Frigidaire microwaves are generally designed with durability and reliability in mind. However, like every other microwave, it is still susceptible to issues over time. Common issues such as breaker tripping can be a headache.
So, if you have a Frigidaire microwave oven that keeps on tripping the breaker, there are a number of reasons why it’s doing so.
In this article, we will show you how to determine why your microwave oven keeps tripping the breaker and how to fix it.
1. Your Microwave Oven is Overloading Your Circuit Breaker
Your Frigidaire microwave oven uses high amounts of energy to operate. In this case, it might be overloading your home’s circuit breaker.
Overloading is usually the culprit behind why your microwave oven is tripping the circuit breaker. Of course, this isn’t exactly limited to the microwave oven itself. If this is the case, the first thing you would want to do is to check if there are other electrical appliances running.
If there are, try to operate the microwave oven on its own without any other kitchen appliances running. You can also check if your microwave oven is on a dedicated circuit. However, if the issue persists, there might be other reasons why it keeps on tripping your circuit breaker.
2. Moisture Has Gotten into the Turntable Motor
Your Frigidaire microwave’s turntable motor after several years of use can have moisture seep into it. This may cause electrical issues and may cause the circuit breaker to trip.
Whenever you heat or cook your food in your microwave oven, there’s a chance that liquid or moisture can leak or seep within underneath the turntable. If this builds up, it may get into the turntable and cause electrical issues that can result in your home’s circuit breaker tripping.
In order to determine if your microwave oven’s turntable monitor is already faulty, you can use a multimeter to test for continuity. Unplug your microwave oven and discharge the capacitor. Once done, locate the turntable, which should be beneath the microwave oven.
Once you get access to it, test out the turntable motor by placing the probes of the multimeter of the terminals to check for continuity. If it’s already faulty, you will need to have it replaced. In order to get the correct part or model number for the replacement, you can check with the manual that came with your microwave oven.
If you’re not sure what to do or how to replace it, get in touch with a certified technician or a Frigidaire service center in your area to get it replaced.
3. One or More of the Door Switches Have Gone Bad
The door switch of your Frigidaire microwave oven is already faulty, resulting in a blown fuse or your circuit breaker tripping.
As a safety measure, microwave ovens typically have multiple door switches to ensure that the door is closed whenever you operate it. However, due to normal usage, wear and tear occur and it can degrade over time.
If one or multiple door switches are faulty, your microwave oven will not work normally, and it might lead to its fuse blowing or your circuit tripping.
A solution to this is to test out the switches with a multimeter to check for continuity. The first step to this is to unplug the microwave oven and discharge the capacitor for safety. Open the microwave oven and then locate the microswitches of the door latch. Once you have disconnected the electrical connectors, you can then test out the switches for continuity. If there’s no reading, you will need to replace the switch.
As a word of warning, microwave ovens are capable of storing high amounts of electricity that is lethal. If you are uncomfortable performing the repair yourself, bring your microwave oven to the nearest certified technician or the official Frigidaire service center.
4. Your Microwave Oven’s Timer is Jammed
Your Frigidaire microwave oven’s timer is jammed, causing the circuit breaker to trip.
A microwave oven’s timer can be mechanical or even electronic by design. If it happens that the timer’s electrical contacts get damaged, it could be a reason why your circuit breaker is tripping or even the fuse blowing.
As a caution to the readers, replacing your microwave oven’s timer may require opening the microwave oven itself. Since you’ll need the correct parts and deal with high-voltage parts in order to replace it, it would be best to leave it to a professional technician or bring it to a local Frigidaire service center to perform the job for you.
5. The High-Voltage Capacitor is Already Defective
The high-voltage capacitor of your Frigidaire microwave is already defective, causing the circuit breaker to trip.
Basically, a high-voltage capacitor in a microwave oven is responsible for converting the output of the transformer to DC voltage and doubling its output.
In the event that this component is already broken, your microwave oven may make a loud noise whenever you attempt to operate it. Consider the first time you hear it as a warning, as it may trip the breaker or blow a fuse.
While you can test out the capacitor if it’s already faulty, this component can store a lethal amount of electricity. And as such, it is extremely dangerous to attempt the replacement yourself. With that said, your best course of action is to go to your nearest Frigidaire service center. If there’s none nearby, have a local qualified technician visit you to inspect your microwave oven.
Read More: Troubleshooting Your KitchenAid Microwave (Here’s How)
6. There’s an Issue Present with the Electrical Supply
Your home’s electrical supply may be the reason why your circuit breaker is tripping.
Your home’s overall supply may be having issues, and as such, it’s causing the circuit breaker to trip. For this one, you can determine the source of the problem by looking at the electrical socket where the microwave oven is plugged in.
If you find any burn marks on the wall outlet or if the plug of your microwave oven has melded with the socket, they have fused together. When this happens, you will want to shut off your electrical supply immediately.
Once off, you can attempt to pull the plug of your microwave oven. However, if you find that it has already melted and you’re unable to remove it, contact a licensed electrician to have it removed.
7. The High-Voltage Diode is Short-Circuiting
Your Frigidaire microwave oven’s high voltage diode is short-circuiting, causing the circuit breaker of your home to keep tripping.
The high-voltage diode works hand in hand with the high-voltage capacitor. It converts the AC power output of the transformer to DC. If it burns out and becomes faulty, it may lead to short-circuit, and the microwave may likely make a loud noise and end up tripping the circuit breaker.
Since you’ll be dealing with high-voltage components in order to get the diode replaced, it would be best to follow the safety guidelines to ensure that you won’t be harmed during your attempt.
However, in this case, it would be best to contact a professional microwave oven technician or have it serviced with the Frigidaire technical support.
8. There’s an Electrical Leak on the Magnetron
Your Frigidaire microwave oven’s magnetron has an electrical leak, causing the circuit breaker to trip.
In the simplest terms, the magnetron’s function is to generate the microwave frequency that heats up or cooks your food. If this burns out or becomes defective, it won’t be able to heat your food. At worse, it can even have an electrical leak that can cause your circuit breaker to trip.
As a microwave oven’s magnetron is an extremely dangerous component to replace, it is advisable to only have it replaced by a licensed technician.
9. The Interference Suppressor Has Blown
Your Frigidaire microwave’s interference suppressor has already blown, and it can’t protect your Frigidaire microwave anymore, which may cause the circuit breaker to trip.
A microwave oven’s interference suppressor functions to protect the appliance from any possible electrical malfunctions. Usually, it’s installed right after where the power lead enters. However, over time, it may blow and cause a short circuit, making the circuit breaker trip.
To further stress this out, microwave ovens can store lethal amounts of electricity that can cause harm to those who are not familiar with working with electronics. Repairs such as this one are best left to certified technicians or official Frigidaire technical support to ensure your safety.
10. There’s a Problem With Your Home’s Electrical Wiring
Another possible cause that can potentially cause your breaker to trip is electrical wiring conditions.
Once you have isolated the issue and verified that your Frigidaire microwave oven isn’t faulty at all but your circuit breaker still keeps on tripping when you power your microwave oven, it may be caused by faulty electrical wiring in your home.
A simple fix for this is to hire a certified electrician that can inspect your home’s wiring system and check which ones are in need of repairs.
Sources:
- https://www.sos-parts.com/microwave-tripping-breaker.html
- https://applianceanalysts.com/microwave-tripping-circuit-breaker/
- https://www.galvinpower.org/microwave-trips-breaker-when-door-opens/
