The following SouthFloridaApplianceTechnicians poll is now closed.  Here are the
final results:


POLL QUESTION: Which appliance seems to create
the most problems for electrical
troubleshooting?

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- Washers, 1 votes, 16.67%
- Dryers, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Ranges, 4 votes, 66.67%
- Refrigerators, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Microwaves, 1 votes, 16.67%

INDIVIDUAL VOTES
- Washers
      - migdious@...
- Dryers
- Ranges
      - zeus5295@...
      - dbrancatelli@...
      - dolphinz_us@...
      - mpolli@...
- Refrigerators
- Microwaves
      - hackrbum@...


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The following SouthFloridaApplianceTechnicians poll is now closed.  Here are the
final results:


POLL QUESTION: Which Manufacturer's washing machine is
the most diffucult to service. Based on
washers manufactured after 1995.

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- Frigidaire, 0 votes, 0.00%
- General Electric, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Maytag, 1 votes, 50.00%
- Whirlpool, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Amana, 1 votes, 50.00%

INDIVIDUAL VOTES
- Frigidaire
- General Electric
- Maytag
      - mpolli@...
- Whirlpool
- Amana
      - dolphinz_us@...


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1.    Washers
2.    Microwaves
3.    Glass top stoves
4.    Refrigerators, Ice Machines, Dehumidifiers
5.    Dryers
6.    Dishwasher/pumps
7.    Microwaves and some ranges
8.    Dryers, Some window AC's
9.    Range, Dryers, Washers, AC's, Microwaves
10.   Gas Oven
11.   Washers and Dishwasher Drains
12.   Refrigerators, Washers, Dishwasher
13.   Range Surface Units
14.   Microwaves, Washers, AC's, Refrigerators
15.   Dryers
16.   Dryers, Refrigerator Ice Makers, Microwaves
17.   Microwaves
18.   Microwaves
19.   Microwaves, Washers Motor Controls, Induction Cooktop Ranges
20.   Washers
21.   Washer, Dryer, Dishwashers(Older Maytags)
22.   Compactors
23.   almost all applinces use some sort of timers
24.   Ranges, Microwaves and some new refrigerators
25.   All Electronic Appliances

The spacesaver GE microwaves model SCA1000DWW03 came from the factory
with a programming error, they shut off after forty days. If you
unplug the microwave then reconnect it it will shut off again. The
smart board needs replacement the part number for this model is
WB27X10563. The replacement board is the same part number as the
defective part but should have the problem corrected when ordered
good luck in the field and happy troubleshooting.

Identify the type off appliance or appliances you may find the
following parts. The results will be posted on 4/23/02

1. Reversible two speed motor
2. Diode
3. Halogen element
4. Condenser Fan
5. Thermostat 150 degrees
6. Macerator
7. Fuse
8. One speed two shaft motor
9. Selector Switch
10. Safety Valve
11. Check Valve
12. Water Inlet Valve
13. Infinite Switch
14. Capacitor
15. Bias Heater
16. Thermal Fuse
17. Magnetron
18. Triac
19. Inverter Board
20. Clutch
21. Belt
22. Drive Chain
23. Timer
24. Clock
25. Control Board

Recently we ran into an issue of recovering freon. This was easy
connect a storage tank then pump the system down, but now what do you
do with the captured refrigerant?

Well a new cylinder that is being phased into use is similar to
Amana's Charcoal filter system. This tank can be used for different
refrigerants and really the pressure is not captured. Just the
refrigerant compounds are absorbed.

A demonstration was done today with refrigerant cylinder. A freon
tank was connected directly to to this recovery tank and then opened.
The tank has a second valve that can be left wide open to let the
pressure out. As the tank was opened an electronic leak detector was
placed at the opening of the tank and did not detect any flouro
carbons or chlorocarbons leaking out.

The tank box actually supplies a location on it to keep records of
how much freon was recovered, date, and time. Once the tank has
recoverd as much as it was designed to, the tank is then sent to the
manufacturer.

Next week I will post and have pictures of the cylinder, the name of
the company who provides this device and how much it costs etc.

Talk to you later
Richard.

Today I had an interesting problem. The washers would wash but when
the motor stops it would not restart it would just hum in spin and
wash. My first thought was there was something in the pump. I opened
the cabinet and removed the pump. I turned the motor to see if it was
jammed without the pump connected. The motor turned freely. I jumped
out the quick disconnect on the cabinet, and turned the washer on
spin and it ran. I stopped the washer then restarted it just hummed.

I tried to turn the motor to see if it stuck after running but it was
free. Upon further inspection of the motor, I looked inside the motor
at the centrifugal mechanism, and found one of the two springs that
help reset the switch when the motor stops was missing. So the motor
would start but when it stopped the centrifugal switch would not
reset to send power to the start winding and the motor would just hum.

Here are the answers to the test.

1.  120VAC at Primary winding
     3.8VAC at Secondary winding
     2000VAC at Secondary winding

2.  4

3.  Doubles to voltage from the high voltage winding of the
transformer to 3800VAC

4.  Converts the 3800VAC to 3800VDC Pulsating

5.  3.8VAC
     3800 VDC Pulsating

6.  3.8VAC heat up the filament windings inside the magnetron to stir
up the magnetic field.
     3800VDC creates the magnetic waves which come off of the
magnetron.

7.  The high voltage wire from the transformer goes to the capacitor
by itself the resst of the wires and diode goes to the other side.

Here is the second test posted if you did not get it with your e-mail
check the April Folder in the files section of this site.

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the
SouthFloridaApplianceTechnicians
group.

   File        : /Tests April/Microwave test april15.doc
   Uploaded by : dolphinz_us <dolphinz_us@...>
   Description : Test Microwaves 2nd test.

You can access this file at the URL

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SouthFloridaApplianceTechnicians/files/Tests%20Apr\
il/Microwave%20test%20april15.doc

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Regards,

dolphinz_us <dolphinz_us@...>

Check out the link to this wesite a real in depth site with how
microwaves work and lots of pictures, and even repair tips.
http://www.gallawa.com/microtech/how_work.html

How do microwaves work?
Q: Our county is conducting a science fair for all the local schools.
My parter and I and doing research on "What happens when certain
material is placed in a microwave?" I've searched everywhere but I
can't find a list on various materials. Could you please write back
listing the results when these materials are placed in a microwave
for about 10 minutes?
- paper
- plastic
- metal ......why is this so forbiden?
- glass
- gold
- silver
- certain liquids
.....and anything else that you can think of. Please write back
before this Friday...if possible, because we will have to test your
results for our grade. Thanks a whole lot!!!
Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Neetu Mathew

   Neetu (age 13)
Huntington Catholic
Huntington, IN, USA


A: Neetu -

It sounds like you've got a really interesting science project. But
let me say first that I would recommend that you should NOT do it! Or
if you do do it, do it with a microwave that no one will ever want to
use again, because you will probably destroy the microwave if you run
it for very long without any water inside. Also, if you do do it,
make sure there's an adult around in case something catches on fire.

Microwaves work by shooting tiny waves called microwaves through
food. Microwaves are a lot like light waves, except that they're a
lot bigger. When the microwaves go through the food, they make the
water molecules vibrate. (This is because water molecules happen to
have positive and negative ends and respond to the electric fields
generated by the waves. The explanation for this is a bit tricky, but
that's the general idea.) Molecules other than water won't be
affected by this much.

If you put a cup of water (or anything with water in it) into the
microwave, nearly all of the microwaves are absorbed by the water. If
you run the microwave without anything in it, the microwaves aren't
absorbed by anything except for the microwave itself. There are
certain parts in the microwave that can be damaged by absorbing
microwaves. This is why you should not run a microwave empty or
without anything with water inside in it. (Remember that food has
water in it.)

Microwaves can go straight through most (but not all) kinds of paper,
plastic or glass with no effect, so running the microwave with just
paper, plastic, or glass inside should in most cases be about the
same as if there were nothing inside at all. (This is why many
microwaveable foods are in containers made of these things.)

But microwaves can not go through metal (including gold and silver).
When they hit the metal, they are reflected, just like light off a
mirror. If there is only metal inside the microwave, this is even
worse than running it with nothing inside, because the microwaves
will be reflected right back into the parts of the microwave that
will be damaged. Also, if the metal has sharp points or bends or odd
things about its shape, you can get sparks or arcs of electricity
between two points on the metal. This can cause the microwave to
catch on fire. (This why you should never put metal twist-ties in the
microwave. The sharp points of the metal create sparks that cause the
paper of the twist-tie to burn.)

In theory, if you were to put the metal piece inside of some water,
it should cause the water to heat up more quickly, because the metal
will reflect stray microwaves back into the water. But you should not
put two pieces of metal within 1/2 inch of each other or the edge of
the microwave. The microwave has some metal in its walls to reflect
microwaves back into the food, and you can get electric arcs between
the sides of the microwave and metal pieces inside. But I would not
recommend trying anything with metal in the microwave (even if
it /should/ be safe), because you run the risk of something
unexpected happening.

Different liquids should heat up fine. The bigger the proportion of
water there is in them, the faster they'll heat up. You could
probably make a very good experiment just out of looking at different
liquids (and/or foods with water in them). You could also consider
how well the microwave heats liquids in different shapes/sizes of
containers...and possibly find out what the best type of container is
to use in the microwave. Another thing you could do is to get some
relatively solid food and find out which parts of it heat up first by
measuring the temperature at different places inside after heating it
for different amounts of time.

But you really shouldn't do any sort of experiment where you run the
microwave without any water inside, especially not with metal inside.

Last month we discussed the four components and testing of a
microwave, now lets discuss the operation and purpose of these four
components.

Transformer, Capacitor, Diode, and Magnetron

The transformer has three windings the first is the primary winding
or where power goes in (120VAC). The outlet of the transformer is
called the secondary windings, in the case of a microwave there are
two windings. One of the secondary windings is a high voltage winding
it takes the 120vac from the primary and increases it to nearly
2000VAC. One of the terminals of the 2000V winding goes to the
capacitor the other end of the winding goes to ground. If you look
closely you can see a rivet where the other end of the winding is
attached to main body of the transformer. To test this winding you
need to test from the high voltage terminal to ground. The other
secondary winding is a low voltage winding (3.8VAC). This winding is
called the filament winding. One wire goes to the capacitor opposite
the high voltage lead from the transformer. The other wire goes
directly to the magnetron. This voltage heats up the filament inside
the magnetron.

The capacitor has two sets of terminals. The high voltage wire from
the transformer goes by itself on the capacitor, and all of the rest
of the wires goes to the opposite set of the capacitor terminals. The
purpose of the capacitor is to store the high voltage then discharge
it through the ground end of the HV side of the transformer. This
discharge creates a doubling effect of the voltage raising it almost
to 3800VAC.

The diode goes from the capacitor to ground. The purpose of the diode
is to convert ac voltage to dc. It only let's current flow in one
direction. When the high voltage passes through the diode it creates
a pulsating effect approximately 3800VDC, when this reaches the
magnetron it helps produce the heat.

The magnetron is the heart of the microwave it is where the radio
waves come from to create the heating effect. The magnetron has two
magnets in side that is close together and creates a very strong
magnetic field. The filament inside the magnetron heats up and starts
to disturb the magnetic field. Example, a pot of water is the same as
the magnetic field, and the filament heats up like an element causing
the water to boil. Then the high voltage pulse strikes the magnetic
filed like hitting the pot of water with a stick. The strike causes
water to splash out of the pot in one direction where the magnetic
waves are sent off of the tip in a circular motion. Similar to the
wave when water drops hits a puddle.

The pulsing action of the DC voltage goes like this, The average
voltage supply is 120VAC 60 Hertz cycle. That means there are sixty
complete cycles a second. One cycle is like a complete circle. It
consists of one Positive pulse then one Negative pulse. If there are
60 complete cycles that means there are 120 pulses a second. The
diode only allows the negative pulse to pass through and strike the
magnetron. Therefore the microwaves from the magnetron pulse 60 times
a second with the force of 3,800 Volts Pulsating DC.

Maytag To Acquire Amana; Extend Premium Brand Strategy and Solidify
Position in Major Appliance Industry


     NEWTON, Iowa, June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Maytag Corporation (NYSE:
MYG)
announced today it has entered into an agreement to acquire Amana
Appliances
from Goodman Global Holding Company, Inc.  Goodman, a privately held
company,
purchased Amana in 1997.  Maytag will pay $325 million, with
approximately 95
percent in cash and the remainder in Maytag stock.  The acquisition,
which is
subject to regulatory approval and normal adjustments at closing, is
expected
to close during the third quarter.  Included in the agreement are
Amana's
major appliance and commercial microwave oven businesses.  The
purchase does
not include Amana's home and commercial heating and air conditioning
businesses.  Goodman will retain the heating and air conditioning
division
that manufactures Amana branded HVAC products.  Together, the
acquired Amana
businesses will add approximately $900 million to Maytag's
consolidated annual
sales and the acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings in
2002,
during the first full year of operation, excluding any one-time
charges.
         In making the announcement, Maytag president and CEO Leonard
A. Hadley
said, "Immediately, we gain significant strengths with the addition
of the
Amana brand and product lineup.  First, Amana extends our premium
brand
strategy in major appliances and provides an important new
opportunity in
channel and brand management.  Second, we gain a premium brand in
refrigeration with strong consumer preference. Amana's core strength
and
heritage product line is refrigeration, which historically has been
our
weakest product category.  Third, we gain accelerated product design
and
engineering in major appliances that can save us substantial
development work
and investment.  Plus, we gain cross-sourcing manufacturing
opportunities in
all product categories.
     "Adding the Amana brand redefines our major appliance business,
our
premium brand presence, and our position in the industry."
     Commenting on the sale of Amana, Goodman Chairman John Goodman
said, "We
believe this transaction will preserve and strengthen one of the best
known
major appliance brands in America and surround it with other premium
brands.
It is a natural strategic fit for Maytag and it enables us to focus
on our
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning businesses."
     Amana Appliances CEO Charles A. Carroll added that Amana has made
substantial investments in building its brand, redesigning its
product lines,
and developing new relationships with leading retailers during the
past three
years.  "We're proud of those accomplishments," Carroll said, "and
believe
combining the strengths of Amana and Maytag now will result in the
most
contemporary and advanced brand and product offerings in the appliance
industry, as well as unique opportunities to combine best practices
and talent
across the two organizations."
     Amana Appliances will be integrated into Maytag's major appliance
division, which is comprised of Maytag, Jenn-Air, Magic Chef, and
Admiral
brands.  William L. Beer is president of the division.  "We expect to
gain the
maximum efficiency possible through the acquisition," Beer said, "and
that
will require making decisions around duplication in some business
functions
and activities.  While it is premature to indicate how decisions will
be made,
we fully intend to blend the two organizations, taking strengths and
best
practices from each and matching those against the needs of our
business."
     Hadley concluded by saying, "Amana is an Iowa-based company with
a premium
brand heritage remarkably similar to Maytag's.  The Amana name is
well known
in our industry and among consumers.  It is a proud tradition and one
we are
proud to add to Maytag's heritage.  We believe the cultures of our two
companies are very compatible, and our geographic proximity will be an
advantage as we integrate the Amana business into Maytag."

Wards closing provides opportunities
In a significant expansion of its retail and national
product service businesses, Sears has added 18 former
Wards department stores and 10 freestanding auto
centers to its retail base, and could potentially
service approximately 2.4 million former Wards service
contract customers under an agreement with Aon
Innovative Solutions. In addition, Sears will acquire
certain assets of Wards national repair business, A&E
Signature Service.
Sears plans to remodel and reopen the former Wards
retail locations by the spring of 2002. Four of the
Wards locations will be converted to The Great
Indoors, Sears innovative remodeling and decorating
retail concept, which was launched in the Denver area
in 1998. Fourteen of the former Wards locations will
be converted to Sears stores with Sears Auto Centers
attached to three of these stores. The 10 freestanding
former Wards Automotive Centers will be converted to
Sears Auto Centers.

Whirlpool, Sears form service partnership
New joint venture will take over servicing, repairs

By Neal Haldane / Special to The Detroit News


  DETROIT -- Whirlpool will be relying on a partnership
with Sears when it comes to servicing its Whirlpool
and KitchenAid appliances.
    The two companies have formed a venture called A&E
Factory Service LLC, which started in January, said
Ann Woolman, a senior public relations manager at
Sears.
    "We do expect A&E to be managing service calls for
Whirlpool products," Woolman said about the joint
venture. Neither company would release details about
the financial terms of the agreement.
    "A&E has made offers to Whirlpool technicians, and
90 percent have agreed to work under A&E," she said.
"About 400 Whirlpool Factory Service technicians
nationwide have agreed to work under the A&E name. An
additional 100 are currently being hired across the
country."
About a half-dozen of those new workers will handle
service calls in the Grand Rapids area, Woolman said.
    While the company will initially focus on Whirlpool
brands, Woolman expects A&E will service appliances
from other manufacturers and reach customers neither
company is currently servicing.
    Sears current service business, Sears Home Central,
will continue to operate with its 12,000 technicians,
and Sears will continue to sell Whirlpool products
under the Kenmore appliance brand name, Woolman said.
    The transition to A&E is now under way and has
affected about 18 Whirlpool technicians in the Detroit
area and another five in Benton Harbor, according to
Stephen Duthie, manager in global communications for
Whirlpool.
    "It's a much more efficient way of providing
service to folks,particularly in areas that weren't
covered well," he said.
    The transition will continue throughout the year
with Whirlpool fielding calls from its customers and
scheduling service appointments for A&E technicians,
Duthie said. The A&E name will be phased in on
technician identification, customer documentation and
service vans early this year, Duthie added.
    The switch should have little impact on the
appliance service industry in the Detroit area, said
Ed Soulliere, manager of Homeline Appliance in Redford
Township. Customers are loyal to their repair
providers and won't necessarily jump to a new company,
Soulliere said.
    "Anyone in our business that is an honest company
has a good following," he said. "Most of our business
is repeat business."

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
SouthFloridaApplianceTechnicians group:

Here are the test results, please post
your grade in the poll.
1.  D
2.  C
3.  D
4.  D
5.  C

   o Minus 0      A
   o Minus 1      B
   o Minus 2      C
   o Minus 3 - 5 Need to Read the articles


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not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the
SouthFloridaApplianceTechnicians
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   File        : /Tests April/1st of weekly quizes.doc
   Uploaded by : dolphinz_us <dolphinz_us@...>
   Description : First test

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Here in the South Florida Area air conditioners seem to run almost
all year round.  Due to the constant use and high temperatures create
a big stress on the compressor and fan motors. Most manufacturers
recommend having a yearly check up before the high temperatures
begin. This article will be part one of two that describe routine
checks that should be made to save energy and possibly costly repairs
in the future, not to mention the savings of electrical energy when
the air conditioner is running at it's best.

Part one will be about wall and window air conditioners, part two
will be about central air conditioners. Most of the tests should
remain the same, but central air conditioners usually carry more
components so we will save that one for later in the week.

The first test should be checking the coils (Evaporator, Condenser)
check that they are clean and air is passing easily through them, if
you can use a flashlight and check see if light passes through all of
the coils if not they need to be cleaned. There are two types of coil
cleaner, soap based and an acid based cleaner. The soapy cleaner
cleans the coils when there is just dirt on the coils, and the acid
works well with algae or smoke tar stains. Please follow all
directions on the bottles of cleaners for use and safety procedures.
While cleaning the coils note the drain passage that comes between
the evaporator and condenser area. This area should be clear of any
obstructions so the evaporator water can drain to the out the back of
the unit. While cleaning the unit it should be moved outside and care
should be taken not to get water from a hose inside the control panel
area or the fan motor windings. You can use a plastic bag and some
tape to cover and protect those items.

While the unit is out check all wires on the compressor, capacitors
and, controls for signs of corrosion and burning, replace as
necessary. Check the fan motor they usually have plastic stops on
both ends of the motor which can be removed to allow oiling, if there
are none the motor is factory oiled then sealed and there is not much
you can do to oil the motor.

Once the air conditioner is cleaned and wires have been checked
reinstall the unit and run it for 10 to 15 minutes. Using a pocket
thermometer test the temperature of the air entering the evaporator
then check the temperature of the air entering the room the
temperature should be between 15 and 20 degrees colder coming out,
some units may be higher. This temperature difference is good if it
is less, use your hand and touch each loop of the evaporator to see
if it is cold and sweating with moisture. If the unit loops are cold
an sweating this usually means there is a full charge of freon and
the unit is doing it's job. If the coils are not cold from top to
bottom or ice is forming on the first few loops of the evaporator, it
may be necessary to check the sealed system pressures for Freon leaks
or a refrigerant restriction. Testing Freon pressures should always
be the last test to make on a wall or window units since they do not
come from the factory with access valves. Good luck in your test and
send email if you have any questions or Ideas to add.

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
SouthFloridaApplianceTechnicians group:

Which appliance seems the most create
the most problems for electrical
troubleshooting?

   o Microwaves
   o Washers
   o Dryers
   o Ranges
   o Refrigerators


To vote, please visit the following web page:

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not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

Check photo album for more detailed pictures on the glass top stove

Note this information is designed to assist qualified and well
trained technicians, if you follow these steps remember it is your
responsiblilty to follow all safety precautions necessary when
working on equipment connected to a power source.

The surface element of a glass top range is basically a coil type
burner.  The main difference between the operation and repair of the
glass top element from the standard coil type burner is the limit
switch connected to the glass top element.  In a no heat condition
you can check the terminals on the element for 240 VAC directly by
turning the infinite switch on. If you do not have 240VAC at the
element you need to test the limit switch, but before I tell you how
to test it lets describe the purpose of the limit switch and what
goes on inside.  The limit switch is a temperature sensitive set of
contacts, similar to a thermostat.  There are 4 terminals with 2
switches inside. One switch is a normally closed contact when the
element is cold. This switch contact carries the current for the
element from H2 on the infinite switch then goes to one of the
terminals on the surface element, H1 from the infinite switch goes
directly to the other burner terminal.  You can see the wire from the
element go directly to the limit switch, which is usually attached to
the limit switch by a soldered terminal.  The contact in that limit
switch is there to protect the glass top stove from shattering. The
contact will open if the temperature gets to high then reset itself
when it cools down. Some customers complain when the burner is on
high the element still seems to cycle on and off, this is normal. The
burner will not stay red like a standard coil burner system.  The
second contact is normally open; one of these terminals has power the
entire time even if the surface infinite switch is in the off
position.  The purpose of this switch is to warn the customer if the
surface temperature of the glass gets to hot. When a specified
temperature is reached these sets of contacts in the limit switch
close, and send power to an indicator light under the glass top
cooking area.  This light will come on usually within a minute of
turning the element on and will remain on after the surface element
is turned off. These contacts will open and turn the light off after
the tops cools to a safe temperature.  When a customer complains the
light stays on for days and never shuts off even when the top is cold
the limit switch needs to be replaced. Some of these switches require
the replacement of the entire burner with the switch.

Now getting back to our repair, if you do not have 240VAC to the
surface element terminals, leaving one meter lead on the burner test
the wire going to the limit switch coming from the infinite switch.
*** Note Most Manufacturers color-code their wires for each element.
If the wire going to the surface element is blue then the limit
switch will most likely have one blue wire going to it. Put your
meter leads on those wires and test for 240VAC if you have 240 there
the limit switch is defective, if you do not have voltage test your
infinite switch or connecting wires.

Good Luck:
Richard Zilka

Frigidaire refrigerators like most new brands have new internal
filters whcih requires the refrigerator to have more than one water
valve assembly. The main water inlet valve on some units is a single
valve before the filter assembly. After the filter the water valve is
a dual assembly one for water on the door and the second for the Ice
maker.

Recently I had a refrigerator that was not making Ice, and the Ice
maker had no water or Ice in it. So i assumed the first inlet valve
was good (Because the water on the door worked) so I changed the
second (Double Inlet Valve) cycled the Icemaker and it filled.

The customer called back and said the ice maker only made that once
cycle of Ice, I cycled the icemaker by hand and it filled again. Then
I decided maybe the switch in the icemaker to send power to the valve
may be intermittent so I replace that.  It filled and I left.

The customer called back and said it only worked once, I called
factory service and asked about the diodes in the circuit with the
valves, they said that the first inlet valve gets a 110v supplied to
it when you select water on the door, but the valve only get about
60v to itduring the icemaker cycle, if the first inlet valve was weak
it will not open all the time.

I replaced the valve and it took care of the problem. ***NOTE I
recommend replaceing both valve assemblies when having a fill or
delivery tube icemaker freezes up this will save multiple recalls
like this one.***

Good Luck in the field
Richard

All microwave use the same for main components for creating heat.

They are Magnetron, Diode, Capacitor, and High Voltage transformer.
To test these components i recommend using the Universal M110A brand
and model unit. This meter is the one that i found in all the meters
tested that is inexpensive enough but can still test the resistance
of a diode.

Fans, light, turntable works but no heat.

When testing a run but no heat condition the first test is for 120VAC
to primary winding of the the transformer, with the unit running. If
you have 120V then you need to disconnect the power source and
discharge the capacitor for safety then test the capacitor for
continuity.

Capacitor testing should be done with the meter set on the highest
scale the needle should jump them return slowly back to infinity. if
it goes up and does not return it is shorted and needs to be
replaced. If it tests good test the diode. The diode should be tested
on the 10K scale (**Note not all meters are powerful enough to test
the resistance of the diode) The meter should show 50,000 ohms in one
direction then infinity when the meter leads are reversed. if it
shows 0 ohms replace the diode it is shorted. if the diode and the
capacitor test good the transformer can be tested by ohms as well.
there are three windings primary and two secondaries. The high
voltage winding needs to be tested from one terminal to ground.
***Note you need to set your meter to the lowest scale RX1 and zero
it out real good resistance values are close but not equal to 0 ohms.
if the tranformer is bad usually it is visible by smell or burns. If
the magnetron smells like an electrical burn or gets very hot to the
touch it is most likely bad. Usually if the capacitor and diode check
good, I replace the Magnetron first.

Good luck I will be posting more on microwaves as well as test
questions soon, there will be diagrams uploaded in the file section
when the questions are ready.

If you are readintg these posts and wuold like information on types
of product operation or testing please let me know.
Good troubleshooting.

Richard Zilka
Moderator
dolphinz_us@...

Her is a tip about a dryer timer not advancing:

Recently I had a GE dryer where the timer did not advance, the cycle
was automatic dry. During that cycle the timer motor gets it's power
from the opoerating thermostat.  When the heater is on the timer does
not advance, once the tenmperature of approximately 140 degrees is
reached the operating thermosta opens the circuit to the heater then
sends power to the timer motor. To test the unit I set the dryer in
auto dry set my meter on 120v ac scale and tested to see if the
thermostat opens and power was being sent to the timer motor. I heard
the click of the thermostat opening and my meter showed me a reading
120V so I ordered a timer. I replaced the timer and the customer
called back the next day saying the problem was the same. In testing
further I noticed the High limit thermostat was the one opening due
to a restricted exhaust on the roof, the voltage reading I was
getting was a feedback reading through the heater. I cleared the vent
and the problem was solved. I didn't need to replace the timer even
though the problem looked like the timer wasn't advancing. It was
agood thing the dryer was under contract because I wouldn't be able
to return it for credit.

Here is the first of weekly tips that will be given to help make your
life easier. We look forward to hearing your comments.

When testing a washing machine, first test the spin cycle before fill
or wash. This test will let you know if the main drive motor is
working before you fill the wash tub with water.  If that works fill
the washer only a quarter of the way then drain the washer to check
for leaks or a no drain problem, if that checks ok then check the
wash cycle.

Many times a technicin would fill the washer on high and find out the
belt is broken or motor does not work and now they are stuck draining
the washer manually to move it around for service.

Posted By:
Richard Zilka
Instructor:
Major Appliance  and Refrigeration Repair
Miami Lakes Education Center

Check out the file catagory for a power point presentation on EPA
Certification, The file is not completed but contains a lot of useful
information to get you started.

EPA Certification info can be provided by E-mailing,
dolphinz_us@.... I am a registered proctor for the exam an can
set up testing schedules for individuals as well as groups of people
in the Miami, Ft Lauderdale area.

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
SouthFloridaApplianceTechnicians group:

Which Manufacturer's washing machine is
the most diffucult to service. Based on
washers manufactured after 1995.

   o Amana
   o Frigidaire
   o General Electric
   o Maytag
   o Whirlpool


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SouthFloridaApplianceTechnicians/polls

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

These are the fault codes for maytag and magic chef ranges.

F0,F1, F7 this is a stuck button or a bad membrane switch. The way to
test it is to unplug the switch from the clock, if it stil shows F1
Replace the clock, if the time shows, then replace the touch pad.
On the wall ovens the control panel is one unit and the pad is built
into the glass.
Some models which have the glass on the horizontal pad
you can just peel off the pad and put a new one on.
The Horizontal, you can order the pad , but it is not
that much in stock. I just replace the glass.

F2 Relay is bad, replace the board, or if the relay is part of the
clock, replace the clock.

F3,F4 is a oven sensor.

F5,F6,F8 clock is bad.