Great Article on Microwave Ovens - Most All are made in the same factory

wdk450

Well-known member
Gang:
I just went through an emergency replacement of my built in microwave oven in my 08 Bighorn I fulltime in. I have been through about 3 of the original Apollos early in my ownership, Then Got a Sharp (premium brand I thought) Model R309YK about 5 years ago. It had the right external dimensions. but I had to move the external fan from the Apollo oven, and shift around the footings mount adapter placement on the microwave compartment floor. In the last year the front panel buttons stopped working 1 by 1, until the always needed "Start" button quit last week. I could never locate a parts source for the Sharp control panel.

When the Sharp quit last Saturday, I got online countertop microwave searching by external dimensions (H W D 12"x20.3"x15.6") and came up with the Magic Chef Model HMM1110B. I found that Home Depot had these on pre black Friday week sale for about $89. Other brands with models that fit this dimension spec were in the $200 range. There are about 12 Home Depots here in the San Diego area, and none of them anywhere close to my location had it in stock. I ended up driving 70 miles each way to Vista, Ca. (near Escondido) to get one. I did the installation mods on the microwave and enclosure cabinet, repaired the broken plastic trim panel, and got it all working.

I am less than delighted with the hard push pressure needed for the new control panel, though. I am thinking it probably won't last long, and then started an online search for a spare touchpanel. During this parts search i came across a GREAT website on consumer microwave ovens. Besides starting out with their recommended best ones, it also has in depth explanation of the current cheap manufacturing by most all brands in the same plant in China, the short new oven life expectancy, etc. It is well worth getting down to the the text beyond the evaluations in this article.

Here is the link: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-microwave/
 
Hello, wdk450! I have an Apollo 1/2 Time Microwave in my newly purchased 2010 Big Horn 3410re 5th Wheel that does work but the rotating plate does not rotate and after nuking, the interior is soaking wet. That can't be good? Not a mechanic, carpenter or electrician. Any advice?
 

wdk450

Well-known member
If you do not feel comfortable doing ANY of the work to remove the oven from the cabinetry for servicing, I would suggest finding a local Mobile RV Repairer (try web searching, or looking in RVServiceReviews.com) to remove the microwave from the cabinet. The RV repairer may know of a microwave appliance repairer. If not again do web searches for microwave oven repair, and call these vendors. If that is unsuccessful, measure your Apollo's exterior dimensions, and see if you can find a replacement that will fit the opening. From what i have read on RV forums, people aren't to successful in finding a replacement, and have to go with a standard countertop microwave only (NOT MICROWAVE CONVECTION) for a replacement (As I did). Again the Mobile RV Repairer could install it for you.
There are a number of videos on the subject on You Tube - Here is the search link: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Removing+microwave+from+RV+cabinet

Good Luck!!
 

terapyo

Member
If you do not feel comfortable doing ANY of the work to remove the oven from the cabinetry for servicing, I would suggest finding a local Mobile RV Repairer (try web searching, or looking in RVServiceReviews.com) to remove the microwave from the cabinet. The RV repairer may know of a microwave appliance repairer. If not again do web searches for microwave oven repair, and call these vendors. If that is unsuccessful, measure your Apollo's exterior dimensions, and see if you can find a replacement that will fit the opening. From what i have read on RV forums, people aren't to successful in finding a replacement, and have to go with a standard countertop microwave only (NOT MICROWAVE CONVECTION) for a replacement (As I did). Again the Mobile RV Repairer could install it for you.
There are a number of videos on the subject on You Tube - Here is the search link: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Removing+microwave+from+RV+cabinet

Good Luck!!
+1 on this amazing piece of advice
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Just an added suggestion to this thread that you need if you replace the microwave DESIGNED to be used in a cabinet enclosure with a tabletop microwave oven. The tabletop ovens need adequate ventilation to help cool the magnetron and the power transformer. The original Apollo oven that I originally had, was equipped with an external squirrel cage blower about 6 inches long hung on the back panel of the microwave, and wired into parallel with the internal blower fan in the microwave. As I changed out old broken microwaves for the new ones over the years, I moved this blower along to the new microwave. In my latest install, i just installed the blower on the wood cabinet base at the rear, with the blower tilted up to blow at the cooling vent holes on the back of the microwave. I used simple crimp on spade connectors on the wiring connecting the microwave internal fan to the external fan (female spade connectors on the microwave - live power- end of the connecting 2 wire cord).
 
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