[SuperFixItMan]

I have a problem with this microwave thats got me baffled. The microwave is 2 years old started having problems with start up.
For about 1 month you could program the cooking time and then it would sometimes work OK but other times it would program ok but when you pushed start it would blink off after it tried to start cooking 1-2 seconds and you would have to reset clock and to try again.
I opened the control area and checked all door switches and wiring that was accessable but could find no problems. closed it back up and it worked perfectly for about 2 weeks.
Then it started the problem all over again for about a week, but now it will program ok but when you push start nothing happens.
Also the cooling fan for the magnatron and the cavity light run continously when the microwave is plugged in and the door is shut.
I wonder if the gas sensor could cause this. Tech pamplet inside the unit says that if the gas sensor fails either shorts or open ciruit it should have a trouble code of F4 or F5 but it does not show any trouble codes.
If you push the 7 and 8 keypads to check the sensor as per GE test instructions it gives me a number 1, Tech sheet says it should be at least 6 or the control board or the sensor is faulty.
What do you think? Its got me baffled I hope somebody here can help

[AmpDraw]

Sure sounds like a bad interlock (door) switch. Did you test the switches with a meter or just look at them and see they were inside there and called that good?

[SuperFixItMan]

Thanks for the reply Ampdraw,


Yeah I thought the same thing, and kept going back and testing the switches with a digital meter I even tried testing the wires at the points where they connected to the main board thinking maybe a bad wire or connection but could not find anything.

I did find since I posted the first time that the gas sensor had went to 213 reading and then later to 0 by pressing the 7-8 keypads kind of strange that it would change by itself like that, but then this is a strange problem and there is nothing noted anywhere about the sensor causing this type of symptom,only that it should give the board a F4 or F5 which it does not.

The 213 reading would indicate an open sensor and the the 0 would indicate a shorted sensor, so I accessed it and tapped on it with my finger but could not get any change in the output to the board .

Wish there was some other way to test the sensor but GE recommends against attempting any test with a meter or any test insurments.

Anyway I ordered a new gas sensor and I am going to try it. I'll post after I Try it an see what happens.

If you or anybody else has anything on this model or similar models that may have had similar problems I'm willing to listen.