In a microwave, food can be cooked in less time as compared to conventional cooking techniques as it uses high-frequency radio waves. Even if a microwave cooks food at speed, there are some limitations associated with it. Like, if the microwave is made to run empty, it can be damaged.
Causes
When food is cooked inside the microwave, the electromagnetic radio waves are formed by the magnetron tube present inside the microwave. These waves, also known as microwaves, help in cooking food and cause the water molecules inside the food to vibrate.
Due to this, friction is produced in the food and thus, heat is produced.
In case, there is no item in the microwave, the microwaves produced will be redirected to the magnetron itself. This leads to damage as magnetron absorbs as many microwaves as it produces.
If the magnetron is damaged, no heat will be produced and therefore, no food will be cooked or heated in that microwave. At this time, you need to either repair or replace the microwave.
If for only a few seconds the microwave is made to run empty, it may be fine. But if it is done for a long time, there are many chances of damage to the microwave. There will be a slight burning smell if the magnetron is suffering damage.
This smell comes even before there is any real damage. The time for which a microwave can run empty without suffering the real damage is based on the device. It may be only a few seconds in some microwaves while it can be as long as five minutes in others.
To test whether your microwave has died or not after running empty, put water in a microwave-safe container and let it run for at least one minute. If water gets heated, it means the microwave is not damaged and still can be used.
But if the water is not heated at all, it indicates damage to the microwave.
Precautions
- Never dry food in the microwave that contains no water as it is similar to running the microwave empty. If this is done, the microwave may suffer damage.
- Metal should not be put in the microwave as the radio waves get reflected and scattered by metal due to which it produces its radio waves which will interfere with the original waves.
Can running a microwave empty cause a fire?
No, running a microwave empty cannot cause a fire but in rare cases, if the microwave is made to run without anything inside for a long time, there is a probability of fire.
Since there is no food inside to absorb the microwaves produced in the appliance, the magnetron inside absorbs its energy. Some microwaves can withstand this but in others, severe damage can occur.
There are some safety strategies that you should follow while using a microwave:
- Read the manufacturer’s guide provided carefully in which information about microwave safety is mentioned. Also, there is mention about the things that you should or shouldn’t do with the particular microwave to avoid damage.
- Always try to keep the area clear around the microwave. The fire can occur if the vents are blocked as the heat gets trapped. So you should ensure that there are no things on the top of the microwave and no objects are near to the microwave.
- If the food is heated in the microwave for a long time like more than 3 minutes, you should not leave it unattended as the chances of catching fire are more when the food is cooked for a long time.
- Small children should be prevented from coming near the microwave as they can put dangerous things into the microwave or can make it run for a long time. The best way to prevent this is by keeping the microwave at a height where young children cannot reach.
- If the power cord of the microwave is damaged, never use it as this can cause a spark and fire to the microwave. Before using, ensure that all the power cords and plugs are properly functioning.
- If the microwave is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself as it is an electrical appliance and has many electrical components which can get damaged during the process of repairing if you do not know about them. In this case, the chance of catching fire in the next use is high.
Microwave keeps running when the door is open, what to do?
When the microwave keeps running when the door is open, you need to unplug the appliance immediately. This may be due to a fault in the door interlock switch. The latch of the microwave door is connected to a switch and when the microwave door is latched, the switch gets activated and the microwave receives the power.
But if there is some kind of fault with the switch, either the microwave will not run at all or it can run even if the door is open.
In this case, you need to repair the door interlock switch which is placed near the touchpad to the area where the door is connected to the cabinets. For the working of the microwave, the door latch is required to touch the cabinets to activate them.
Once the switch is recognized, it is easy to remove and replace it. First, the screws at the switch have to be removed which helps in unmounting the switch.
At this time, the switch can be replaced. It is easy to do and can be done at home but professional help is always recommended.
Accidentally ran the microwave empty, what to do?
If you have accidentally run the microwave empty, try to switch it off immediately. It is always advised not to run a microwave empty but if it has occurred at all, do not panic.
It is commonly seen that if this has occurred for a short period like for less than 5 minutes, no harm occurs to the microwave. But, if it happened for a long time, it might have damaged the magnetron of the microwave and it might have died.
The first thing you must do is to allow the microwave to cool down and reset itself. The microwave may have overheated due to running it empty and so it needs time to reset itself.
Then, you must try to use it again to check whether it is dead or still working. To test, place a microwave-safe container in the microwave with water in it. Switch on the microwave for about 1 minute, if the water gets heated, it means your microwave is not damaged.
In case, there is no heating of the water after 1 minute, the microwave must have died and you can get it either repaired or replaced.
Is it bad to run microwave empty?
Yes, it is bad to run the microwave empty as the magnetron in the microwave can get damaged. If this occurs, the microwave will not be able to heat anything.
This damage mainly occurs when the microwave is made to run empty for a long time like more than 5 minutes. But if you did it accidentally for a short period, no damage may have occurred to the microwave.
There will be a slight burning smell if the magnetron is suffering damage. This is the indication you get before the real damage has occurred. At this time, if you can unplug the microwave, you can save it from severe damage.
Does the microwave explode when running empty?
No, the microwave does not explode when running empty. Though it may cause damage to the appliance when it is run empty, microwaves are not absorbed by the food items and the magnetron has to absorb the heat whatever is produced by it which results in its damage.
When no food is present in the microwave and it is made to run empty, the oven chamber gets a large amount of energy which results in large standing waves and thus, the microwave gets damaged.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, we get to know that if the microwave has been run empty, it may suffer damage and can die. The time for which it is made to run empty is the main deciding factor for the damage caused to the appliance.
If it is done for less time, it may not be damaged and you can use it again, but if it is for a long time, like more than 5 minutes, it may get damaged. At this stage, you need to consult a professional for help.