone almost always use push-in assembly of outlets since it is MUCH faster than wrapping wire around a screw post and tightening down the screw.

Wire up the new outlet and reverse the above description. You will probably have to bend the wires a little to get them back into the box. Put on the cover plate, turn on the power and check it out.

Smile that you saved about $40!!!


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

The method you choose depends on how and where the existing outlet is located. Many of the trailer's wall outlets are self-contained and don't require a separate box. They are thinner and are held in place with a couple of clamps that swing up and press against the inside of the wall as you tighten the screws from the front. The only way to connect the wires is by pushing them into slots in the back of the receptacle, then you snap on the back plate. You can find these special outlets at local RV stores and online, but not at a big-box store.

If the receptacle is in the ceiling, there may be enough depth to accommodate a regular box and receptacle which would be wired just like in your house. Just make sure you get the correct receptacle - most of the Outbacks have a dedicated 20 amp circuit and matching receptacle for the microwave oven. All other outlets are usually 15 amps, wired with 14 gauge Romex.


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## TennesseeOutback1 (Feb 1, 2008)

Problem solved!

Got an outlet box and new receptacle. Hooked it all up and still nothing. But I was getting 120V to the receptacle! Now mind you I'm no electrician. I was taking my FIL's meter and checking white & ground and showing 120. Well him and my wife's uncle come over and show me how to properly check it. Come to find out I had and OPEN Neuteral (I think that's what he called it). Anyway a loose wire somewhere. So we took the cover off the fuse panel box and the we found a couple of the white wires connected to the bus bars were loose....thanks to cheko from the factory. Tightened them up and WAAALAAAH!!! POWER!

Oh and the receptacle was mounted in the ceiling so I had enough room for a standard box with the wings that flip out when tightening the screws.

Thanks for helpful info fellas!


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## OleSchool60 (Mar 31, 2013)

Thanks for posting this problem. I almost bought a new microwave due to half the buttons not working. I pulled the microwave and checked the outlet. I found that the ground wire was not fully connected and had paper around the wire in the connector. I removed the paper and reconnected the ground which fixed the button problem I was having. Thanks again.


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