Oven Cavity Thermal Cut Out

Removed microwave from enclosure and removed cover, hoping it was as simple as a blown fuse. Found extremely helpful diagnostic sheet thoughtfully provided by manufacturer in an envelope affixed to top of cavity. Fuse was fine, but tracing the power feed into the machine revealed that the oven cavity thermostat was open--no continuity across it, and the diagnostic sheet indicated that it was non-resettable. Verified the issue by temporarily by-passing the blown thermostat to ascertain that the front panel display got power. It took longer to get the screws for the cover and enclosure back on than it did to replace the thermostat, once I received the replacement part. Microwave works just fine now, thanks!

found fuse blown and heat damage to TCO sensor.

Fortunately, my brother-in-law suggested it might be the "cut out" switch. After unplugging the microwave, I opened it up and identified one of two cut outs and removed the wires from each side of the cut out. To test if that was the problem, I connected the two wires together, bypassing the cut out. When I plugged the unit back into the wall socket, the lights came back on, and i ran the microwave for a few seconds. It verified that this was the problem. I ordered the part and when it arrived, I removed it with a philips screw driver and replaced it with the new one. I replaced the screw, buttoned the unit back up, plugged it in, and saved a few hundred bucks on a replacement microwave, and as important, saved our landfills and planet a tiny but.

Took the cover off (removed the five screws, two of which were security screws off the back) and found one connector on the thermal cut out with its shielding melted. Very easy swap out of the new cut out and we were up and running as if new.

Took the cabinet off the microwave and checked for a fuse. Found that it was good, then checked for the voltage path to the controls and found the cavity thermal cut out was not conducting. Using a voltage meter to check things. Unplug the microwave for several of the tests. You must know how to work with electricity to do this. Installed the new part and the microwave now works. As a hint to what had happened my wife had heated a large casserole then right after that went to heat a smaller dish. At that time the microwave was hot and did not restart.

Per the troubleshooting diagram inside the microwave oven, I discovered the one of the TCO was open (using Ohmmeter). Found my microwave oven model on PartSelect and used the diagram to select the TCO needed and placed order. Part came in three days, installed new TCO, reconnected wires and the microwave oven was back working in 10 minutes.

I thought I was setting the timer only on the microwave and accidently cooked an empty oven for 10 minutes. It was dead and I used the schematic and figured out the problem. Got the part and installed in 10 or less minutes. Oven is back in action.

this is not fair to the do it yourself person because I have been an electrican for forty one years I removed the cover spotted the burnt limit switch ordered the part replaced the part and checked operation of the microwave thanks for the painless task of locating and ordering of needed part