Malcolm, True, I may have been lucky but I have also been cautious. I was taught the method by a TV repairman who used on every TV he repaired as a standard practice. BTW, when I said put it in the tub I should have stated that I did not intend it should be a tub filled with water. I was thinking of a shower or pouring water over the microwave to rinse. Yes, tap water is conductive but after drying there is not enough residue left behind to be conductive. One can finish with a distilled water rinse if one is concerned. But if Kathryn is going to spray the insides of a microwave with cleaner, there isn't many options and this is one that I have used many times without problems on many electronic equipment. As you note, drying the unit well is important. No disrespect taken. Cautions are always good. What may be suitable for one person may not be for another and I think one of the strengths of this group is the broad experience and willingness to comment when something doesn't look right. - Steve
-----Original Message----- From: Malcolm [mailto:s...@asis.com] Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 3:40 PM To: silver-list@eskimo.com Subject: RE: CS>OT: cleaning microwave guts Hi Steve, No disrespect, but this is a Very Bad idea for a number of reasons. First, there are nooks and crannies you will never get to where the water will remain; Second, much tap water is fairly conductive and will hide under small electronic components on circuit boards, and in the windings of the high voltage transformer, causing short circuits and very possibly fires and almost certainly destroying the microwave; third, putting the device in the tub, often metal, and with grounded water pipes, almost universal, is an invitation to electrocution. I'm glad you've gotten away with it, but that is probably more a combination of good luck and good (non-conductive) water; fourth, again tap water in contact with the metal of electronic bits and pieces will corrode them, and that corrosion itself will disable the electronics inside in short order. You have definitely horrified me and I'd urge anyone reading your post to check with a local electronic appliance repair shop or TV technician on such a procedure. On Thu, 2008-09-11 at 16:23 -0500, Norton, Steve wrote: > Kathryn, > I am probably going to horrify some with my recommendation but you can > clean your microwave in your bathtub with tap water. The one thing I > am not sure of is the magnetron which is mounted on the side or top of > the microwave chamber and generates the actual microwaves. It has been > sometime since I tore one of those apart but as I recall they are not > water tight. I would mask off the magnetron with plastic and tape to > keep out water and ammonia. > I have cleaned a number of TVs and other electronics with tap water > with no problems. Just rinse the cleaning solution off Very Well and > Dry Completely before use. Water can be trapped in connectors and so > check they are dry inside as well as outside. I find that drying in > direct sunlight for a couple or three days is usually enough if the > days are warm. > Before you open the microwave, let it set for 2 to 3 days unplugged to > discharge the capacitors. BTW, TVs also have a high voltage capacitor > on the versions with a picture tube. > This is what I would do. > - Steve > > -----Original Message----- > From: Clayton Family [mailto:clay...@skypoint.com] > Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 1:46 PM > To: silver-list@eskimo.com > Subject: CS>OT: cleaning microwave guts > > Dear List, > > I am trying to rid my house of airborne toxins. These may have > accumulated in the inner working of the microwave as they did in the > fridge. One way to detoxify these things (according to Dr Croft, a > pathologist) is to spray them down liberally with ammonia solution and > let it dry thoroughly (days, a week or even 2). So it seems to me > that this would be inherently hazardous where a MW oven is concerned > what with the HV storage capacitor or whatever. I can't think of any > good way to do it. > > It may well be healthier to just get a new one. Simpler for certain, > but where is the fun in that? Maybe there is a cheap one at Menards > or something. > > Thanks, Kathryn > > > -- > The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. > > Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org > > To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com > > Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com > > The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... > > List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@eskimo.com> > >
