probably nobody will care, but I'm sad at the passing of my microwave. It was born in July of 1983, and died march 24th, 2026. I had bought it used in 1992 and it faithfully served me and my family for many years until today, when the keypad decided to partially quit working. Rest in peace Zappy, you will be missed.

I'm looking for a new keypad but unsurprisingly the parts for this ancient thing are no longer in stock so I doubt I'll be able to resurrect it without some sort of miracle. I know it's just an appliance but it still makes me sad to see it go.

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[–] 67 points 7 months ago (22 children)

There's a way to rewire that with either a toggle switch, or using the door switches themselves (3 switches, by law).

https://repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_micfaq.html

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  • [–] [S] 57 points 7 months ago (16 children)

    Lol I was actually thinking of jury-rigging something together to trigger the dead buttons. I can still set the timer for anything under 9 minutes and 99 seconds, but the "ten minute" button and the "Engage" buttons are stone dead, even when checking the continuity with the tester. I've already got the panel out and will probably fiddle with it this weekend if I got time and see what I can do. I'm not letting my baby go without a fight...partially because I don't want a new microwave, partially because I'm sentimental, and partially maybe I'm just a little bit mental.

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  • [–] 34 points 7 months ago* (12 children)

    Just be careful if you open it up, because I've heard microwaves have capacitors inside that can hold a lethal amount of electricity for months or years since the last time they were plugged in

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  • [+] -12 points 7 months ago (10 children)

    No capacitor can hold electricity for even hours. That's why we use batteries.

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  • [–] [S] 18 points 7 months ago

    Back in my teens I took apart a small tv, and I took the circuit board out and threw it on a shelf in my closet. 6 months later I was cleaning out the closet and accidentally brushed against the board with my hand, and I can say with absolute certainty that they will indeed hold a charge for a very long time even if unplugged.

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  • [–] 17 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    They absolutely can, that's why we often put resistors across so they slowly discharge.
    The reason we don't use them as batteries (yet) is their very low energy density. We'd need kgs of capacitors to match a typical phones battery life.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    They absolutely can, that’s why we often put resistors across so they slowly discharge.

    what? capacitors discharge naturally, it's why there has to be a diode to prevent the flow back to the source of charge.

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  • [–] 6 points 7 months ago

    Sounds like you are talking about the entirety of a small circuit?
    If the circuit connects both sides of the capacitor, then it will discharge it. But that means the circuit is discharging the capacitor.

    If I am, say, putting a capacitor across neutral and live of an ac cord, then I am charging it. Then if I unplug the cord and connect the live and neutral wires, I would be discharging the capacitor.
    But ... you don't connect the wires of your plug. They are floating. If one is held at 300V from the capacitor because that was the voltage at the moment I broke the connection, then it will remain at 300V relative to the other forever.

    Floating is the default state of disconnection. If I rip the capacitor straight out of the running machine, it will be floating and will usually keep its charge for years. If your remaining circuit doesn't contain something that can drain the capacitor, it will stay undrained.

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    Please promise me you will never open up a power supply.

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  • [–] -1 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    After months of not plugged in? please.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    There are endless specific warnings about specifically opening microwaves, because this exact thinking is what has gotten hundreds to thousands of people killed over the years.
    Specifically microwaves, specifically from feeling safe because they have been sitting in a trash pile or basement for months or years.
    It happens comically often, to my knowledge it's the most common specific cause of death in diy.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Its totally doable, just be safe, and there better not be any foolish kids or dumb pets around. Such rigups need to only be handled by grown adults that know what risks might be..

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  • [–] 9 points 7 months ago (4 children)
  • [–] [S] 4 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    I'm going to try to do something at any rate. I really don't want to give up on it.

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  • [–] 36 points 7 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 26 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    We recently had to replace a $500 Electrolux microwave that was only 11 years old. We mistakenly thought that brand was supposed to be higher quality :(

    My mom had a microwave that lasted for decades. I left home in '81, so it was bought prior to that. She was still using it when she passed in '16. That thing was huge. I remember that before my dad would sit down to the table to eat, he would open the door on it to just the right angle so he could continue watching the TV in it's reflection. The only thing wrong with it was the top and bottom rows of red LED lights had quit shining which made it a little tricky to tell how much time was left on it, but that never bothered my mom. Also, they didn't have turntables in them back then, so you had to frequently turn the food. Mom bought a wind-up platform that you'd sit the food on and you could hear it in there ticking away while it slowly turned your food. She had to give up about 2.5 inches of height for it, but that oven was so big it didn't matter...

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Really? In my experience Electrolux devices are really easy to repair and they supply parts for a very long time, was it you or a company that would carry out the repair?

    I recently repaired an oven from Electeolux that was 20+ years.

    But sorry to hear it had to go! 

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  • [–] 0 points 7 months ago

    The repair company we use told us it wasn't worth fixing, and I believed them. To repair the microwave would have cost more than the new GE we replaced it with for <$220 on sale, which I installed myself. We also had an Electrolux double wall oven that kept burning out computer boards at about the 10 year mark. We had them fixed twice in 6 months, and when it went out the third time we wrote it off and replaced it with a Kitchenaid. One of the burners on the stove top is slow to heat up, but still usable. The dishwasher doesn't seem to have a drying cycle anymore, but still cleans, tho we rarely use it. We did a big remodel back in 2011, and bought all Electrolux appliances and were quite proud of them, but alas... The first thing my wife did when the new kitchen was open was bake 6 trays of cookies at once :)

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    We mistakenly thought that brand was supposed to be higher quality :(

    What you can tell from a single instance of failure: Absolutely nothing.

    It requires statistics to figure out if that's a trend or a single instance.

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  • [–] 22 points 7 months ago* (3 children)

    My ex-wife threw away an Amana Radarange, which had a rotating reflector on the ceiling instead of a rotating plate, which I had bought in the 80's, before I "got" her. When I came home, I went to the recycling center, and was able to retrieve it. I installed it in my home office to reheat stuff, but mainly for sentimental issues.

    She had a habit of throwing stuff out because she decided I didn't need it.

    Good riddance (her, I mean).

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  • [–] 18 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (8 children)


    (I was wondering how it looks like.)

    Also:

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    I would like to cook my lasagna for 7355608

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 child)

    Lol that must be a sibling! Mine was the 8050c but it looks exactly the same. The last pic isn't the same one tho

    Built the same month too.. that ones serial # is 5697, mine is 4495 so It's like the younger brother to mine.

    Edit: Now I'm wondering what the "C" is for... is there a difference or maybe the C is because mine was for Canada??

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago*

    Lol, yes, I did a double take too after seeing the date - but that one RIPed in 2022 as per post I stole the images from.

    I wonder what the "C" variant had more or less or different to the non-C one. ... Canada could be one explanation (so maybe different packaging, promos, or labels).

    (The last pic was just an idea how to fix it - or just arduino it to Home Assistant! :))

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  • [–] 18 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    HEY!!! 42!!! I was born in Sept '83. Don't you go piling on extra bonus years!!! My hair is grey enough as it is!

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  • [–] 5 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    May 83 here, I was in the comments to say the same^^

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  • [–] 5 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Hey....sorry about your back pain. I mean, I know you didn't specifically SAY you have back pain, but....c'mon. Let's be real. You're 4 months older than me.....which means YOU'RE SO OLD!!! 4 MONTHS OLDER THAN ME??? Ugh, watch out everyone! AARP card carrying member coming through! On his way to Dennys for 4pm Dinner!

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Eh, once my wife had a Sunday 4pm fondue craving (the Swiss melted cheese yeah) so we went to the local "auberge valaisanne"

    It was packed with old farts from retirement homes going on an organized Sunday trip to the restaurant.

    Also none of them ate cheese (fondue or raclette), they all went for a non Swiss meal, at a Swiss auberge…

    I tried Dennys once when I was visiting the US, I don’t remember it so it probably wasn’t anything special.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago

    "Dennys: We're not that special."

    New marketing tagline. It's a commercial based on random drunk people stumbling in at 3am, passing out in the booths, throwing up on the floor. Then an unamused waitress brings them pancakes, and says "Eat up" without a shred of hospitality. Almost as if it's sarcasm. Then you see this group of early 20 year olds walk in, navigate through that scene, tip toe to a free booth, and still order. They knew what this was. Then it shows the food, and it's as if the director just said "show some food on spinning plates" with no further direction. Also, this isn't hollywood makeup fake food. All food you see in commercials is inedible. It's mostly wax and other artificial things just made to look good for TV purposes, as that's it's only job. But instead, for the Dennys ad, they just actually make the food, which looks sloppy as hell. Plus it's just thrown together by a "cook" in the back, whom I assure you does not give a FUCK about presentation or sanitation. It's food, angrily thrown on a plate, as some teenager is pissed off by your existence. And that's what this group of 4 early teens knew they were coming for....because it's like $5.

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  • [–] 17 points 7 months ago* (1 child)

    For that microwave to last that long is the testament to its durability. Actually, up until the 90s most appliances were built like tanks and so why some people hold onto them, partly they were IMHO easier to repair than supposedly "smart" appliances.

    I also remember how Sony TVs during the 80s that were sold included detailed electronic schematic diagrams helpful to technicians.

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  • [–] 15 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    You can often fix membrane switches using conductive paint. Link to example. $11.

    The PCB will have a pattern of traces under each button that are interlocked kind of like fingers that don't touch or two large pads near each other. The button of the membrane has a conductive patch that completes the circuit between those traces when pressed.

    Usually the conductive patch is what fails due to wearing off. So you just paint on new patches on the memnrane. If the traces are worn, they can also be repaired with copper foil, solder, and careful work with an exacto knife. I've even seen aluminum foil and super glue used as a temporary fix on the membrane.

    I would probably make this a an Old Man and the Sea project if it were mine. It's just so old, it needs to keep going.

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  • [–] [S] 15 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    This old thing was an absolute champ. Between myself, my ex, and two kids who are now adults, it heated up a lot of stuff for us over the years. I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to outlive it or end up buried with it. I guess I know the answer to that now...

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  • [–] 11 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    So it's a mechanical failure, the pads literally wore out.. What you'll be looking for is a membrane switch.. That model part number for your unit was ANE6479L80AP - you might be able to find a newer model that can be swapped in.

    Can start by looking at current Panasonic models and see if there's one with a keypad layout that looks like yours, and try and go from there.. https://help.na.panasonic.com/microwave-multi-ovens/microwave-ovens/

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  • [–] 13 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    He served his time!!

    My 40 year old heat pump died last week too

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  • [–] [S] 9 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Ouch, that sounds a little pricey.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Yeah did the whole furnace too since it was 26 years old. Good news is I can use my cold climate heat pump down to -20 f! But I set it for 20 degrees f usually. Then my dishwasher broke 😆 its been a year

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  • [+] 12 points 7 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (4 children)
  • [–] [S] 14 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    It seems to be the membrane switch (keypad). Still a perfectly good microwave if I can end up finding the right parts. I'm going to try and fix the membrane and see what happens from there, maybe I'll get lucky and be able to salvage it.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago* (2 children)

    The membrane buttons on my also Panasonic bread machine are dying after ten years. No more up, but at least it will cycle around through menus, so down button will suffice. I feel your pain and fear that soon too I will be in the same situation.

    If you are able to fix the membrane switches please share!

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  • [–] [S] 5 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    I will be sure to update when I can. I'm hoping I'll have time this weekend to mess with it but I still have to install hand rails for my neighbor and some other stuff, so we'll see.

    I've decided either way I'm not going to get rid of this thing just yet, even if I have to pick up another microwave in the meantime while I try to get it running again.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago*

    Really glad to hear that, invested at this point. Often just a good clean/little graphite will sort those membrane keys out, it's just a graphite pad on a little rubber dome that bridges contacts on a pcb when you push it down

    e: even if it's goofy and hard to get apart, just swishing it in iso and letting it dry has a decent chance of working

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  • [–] 12 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    I didn't notice it was in French at first and was like "That doesnt say July... It says Julliet. Is Romeo the father?"

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  • [–] 16 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    Ah yes, the classic love story of Romeo, and his daughter Juliet.

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  • [–] 5 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    New Mandela effect split universe detected: Oedipus and Jocasta is the doomed teenage love story while Juliet Tyrannus (better known by its Latin name Juliet Regina) involves Juliet marrying Romeo without either realizing he's her father.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    Back to the Future would be slightly different in that universe. Marty fucks the shit out of his mom. Like....really goes to town, while Doc tries relentlessly to get him to stop sleeping with his mom so much. Because Doc knows, but can't tell Marty because something something time rip too many actioms changed, blah blah blah somehow Marty sleeping with his mom made trump Biff president. And now we're in the bad timeline.

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  • [–] 11 points 7 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    I was born that month, it's 42...

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  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago
    [–] 10 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    My toaster oven just died. It was so old all the numbers rubbed off and we just ran it off vibes. Guests were like, how long to make toast? And I just told them turn it till it feels right. I'm going to miss that toaster oven, it was the best.

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  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    If I don't find this story dull, what does it say about me?

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  • [–] 9 points 7 months ago

    I had an LG microwave I had for ~5 years die.

    Looked into the warranty info.

    Only the ...... Magnatron or whatever was under warranty for 10 years.

    But the hoops to jump through to get service led me to just buying a new one at the store instead.

    Don't make em like they used to.

    Least the new ones popcorn button works.

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  • [–] 9 points 7 months ago (7 children)

    I've just replaced a 34 year old microwave. I hate all the new models, I just want something simple that will last practically forever.

    It started making an electrical ticking/buzzing noise. I tried contacting 2 microwave repair companies and both said they won't touch it.

    I'm keeping it in storage just in case it magically fixes itself when the new one fails.

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  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    New microwaves fucking suck. I recently moved and bought a new one and this thing insists on beeping every time it does anything. Every button press, when turning on, when opening the door, closing the door... even 10mins after closing the door because that is when the display turns off. And it takes like 30 button presses and three menus to do something like adjust the wattage. AND you can't turn down the volume on any of the beeps. It's driving me absolutely crazy. My husband promised to open it up and solder out the beeping part, but he's got a busy schedule so idk when he'll get to it 🥲

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    I don't recommend opening it unless you really know what you're doing and have the safety equipment. Microwaves and CRT monitors are the two things that can kill instantly if you touch the wrong part.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    Commercial grade microwaves don't suck. "But those are expensive" Yeah well so were old microwaves. There are some things that really no longer have a "buy it for life" version. But most equipment professionals use and rely on are still solid, you just need to see them as an investment.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    I refuse to own a microwave that doesn't have a setting to mute all sounds. When we replaced our previous microwave, it turns out it didn't have that setting and I returned it within days. Fuck those beeps.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago*

    I just want something simple that will last practically forever.

    That doesn't sound very profitable, economical even.
    You are not again being a naughty uncapitalist hippy, are you?
    Won't you think of the poor elites??
    Just destroy the planet a little, it will be worth it for the profits (of others)!

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    I'm keeping it in storage just in case it magically fixes itself when the new one fails.

    It sounds like you might have an unhealthy relationship with change and time. The problems will only pile up until you address that. Introspection on such things takes a lot of hard work and difficult feelings.

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  • [–] 9 points 7 months ago (2 children)
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