B Is it possible to boil water by stirring it?

[OmCheeto]

7 minutes? You know you're supposed to keep the door closed, right?

I did the experiment on my microwave yesterday and found that it's output is about 400 watts. It's nameplate output is 650 watts. So I googled and found that several sources said that microwave ovens should be replaced every 7 to 10 years due to degradation of the magnetron. I had never heard such a thing.

My microwave is 46 years old, which means it's losing about 5½ watts per year. If it continues at the same rate it with be 2036 when it reaches half of its rated value. Perhaps I'll take some load off it by heating my water in my blender, as it's only 34 years old.

 

[PeroK]

I must confess I've never owned a microwave or a blender.

 

[berkeman]

I must confess I've never owned a microwave or a blender.

You spend a lot of time at the neighbor's house apparently...

 

[JT Smith]

My microwave is 46 years old, which means it's losing about 5½ watts per year. If it continues at the same rate it with be 2036 when it reaches half of its rated value. Perhaps I'll take some load off it by heating my water in my blender, as it's only 34 years old.

Wow! 46 years.

I think our current microwave is about 15 years old. It works okay but the controller board is going. We can see oddities in its behavior increasing. I wonder if there's some not-too-complicated way to run it without the controller board?

 

[fresh_42]

I wonder if there's some not-too-complicated way to run it without the controller board?

I used a power meter ...

... until its LED control gave up.

 

[OmCheeto]

Weird.

I connected my Kill-a-Watt meter to my blender and microwave and found their efficiencies in heating water:

Microwave oven: 29%
Blender: 25%

Unfortunately for my blender, it draws a mere 330 watts whilst my microwave draws 1300 watts.

 

[sophiecentaur]

My microwave is 46 years old,

Perhaps the seal needs checking.

 

[jbriggs444]

My microwave is 46 years old, which means it's losing about 5½ watts per year. If it continues at the same rate it with be 2036 when it reaches half of its rated value. Perhaps I'll take some load off it by heating my water in my blender, as it's only 34 years old.

Wait a bit longer and you'll have a refrigerator can generate electricity as a byproduct.