Have you ever experienced the frustration of having a microwave that heats your food but does not rotate it? If you have a Panasonic microwave, you may have faced this problem. The turntable is essential to the microwave, ensuring even cooking and preventing hot spots. With it, your food may be evenly cooked, burnt, or cold.
Fortunately, fixing a Panasonic microwave turntable is a simple task. You don’t need to be an expert or have any special tools to do it. You can do it yourself in less than an hour with some essential household items and patience.
In a step-by-step guide, I will gladly show you how to fix a Panasonic microwave turntable. I will also explain the possible causes of the problem and how to prevent it from happening again.
What Causes the Panasonic Microwave Turntable to Stop Working?
There are several possible reasons why your Panasonic microwave turntable may stop working. Some of the most common ones are:
1. The turntable motor is faulty. This is the part that powers the rotation of the turntable. If the motor is burned, worn out, or damaged, it cannot spin the turntable. You can test the motor for continuity with a multimeter. If the engine does not have continuity, you need to replace it.
2. The glass tray drive coupling is broken or stripped. This is the part that connects the turntable motor to the glass tray. It has a flat side that fits into the motor spindle. The motor cannot turn the tray if the flat side is worn out or broken. You can inspect the drive coupling for damage by gently pulling it off from the motor sheft.
3. The glass tray support is broken or stripped. This part supports the glass tray and allows it to rotate smoothly. It also has a flat side that fits into the drive coupling. If the flat side is worn out or broken, the tray cannot rotate. You can inspect the tray support for damage by gently pulling it off the drive coupling.
4. The user control and display board is defective. This is the part that controls the functions of the microwave, including the turntable. If the board is faulty, it may not send power to the turntable motor. You can check the incoming power to the motor with a multimeter. If the motor is not getting power, the board may be defective.
5. The turntable option is turned off. Some Panasonic microwaves have an option to turn off the turntable, either manually or automatically. This may be useful for some dishes that do not require rotation, such as casseroles or pizzas. If the turntable option is turned off, the turntable will not work. You can check the turntable option on the control panel and ensure it is turned on.
6. The control board is defective. This is the part that regulates the power supply to the microwave, including the turntable motor. If the board is faulty, it may not provide enough voltage to the motor. You can check the voltage of the engine with a multimeter. If the voltage is too low, the board may be defective.
How to Fix a Panasonic Microwave Turntable
Now that you know the possible causes of the problem, you can proceed to fix your Panasonic microwave turntable. Here are the steps you need to follow:
Step 1: Unplug the microwave from the power outlet and let it cool down for a few minutes. This is important for your safety, as the microwave may contain high-voltage components that can cause electric shock or injury.
Step 2: Remove the glass tray from the microwave and set it aside. You should lift it slightly and slide it out of the tray support.
Step 3: Locate the turntable motor cover on the bottom of the microwave. It is usually a tiny plastic or metal plate that is held by one or two screws. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws and the cover. You may need to cut off some plastic clips or tabs that secure the cover, depending on the model of your microwave.
Step 4: Locate the turntable motor on the bottom of the microwave. It is usually a tiny cylindrical or rectangular device with two wires attached. To test for continuity in the motor, employ the use of a multimeter.
To measure the resistance of the motor, adjust the multimeter to the minimum setting and delicately place the probes onto the terminals. If the multimeter registers a value in close proximity to zero, the motor has continuity and works. In the event that the multimeter indicates a reading of infinity or no reading at all, the engine does not have continuity and is faulty. It would be best if you replaced it.
Step 5: If the motor is faulty, detach the wiring from the motor’s terminals and remove the motor from the microwave. You may need to unscrew the motor from the bottom of the microwave or pry it out with a flathead screwdriver.
Be careful not to damage the wires or the microwave. Note the position and orientation of the motor before removing it, as you will need to install the new motor similarly.
Step 6: inspect the glass tray drive coupling for damage if the motor is working. This is the part that connects the engine to the glass tray.
It is usually a plastic or rubber piece with a flat side that fits into the motor spindle. Pull the drive coupling off the motor shaft and check the flat side for wear or breakage. The motor cannot turn the tray if the flat side is worn out or broken. It would be best if you replaced it.
Step 7: If the drive coupling is damaged, replace it with a new one. Ensure the new drive coupling has the same size and shape as the old one. Push the new drive coupling onto the motor shaft until it snaps into place. Make sure the flat side is aligned with the motor spindle.
Step 8: If the drive coupling is working, inspect the glass tray support for damage. This part supports the glass tray and allows it to rotate smoothly.
It is usually a plastic or metal ring with three or four arms holding the tray. It also has a flat side that fits into the drive coupling. Pull the tray support off the drive coupling and check the flat side for wear or breakage. If the flat side is worn out or broken, the tray cannot rotate. It would be best if you replaced it.
Step 9: If the tray support is damaged, replace it with a new one. Ensure the further tray support has the same size and shape as the old one. Push the additional tray support onto the drive coupling until it snaps into place. Make sure the flat side is aligned with the drive coupling.
Step 10: If the motor, the drive coupling, and the tray support are all working, check the user control and display board for defects. This is the part that controls the functions of the microwave, including the turntable. It is usually located behind the control panel on the front of the microwave.
You may need to remove the screws or clips that hold the control panel in place and lift it off the microwave. Be careful not to damage the wires or the microwave. Use a multimeter to check the incoming power to the turntable motor. Set the multimeter to the highest A.C. voltage setting and make contact between the probes and the wires that connect to the motor terminals.
If the multimeter shows a reading of about 120 volts, the board sends power to the motor and works. If the multimeter shows no reading or a shallow reading, the board is not sending power to the engine and is faulty. It would be best if you replaced it.
Step 11: If the board is faulty, disconnect the wires from the board and remove the board from the microwave. You may need to unscrew the board from the microwave or pry it out with a flathead screwdriver. Be careful not to damage the wires or the microwave. Note the position and orientation of the board before removing it, as you will need to install the new board in the same way.
Step 12: If the board is working, check the turntable option on the control panel and make sure it is turned on. Some Panasonic microwaves have an option to turn off the turntable, either manually or automatically. This may be useful for some dishes that do not require rotation, such as casseroles or pizzas.
If the turntable option is turned off, the turntable will not work. You can turn it on by pressing the turntable button on the control panel or following the instructions in the user manual.
Step 14: Check the control board for defects if the turntable option is turned on. This is the part that regulates the power supply to the microwave, including the turntable motor. It is usually located on the back or the side of the microwave.
You may need to remove the screws or clips that hold the microwave cover in place and lift it off the microwave. Be careful not to touch any high-voltage components or wires inside the microwave. Use a multimeter to check the voltage of the turntable motor.
Set the multimeter to the highest A.C. voltage setting and make contact between the probes and the wires that connect to the motor terminals. If the multimeter shows a reading of about 120 volts, the board provides enough voltage to the motor and works. If the multimeter shows a shallow reading or no reading, the board is not providing enough voltage to the engine and is faulty. It would be best if you replaced it.
Conclusion
A Panasonic microwave is a good way to keep your kitchen equipped and prepare a very nice meal for your family daily.
Make sure you follow these steps as i have shown you and i promise that it will help you fix the problem you are facing.
