3 ms·

Isn't it incredibly dangerous to disassemble microwaves?

cronix 5y ago
Absolutely, for people who do not know what they are doing. Anything with high voltage capacitors is dangerous unless you know how to safely discharge them, and the magnetron in microwaves specifically.
- rcoumet 5y ago
  This is borderline FUD, just like people arguing that kernel programming is dangerous, when it's just another programming environment.
- kragen 5y ago
  Yeah, you're absolutely right. A bug in kernel programming might erase your filesystem and require you to restore from backups; a bug in handling high-voltage capacitors erases you.
rcoumet 5y ago
No, it's not. Just basic safety around capacitor, don't take a deep breath around the magnetron or shatter it / grind it into fine dust, and you'll be fine.
taylorportman 5y ago
The magnetron can have insulators made of a toxic substance that can be dangerous as a dust. This guy is just using the transformer for it's convenient laminates and primary winding - probably could have used a similar transformer with suitable current handling capacity but dead microwave ovens are fairly common. I have 3
- summm 5y ago
  Some beryllium ceramics I heard...
  - CapstanRoller 5y ago
    Only dangerous if you grind/crush the very obvious pink ceramic and inhale the dust. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berylliosis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berylliosis Modern magnetrons tend to use alumina-based ceramics instead.
  - userbinator 5y ago
    As far as I can tell, that's a myth --- beryllia was only used in military radar magnetrons, not consumer microwave oven ones. It is extremely expensive, its other characteristics are not required, and its toxicity requires special handling measures during manufacturing, so alumina is used instead.
CamperBob2 5y ago
Nah. You'll live.
CapstanRoller 5y ago
It's less dangerous than servicing CRT televisions/monitors. If you know how to safely discharge the big capacitor and never try to energize (or dismantle) the magnetron, it's pretty benign.

Absolutely, for people who do not know what they are doing. Anything with high voltage capacitors is dangerous unless you know how to safely discharge them, and the magnetron in microwaves specifically.

rcoumet 5y ago
This is borderline FUD, just like people arguing that kernel programming is dangerous, when it's just another programming environment.
kragen 5y ago
Yeah, you're absolutely right. A bug in kernel programming might erase your filesystem and require you to restore from backups; a bug in handling high-voltage capacitors erases you.

rcoumet 5y ago

No, it's not. Just basic safety around capacitor, don't take a deep breath around the magnetron or shatter it / grind it into fine dust, and you'll be fine.

taylorportman 5y ago

The magnetron can have insulators made of a toxic substance that can be dangerous as a dust. This guy is just using the transformer for it's convenient laminates and primary winding - probably could have used a similar transformer with suitable current handling capacity but dead microwave ovens are fairly common. I have 3

summm 5y ago
Some beryllium ceramics I heard...
- CapstanRoller 5y ago
  Only dangerous if you grind/crush the very obvious pink ceramic and inhale the dust. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berylliosis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berylliosis Modern magnetrons tend to use alumina-based ceramics instead.
- userbinator 5y ago
  As far as I can tell, that's a myth --- beryllia was only used in military radar magnetrons, not consumer microwave oven ones. It is extremely expensive, its other characteristics are not required, and its toxicity requires special handling measures during manufacturing, so alumina is used instead.

CamperBob2 5y ago

Nah. You'll live.

CapstanRoller 5y ago

It's less dangerous than servicing CRT televisions/monitors. If you know how to safely discharge the big capacitor and never try to energize (or dismantle) the magnetron, it's pretty benign.