[carboy]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Looks to me like the life is five to six years. I'm sure it varies. Hope to get at least five more years now: this is the second replacement.

I had 50$ 28 Litre Sharp Microwave purchased in the USA. When I got it to India, I bought a 3500 Rs Step Down Transformer to run it through.

Microwave had no problems after total 13 years of use. Not one service done, not one part repaired or replaced. After 13 years, the transformer conked out & a new transformer would cost me 5000 Rs. So I just junked the working Microwave & bought a new 5000 Rs Samsung Microwave locally.

[meerkat]

Originally Posted by DDIS_RE650

Magnetron is the part which requires replacement. I got it replaced once and it was fine for approx. an year then again gone. Hence replaced new one.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Looks to me like the life is five to six years. I'm sure it varies. Hope to get at least five more years now: this is the second replacement.

And I was under the impression that magnetrons are the last things to fail in a microwave oven, and should last the life of the appliance! I've never experienced an MWO dying because of its magnetron -- and I'm talking from almost four decades of experience using those! Admittedly, almost all of my experience is with MWOs purchased in the USA. After having used them there, I brought them to India, and have been using them with step-down transformers (just like 'carboy' did). As I had earlier reported in this thread itself, one solo GE unit quit after ~30 years of light-to-moderate service (mostly re-heating food, plus some cooking too, -- just like its typical use in India), -- and the magnetron didn't fail yet, the membrane keypad did! There was no way to repair/replace it, so I purchased a Samsung convection model here (at a much higher price, of course). It's too early to pass a comparative judgment on that one, except that it has a bad hot-spot problem in spite of its turntable -- or perhaps because of it, since the GE had no turntable, and no hot-spot problem either :-). It had a mode-stirrer fan instead.

At my current (temporary) location I have another basic, smaller solo model from Emerson that was purchased in 1986, and has seen light use (mostly re-heating food), and is running fine still! This is a model that has a reputation of never quitting! There are stories on the net of people getting bored of it before discarding it and upgrading, and others picking it up from the pavement, and it kept running! I tend to believe it too, because for me too it has been quite trouble free so far. Built like a tank too!

Another basic LG solo MWO in the family (purchased in India) quit right in front of me after 8 years or so of service. Perhaps the magnetron died, perhaps something else did, we never did find out, -- repair was never attempted, the cavity having rusted badly! It was a very flimsily built unit, almost unbelievably so, when compared to the Emerson (~25 years older)!

Moral of the story: I do believe that most units sold in India are made with inferior parts, -- magnetron and all, so we see them fail in a few years.
.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I didn't keep count. My first experience of a microwave oven must have been in nineteen-sixty-something! It was a commercial unit in a shop. Although it was love at first sight, I didn't have one in my own home for a long time after that: maybe 1990. I recall that the first one I bought was DOA, as was it's replacement, and the third try with a different model from the same shop worked until I got a nicer one. That was either Panasonic or Sharp, and came to India with me. There were indeed no failures in the fifteen years, two machines, although my immigrant machine broke here. The service shop actually paid us some money to leave it with them for spares!

One LG machine since then --- two magnetrons. So perhaps you are right. In general, the life expectancy of domestic equipment seems to drop year by year.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by meerkat

Moral of the story: I do believe that most units sold in India are made with inferior parts, -- magnetron and all, so we see them fail in a few years.
.

Actually the Magnetrons like the Video Heads of VCRs of the era long gone are made in a few factories as they are specialist items. So the chances are the Microwave ovens sold in India use the same Magnetrons as used elsewhere. The problem lies with the rest of the component. If the body rusts, it can result in arcing. Another common factor is roaches. They can lay eggs around the HV components resulting in arcing.

The quality of material varies drastically even from the same manufacturer. For example I still have a working Windows Panasonic AC bought about 20 years ago - made in Japan. Another Panasonic Windows AC bought about 5 years ago, gave trouble within 3 years and had to be sold. This was made in India.
I am not saying all products made in India are bad. But many foreign manufacturers in India cut corners when it comes to selling in India - whether cars or microwave ovens.

Originally Posted by carboy

After 13 years, the transformer conked out & a new transformer would cost me 5000 Rs. So I just junked the working Microwave & bought a new 5000 Rs Samsung Microwave locally.

A new standard microwave oven transformer 700 VA-900 VA costs Rs.2400 while you can rewind them for about Rs.1000 with specialist rewinders.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by Prowler

A new standard microwave oven transformer 700 VA-900 VA costs Rs.2400 while you can rewind them for about Rs.1000 with specialist rewinders.

What is a "Microwave oven transformer"?

My Microwave was 110V. So I had got a separate General Purpose Step Down transformer (I think it was 1.5 KW) which I was running it through. It was to change 240V to 110V.

[srini1785]

Originally Posted by carboy

What is a "Microwave oven transformer"?

There is a transformer inside the microwave which supplies the magnetron. This is what @prowler is referring to.

Your transformer is to basically step down voltage of mains and is external.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Another common factor is roaches. They can lay eggs around the HV components resulting in arcing.

Precisely why our Electrolux microwave died.

First the front touch panel keys started giving troubles and then something in the main board fried. Later, for what I am, I executed a complete teardown of the microwave. The magnetron was good- it must be lying somewhere still with me.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by meerkat

Moral of the story: I do believe that most units sold in India are made with inferior parts, -- magnetron and all, so we see them fail in a few years.

It's true. I was told by a friend of mine who went to work in a Singapore purchase department of laptop giant, that he was shocked by the prices of memory that the vendors were quoting in Singapore and asked them how the very same vendors were able to supply the same memory to India much cheaper - they told him that the quality of the memory was different and that they could not sell the memory they sold in India to him in Singapore even if he wanted them!

[carboy]

Originally Posted by srini1785

There is a transformer inside the microwave which supplies the magnetron. This is what @prowler is referring to.

Your transformer is to basically step down voltage of mains and is external.

Yeah, the transformer I was referring to isn't part of the Microwave. I bought it in India at around 3500Rs to make the 110V Microwave work with our supply. Now the same transformer costs 5000 Rs & that's why I decided to buy a new 5000 Rs Microwave rather than buying a new step down transformer for a 13 year old Microwave (even though there were no problems with the Microwave itself).

Originally Posted by mvadg

It's true. I was told by a friend of mine who went to work in a Singapore purchase department of laptop giant, that he was shocked by the prices of memory that the vendors were quoting in Singapore and asked them how the very same vendors were able to supply the same memory to India much cheaper - they told him that the quality of the memory was different and that they could not sell the memory they sold in India to him in Singapore even if he wanted them!

I think customs duty has gone up a lot on many electronic parts & items in the last many years. Electronic & Appliance manufacturers are probably moving to cheaper parts so that they can absorb the higher customs duty without increasing the price of retail price of the electronics/appliances.

[dsnaveen21]

Hello Guys,

Need a home vacuum cleaner, iam planning to get Karcher Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner - VCH2

https://www.amazon.in/Karcher-Cordle.../dp/B08M1G4YTB

Please let me know is this okay.

Thank you..

[RemingtonSteele]

Where can I get a Dect 6.0 Cordless expandable phone Panasonic KX-TGA931T?
Any help is appreciated.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Can anyone tell me where to buy good-quality outdoor strings of lights, in Chennai? (Or online, but prefer to go out and buy)

All the ones that I have, at various times, brought back from London, have lasted various lengths of time but are dead now.

I would prefer smallish LED bulbs, multicolour, and need for diwalli ...and future festivals, I'd rather buy stuff that lasts.

[whencut86]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Can anyone tell me where to buy good-quality outdoor strings of lights, in Chennai? (Or online, but prefer to go out and buy)

All the ones that I have, at various times, brought back from London, have lasted various lengths of time but are dead now.

I would prefer smallish LED bulbs, multicolour, and need for diwalli ...and future festivals, I'd rather buy stuff that lasts.

Most of the lighting shops are along Anna Salai at Teynampet. So you would have to check them in person. I have also seen these string lights or LED Strip lights available at local electrical stores as well. They stock a few branded ones like Havells or Anchor as well.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Can anyone tell me where to buy good-quality outdoor strings of lights, in Chennai? (Or online, but prefer to go out and buy)

Right after Gemini flyover, towards SunTV office there're plethora of shops lighting Chennai for decades (only difficulty is driving/riding straight ahead, take U turn). OR, from SunTV office, if you travel towards Gemini flyover, you can spot them right to your left side much ahead of Gemini flyover.

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Can anyone tell me where to buy good-quality outdoor strings of lights, in Chennai? (Or online, but prefer to go out and buy)

I would prefer smallish LED bulbs, multicolour, and need for diwalli ...and future festivals, I'd rather buy stuff that lasts.

Have you looked at Philips' marathon led ropes?

https://www.amazon.in/Philips-Marath.../dp/B07Z7LL264

Pretty sure that would last a while