Microwave leakage
Having my Bailey Pursuit first service, the engineer showed me the radiation meter reading. The scale should read not more than 2 on the scale, my microwave showed the meter on the stop at five and registering overread!!!
Advised not to use it in this dangerous condition. Food for thought having used it for a year on a regular basis. How many of us know how they can leak, even at home, who checks it?
It's taken Bailey two months to supply a new unit, taking it in to dealer at the end of next week. Now making a list of niggly problems to be sorted, trim refitting, excess sealant on bodywork to be cleaned up, one gas burner not working.
Comments
-
Interesting article here.
Apparently there is no UK standard for microwave leakage.
How often do you have your home microwave tested?????
0 -
Done a bit more digging...
"There are no specific UK regulations governing microwave ovens used in food preparation, but it is recommended that the current USA regulations are adopted. These state that all ovens must have two interlocks switches, and that the maximum permitted leakage
radiation shall not exceed 1mW.cm-2 for new ovens or 5mW.cm-2 for existing ovens."0 -
it is a common practice in the commercial kitchen or work place to test RF leakage during an anual inspection / service and the figure worked to is less than 5mw/cm2. In thirty years I have only ever had one fail a RF test it is very very rare from my experience.
I would be dissapounted if this was not varied out during caravan service however I must admit I have never asked.0 -
It would be interesting to know what the risks are. For instance is it a case that you would only be at risk from a leak in a commercial environment due to the amount of exposure, and that the few minutes they are used domestically would not be an issue. I think I may have a Google.
0 -
The following extracts are from the USA Food and Drug Administration website.
Two things stand out, there is little information on the affects of low levels of micro waves on humans, and metres used to check leakage need to be fairly sophisticated and calibrated periodically.
Microwave Ovens and Health
Accidental exposure to high levels of microwave energy can alter or kill sperm, producing temporary sterility. But these types of injuries - burns, cataracts, temporary sterility - can only be caused by exposure to large amounts of microwave radiation, much more than the 5mW limit for microwave oven leakage.
Less is known about what happens to people exposed to low levels of microwaves. Controlled, long-term studies involving large numbers of people have not been conducted to assess the impact of low level microwave energy on humans. Much research has been done with experimental animals, but it is difficult to translate the effects of microwaves on animals to possible effects on humans. For one thing, there are differences in the way animals and humans absorb microwaves. For another, experimental conditions can't exactly simulate the conditions under which people use microwave ovens. However, these studies do help us better understand the possible effects of radiation.
Checking Ovens For Leakage
There is little cause for concern about excess microwaves leaking from ovens unless the door hinges, latch, or seals are damaged. In FDA's experience, most ovens tested show little or no detectable microwave leakage. If there is some problem and you believe your oven might be leaking excessive microwaves, contact the oven manufacturer, a microwave oven service organization, your state health department, or the nearest FDA office.
A word of caution about the microwave testing devices being sold to consumers: FDA has tested a number of these devices and found them generally inaccurate and unreliable. If used, they should be relied on only for a very approximate reading. The sophisticated testing devices used by public health authorities to measure oven leakage are far more accurate and are periodically tested and calibrated.
0 -
I have tested a number of so-called microwave leakage meters in the lab, and have foud a wide tolerance in the meters used- plus some do not just react to microwaves, but other radiofrequency emissions... Current thought is that emission tests for domestic
appliances are pointless. Stand near a radar installation, for example, and you would be subjected to a much higher dose and/or peridic intensity! Industrial microwave emitters (not just "ovens") have to be tested, but here they have much greater potential
risks... and the equipment used is rather expensive, and has to be calibrated against known standards.0 -
Thats New one on me ill ask if CampingWorld can check my microwve I dont want to camehome frome a holady with two heads
J&I0 -
Bearing in mind our caravan like many others is serviced in the storage area of a site with no mains power I doubt the microwave can be checked for leakage.
Frankly I had never thought of it before so I am not sure. Cannot remember seeing one but when you think about it he must need power for some jobs so he probably has.
0 -
I don't think its worth getting over concerned as I say in thirty years I have only ever had one commercial oven read over 5mw/cm2. More important is to inspect the oven cavity any signs of corrosion and or actual holes and bin it straight away.
worth mentioning is that our testers used in business are caiberated annually to ensure the readings are correct, over counter ones as a previous member alluded to are not to be relied on
0
