Microwave and Possible Leaking Radiation

[Rakehellion]

A few months ago I bought a new microwave that has been disrupting our WiFi signal each time it is on. I've searched around on the web and have found some sites that say this is normal (since they operate in the 2.4ghz range) and other sites that say this is abnormal (even dangerous) because they should not be leaking anything that would cause an interruption in wifi.

I did the cell phone test of putting the phone in the microwave and pinging it as well as calling it and both worked, so basically it doesn't appear that the microwave is shielding any signal from getting into it. I've seen this test suggested around the web and I don't know if it proves anything or not.

When I say I lose wifi connection, I don't mean the signal gets weak, or I just lose some packets, I mean I completely lose signal anywhere in the house until the microwave has stopped.

Is this anything I should be worried about? Is there any way I can shield this, or should I start shopping around for another microwave? My wife is pregnant, so that's another concern I have, she uses the microwave quite a bit, and often stands by it while it's on.

I'll buy your microwave from you. $30 shipped. PM me.

 

[Rakehellion]

I wonder what an unshielded magnatron would do? Can I build an evil device to knock out my neighbors WiFi?

You can pull a magnetron out of a microwave and point it at a TV to make it go completely to static. Pretty useful back in the days when people watched TV.

 

[Rakehellion]

The only solution here is to wrap your microwave in bacon, and defrost a turkey inside. Look for any bacon that is cooked after, and eat it. Consider taping up that part of the microwave with foil. Cook the rest of the bacon in the oven and eat it too. Then redo the test with more bacon.

EVERYTHING should be wrapped in bacon. A less absurd test would be to use wet paper towels and see which parts are dry afterwards.

 

[Red Squirrel]

A quick test for electrical interference would be to cut power to the UPS while the microwave is running to see if the AP still drops. This will isolate it from the rest of the power "grid" and make it not affected to any line interference.

 

[PsiStar]

I have a few wifi apps on my SGS3. A few of these few, show signal strength, and fewer of these have very consistent readings. Standing in front of a microwave oven one app shows a peak of -52dB. Placing phone in oven, door still open, it drops to to a peak of -54 dB. Closing the door, the signal drops to -94 dB. For those not good with "dB" math, -94dB is 40 dB less than -52dB and is a good thing. All of these readings bounced around a bit, but those were consistent peak readings. Another app also shows a 40 dB drop but was not as easy to read.

The tests OP did of pinging & calling the phone aren't valid because cell signals are in different bands than wifi not too mention automatic signal level compensation, changing towers, etc. In other words the cell signal is literally a moving target spatially & in power. The shielding might also be designed to be most effective around the microwave oven's operating freq. I actually doubt that, but putting it out there as a possibility as I cannot test due to the above mentioned cell signal variables. I live in an area with exceptionally good 4G coverage. (Another app identifies 3 different cell sites quite close.)

This testing was done with Droid WiFi Analyzer.

Do not turn the microwave oven on!!!

 

[PsiStar]

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I wonder what an unshielded magnatron would do? Can I build an evil device to knock out my neighbors WiFi?
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Possibly, but I'm thinking cataracts first, then severe headaches for those nearest, & if the design is of the type that is switched on/off (inverter types mentioned earlier) down the road ... cancer.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Possibly, but I'm thinking cataracts first, then severe headaches for those nearest, & if the design is of the type that is switched on/off (inverter types mentioned earlier) down the road ... cancer.

Would make a great home defense device. :biggrin:

 

[Wyndru]

I have a few wifi apps on my SGS3. A few of these few, show signal strength, and fewer of these have very consistent readings. Standing in front of a microwave oven one app shows a peak of -52dB. Placing phone in oven, door still open, it drops to to a peak of -54 dB. Closing the door, the signal drops to -94 dB. For those not good with "dB" math, -94dB is 40 dB less than -52dB and is a good thing. All of these readings bounced around a bit, but those were consistent peak readings. Another app also shows a 40 dB drop but was not as easy to read.

The tests OP did of pinging & calling the phone aren't valid because cell signals are in different bands than wifi not too mention automatic signal level compensation, changing towers, etc. In other words the cell signal is literally a moving target spatially & in power. The shielding might also be designed to be most effective around the microwave oven's operating freq. I actually doubt that, but putting it out there as a possibility as I cannot test due to the above mentioned cell signal variables. I live in an area with exceptionally good 4G coverage. (Another app identifies 3 different cell sites quite close.)

This testing was done with Droid WiFi Analyzer.

Do not turn the microwave oven on!!!

I should have specified...I was pinging the local network address when I did the test (not the verizon assigned IP). I also tested with a kindle fire which has no 3/4g. I have the wifi analyzer app on my android too, I'll check that out, thanks for the suggestion.

I'm thinking it's more related to the issue with it being an inverter type microwave. Since it's been mentioned in the thread I have seen a lot of people complaining about this same thing, specifically with the Panasonic models.

 

[PsiStar]

I should have specified...I was pinging the local network address when I did the test (not the verizon assigned IP). I also tested with a kindle fire which has no 3/4g. I have the wifi analyzer app on my android too, I'll check that out, thanks for the suggestion.

I'm thinking it's more related to the issue with it being an inverter type microwave. Since it's been mentioned in the thread I have seen a lot of people complaining about this same thing, specifically with the Panasonic models.

What I did was directly test (with free apps) the shielding effectiveness of the microwave which was to comment to your original concern "Microwave and Possible Leaking Radiation" including "should my preg wife be standing so close to this microwave" in so many words.

If the signal drops 40 dB as I tested, then your microwave is shielded and the wifi issue is probably noise coupled to the house wiring as stated a few different ways. If ~40 dB shielding is established, then a powerline noise filter for the wifi might work, if that should ever become an interest.

Non-ionizing radiation, aka RF, has never been established as never causing cancer or any other possible issue. And is why cell phones, for one, have standards for maximum radiated power. Half way thru that "Behavioral effects
A study on mice offspring suggested that cell phone use during pregnancy may cause behavioral problems that resemble the effects of ADHD" is worth noting.

I'm just trying to be clear about the point I was trying to make.

 

[wirednuts]

People think microwaves run on plutonium or something.

no they dont, but i did watch a show on the cw last night that explained how all of our technology came from stargates. because there is no way humans can develop things that fast. i mean really, like 4 years before we had the atom bomb, nobody would have ever thought you could make one. but then, suddenly, were using them to blow up cities- and that convienently just happens to end a world war? we didnt win that war, aliens won it for us because they didnt want the nazi's in power.

 

[lupi]

only test I've seen done on a microwave was someone holding a florescent tube next to one suspected of leaking, starting the microwave and seeing the tube start to light up.

 

[Blueychan]

Dear lord how do people not understand microwaves?

All a microwave does is excite the water molecules in your food. That grill in the front with those giant holes? Those holes are small enough to block the radiation. You do not have a nuclear device in your kitchen.

This...Seriously ATOT are clueless sometimes.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

This...Seriously ATOT are clueless sometimes.

You guys are hilarious.

If any 2.4ghz signal can escape, so can the rf from the microwave. Sure the rf makes water molecules vibrate and causes heat, but you need to realize that if your microwave isn't shielding the rf properly, that's happening inside of your body as well. It causes cell and tissue damage all throughout the body mind you. Brain, heart, reproductive system, lungs, everything.