[PokerMunkee]

Hi,

When our kitchen microwave is in use, it screws up the signal on our main DVR. The dish is mounted on side of house below the kitchen sink, about 4' from the microwave.

Is this normal? Anyway to prevent it?

 

[P Smith]

What signal ? How it delivering to the TV ?

 

[boba]

Sounds like your microwave has a dangerous leakage.

 

[tgater]

Sounds like your microwave has a dangerous leakage.

If it were me, I would stop using the microwave and have it tested. If it checks out good, then i would consult a licensed electrician and have the outlet(s)/ electrical wiring tested.

 

[RasputinAXP]

If it were me, I would stop using the microwave and have it tested. If it checks out good, then i would consult a licensed electrician and have the outlet(s)/ electrical wiring tested.

Definitely. That sounds like the microwave is leaking something fierce. That's dangerous.

 

[koji68]

Time of a new microwave.

http://www.wikihow.com/Check-a-Microwave-for-Leaks

 

[PokerMunkee]

Only noticed it when we switched from DirecTV to DISH and the dish was mounted by the kitchen. It only affects the main DVR, none of the HD receivers. The wiring to the receivers goes on the outside of the house. The DVR is around 30' from the Kitchen area.

I'll do those leakage checks. It's a 2.5 year old GE microwave mounted above the stove.

It doesn't kill the signal completely, just makes it really choppy.


Thanks.

 

[P Smith]

It only affects the main DVR, none of the HD receivers.

That's why I did ask: how signal delivering to the TV ?

 

[PokerMunkee]

There is a cable from Dish to inside house where there is a switch. From there, it goes to my downstairs HD receiver.

There is also a bedroom TV connected to some splitter device on the outside house, which feeds from the dish and then to DVR. This allows the bedroom TV to get non-HD channels without a receiver. The remote does RF to the DVR upstairs.

It's a cluster, which is why I'm rerunning my wires inside and going back to DTV.

 

[harsh]

It may be electrical interference as opposed to RF interference. A modern microwave shouldn't be causing much of either.

Is the microwave an inverter driven model?

 

[P Smith]

There is a cable from Dish to inside house where there is a switch. From there, it goes to my downstairs HD receiver.

There is also a bedroom TV connected to some splitter device on the outside house, which feeds from the dish and then to DVR. This allows the bedroom TV to get non-HD channels without a receiver. The remote does RF to the DVR upstairs.

It's a cluster, which is why I'm rerunning my wires inside and going back to DTV.

Can you make 3D plan wire plan ? Where is all components of dish install and microwave oven displayed ?

 

[PokerMunkee]

The wife just tried the cell phone test. Her phone rings when inside the closed microwave. Tried it downstairs with another microwave, it didn't ring (went straight to VM). So now the wife, who is 6 mos preggers, is freaking out. I'm a little concerned as well.

Here is a 2 minute sketch of our setup:

 

[PokerMunkee]

Finding lots of articles/comments saying the phone test isn't a great way of detecting leakage. Who knows. Might move the other microwave upstairs to see if I get the same results.

 

[PokerMunkee]

Other microwave does not affect my dish signal. I used an extension cord to plug in my main microwave into a different outlet, still choppy.

Put a laptop into the microwave, no signal (could not ping it). Cracked door open, could ping it. So it passed that test.

I dunno what to do. Get a new microwave?

 

[bigglebowski]

We worked on ovens back in the day when the average one was more expensive than now, so this is where I saw this happen. The easiest thing to detect leakage you could use is a CRT display old computer monitor or cheap tube tv . Put the set running near the set and if the microwave is leaking the set would react like running a magnet over the screen. Set a short run time on oven if nervous about running. Not an absolute but it might give you an idea. Should not hurt the CRT if you are worried, the set may need to be degaussed if anything. CRTs should degauss them self at start up next time its powered off for a short period of time. If the TV set is too far away it may not pickup, but you shouldnt have to hold it right up to the door. Might need the display showing something rather than black to see it best. CRT monitors might turn off display if no signal detected, TV would have a blue screen or snowy raster might be best. Microwave leakage meter would obviously be best way to check this though.

Trying to test it with other devices phone, laptop is they just dont operate on near the power of the oven. The perforations on door might be cut more for 2.4ghz range which would be why a wifi laptop would be more affected than your phone which runs on a different frequency. The door is likely to heavily attenuate any rf signal regardless though. Could leak elsewhere but seems unlikely.

You never mentioned what type of cable comes from the receiver to the TV. If HDMI try component or vise versa. Does the TV messup with same input but different device? If you pull up a full screen menu on the DVR does it interfere with menu too? If you disconnect the satellite cable does it still messup? Just trying to see where/what the microwave is interfering. Is other microwave running on same breaker as hood one? Is it same wattage? Maybe this could end up being an electrical wiring issue only noticed by the heavy load of the oven running.

 

[harsh]

At the very least, you should take the microwave in for a check. Yes, I realize that it is a built-in, but you need to be certain about this; especially if you ever have guests with pacemakers.

There are some cheap (<$10) leakage detectors but I'm more inclined to go with someone who has some calibrated instruments.

 

[wyattwd]

Cheap test. Put your phone in the microwave and see how many bars it drops. Your good if it's 0-1. Try calling it, also.

 

[redhot]

I have my HR24, Vizio 22" and microwave all plugged in the same plug, in the kitchen. My dish is just above on the roof about 6 ft. away. When the tv is on and I close the microwave door the tv goes black for about a second then the picture comes back. When the microwave is running the tv is fine, no interference at all.

 

[bigglebowski]

I have my HR24, Vizio 22" and microwave all plugged in the same plug, in the kitchen. My dish is just above on the roof about 6 ft. away. When the tv is on and I close the microwave door the tv goes black for about a second then the picture comes back. When the microwave is running the tv is fine, no interference at all.

The door is where the safety interlock switches are there are about 3 of them working in various states closed/open. Notice how the door latch has edges on it like points on arrow, these are what press the switches to confirm door is closed/open. You may have one that has a poor connection causing it to throw noise on the line as you open close.

Not saying you should open it and fix it but I bet you would find one of these switches where the wire connects to the switch would be black carbonized looking. The connections are usually covered with see through plastic and I bet one will look all black and crispy compared to others.

Of course if anyone opens a microwave to service it be sure to discharge high voltage capacitor if it has one. Plenty of info on google on how to do this safely. The charge in that capacitor is probably more lethal than anything else you can work on in the home.