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Old 10-28-2020, 09:31 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Texas
Posts: 9
THOR #20744
2019 Chateau 31W microwave failure

Recently while traveling from Seattle to Houston, The Highpointe EC942KIW microwave quit working. We contacted Thor and found that the microwave warranty was only good for 12 months while ours was 15 months since purchase. We were advised to purchase another unit to replace it. I am currently searching to find one that will stand up to RV travel vibrations. Any suggestions?

Meanwhile, I always try to understand why something has failed even if I cannot fix it. Disassembly was straightforward. The fuse was intact, so ruling out the simple things, I began dig deeper. It was necessary to cut some cables which hindered checking the components therefore making it unrepairable.

Further inspection led to the discovery of the failed 10 microfarad capacitor in the exhaust fan control circuit. Click image for larger version

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ID:	26931The bulge on the side of the capacitor is a sure sign of failure. Click image for larger version

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ID:	26930 It is my assumption that this prevented the fan from working which in turn prevented the microwave from working.

But why did the capacitor fail? A common cause is high temperature. Reexamination of the case and installation led to a likely cause. The vent grill is shown with 25 slots of various sizes for the hot air to escape from the top front of the case.
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Unfortunately, the trim piece which was mounted to close the gap between the top of the case and the cabinet blocked all but five of those vent slots. Click image for larger version

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ID:	26933 IMHO this was an installation failure. The trim piece should have been eliminated.

Has anyone else experienced this? Had I known, I would have removed the trim piece before the microwave failed. I used a very long flat screwdriver and a hammer to tap it in to pry the trim piece out.

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Old 10-28-2020, 10:24 PM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Residency
State: Alabama
Posts: 23
THOR #21054
Outstanding deduction's sir. I am a "F.N.G.," so the lesson learned is most appropriate and appreciated.
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