Microwave wont stop with door open

[North]

Hi all,

The panasonic microwave that we got in the kitchen sometimes keeps working when the door is open. Now some people think that is just the fan to cool down the food but I think it is something wrong with it and it should not run at all when the door is open.
Who is right?
North

 

[Diyisfun]

My Panasonic keeps running, its cooling down.
There are about 3 safety interlocks so I would fell pretty certain that there is no m/wave energy.
Easy way to test it..switch it on, open the door straight away, it should all stop.
If its been on for a minute or so it will run on to cool.
What do the instructions say?

 

[Leccy758]

Its not a fan to cool down the food, its the cooling fan for the magnetron, sometimes they have extra fans for electronics etc.

 

[North]

We lost the instructions long time ago. Yesterday I took my hot water and again it was running witht he door open and when I put my hand inside I had the feeling that it was warming up...
I just want to make sure the radiation is not dangerous.
North

 

[Diyisfun]

If it is running..IT IS DANGEROUS..thats why so many interlocks.

If you put a neon or flourcent tube in it will glow if there are m/waves.
I think you can buy leak detectors.
read this link
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mi...7ADRA_en&redir_esc=&ei=8Pc_Te2BJNO5hAfy2LnUCA

 

[Coaster]

yes it is DANGEROUS! if you think it is leaking microwave energy.
if it's an old(ish) machine you'd be better off chucking it and getting a new one.. your health is much more important compared to a few quid.

 

[wavetrain]

2 simple ways you could try to see if the magnitron is indeed powered when the door is open:

(1) If you happen to have one of those plug in power consumption meters you could compare the wattage when you know it is heating to that when you are worried it is running when it should not. A running oven will take 1000+ watts, whereas the blub and fan will take only a few watts

(2) swtich on a VHF radio near the microwave when heating. Then open the door. If the magnitorn is still powered, the RF coming out of the oven should completly swamp the radio reception - it may even destroy the front end electronics of your radio, so use one you can aford to lose.

If you find the magnitorion is still running, then unplug, cut the mains lead off where it comes out of casing and take to council dump