Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

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livesoft
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Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by livesoft »

Does your microwave oven turntable no matter what the "cook" time always return to its starting position?

That is, if you put a dish or cup with a handle in the microwave, will the handle be in the same location when you open the microwave door? Or will it be rotated off to the side or the back where you cannot reach it? I can see that turntables are probably set to rotate once per 30 seconds, so that the popular cook times of 30 and 60 seconds do get back to where they started. (Yes, I know one can manually rotate the glass plate themselves.)
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Chip
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Chip »

Slow day in livesoft-land? :D

My LG does not return to the initial position.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by bob60014 »

I've never had a mw that synced as you described.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Dottie57 »

Mine doesn’t either.
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Watty
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Watty »

I have a microwave over my stove. When the motor that turns the turntable stopped working that made it surprisingly easy to replace the motor after seeing a video on how to replace it.

Anyway it was just a simple motor and there did not seem to be not any special sensor to align it.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by dcare »

For both of my microwaves, full size whirlpool, the rotation time - handle front to handle front is 10 seconds. It is actually quite precise.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by 7PapaFox »

Our over the range, low profile Whirlpool's turntable also rotates at one revolution every 10 seconds.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by L84SUPR »

The Boglehead way would be to perform a sensitivity analysis varying power setting and food/fluid type and mass (controlling for starting temperature) and build a spreadsheet that would tell you what power setting to use in order to achieve the perfect temperature and have the handle return to the starting position.

We expect a full report.
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SmileyFace
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by SmileyFace »

Geeze - no idea. In all these years I have never paid attention. When I heat up my lunch I will take notice.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by dukeblue219 »

No, but if you figure out the time for one revolution you can do a multiple power level operation and make it line up.

e.g. If it takes 15 seconds to rotate and you have a 20 second cook, you could do 20 seconds on 100% power and 10 seconds on 0%. Whether that's worth the effort I cannot judge ;)
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by willthrill81 »

Dottie57 wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:16 am Mine doesn’t either.
Nor does ours.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by camper1 »

Livesoft- you just gave meaning to thousands of bored boglehead's day! (mine rotates every 10 seconds)
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by hicabob »

No but does your microwave turntable alternate directions each time or is it random? :happy
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lthenderson
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by lthenderson »

If what you are nuking is handle position sensitive, I would just set the time for longer than necessary and open the door when handle is in correct position. Cancel the remaining time.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Luckywon »

Mine does not. Just to clarify-you are envisioning a microwave that adjusts its rotation speed based on cooking time? It sounds like a wonderful idea. If it has not been invented, it should definitely be called the "livesoft" feature. Would it be too forward of me to suggest that for those who do not have this feature (perhaps everyone), mention how much you would be willing to pay for it? I think I would throw in an extra $50 for this feature. 🙂
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by ClevrChico »

The better microwaves don't have turntables, cook better, and are much easier to clean. (The antenna is in the bottom of the microwave.)

It's something to consider when you replace a microwave. It might be the last microwave you'll need to buy too.
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livesoft
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by livesoft »

Chip wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:12 am Slow day in livesoft-land? :D
Indeed. I had the thought: "I havent' started one of those inane non-financial consumer issue threads in while."
L84SUPR wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 9:32 am We expect a full report.
I am too cheap to waste time and electricity on the testing, but I have learned some things from the responses from which we can generate a full report.

I will say that my turntable goes backwards momentarily to take up the backlash before going the primary direction which no one else seems to have noticed.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Magruder »

Just to take this a step further, my Whirlpool over-the-oven model starts rotating in a clockwise direction; if one opens the door to peek or check, it turns counterclockwise when re-started! What a useful feature!
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Dottie57 »

Magruder wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:46 am Just to take this a step further, my Whirlpool over-the-oven model starts rotating in a clockwise direction; if one opens the door to peek or check, it turns counterclockwise when re-started! What a useful feature!
+1 on brand and operation.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by MathWizard »

Mine does not.

If I need it back at the front, I just put in 2 or 3 seconds and start to get it to the front.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by arcticpineapplecorp. »

zen koan:

if the microwave plate turns but there's no one around to see it, does it end at the same place it started?
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Sandtrap »

Never had any microwave turntable return to originally position.
Always center the object.
Likely never remember the original position anyway.

Actionably tip.
Put the organic vegetarian TV Dinner in the center of the turntable on a larger round plate that’s easy to pickup no matter the position.

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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Sandtrap »

ClevrChico wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 9:58 am The better microwaves don't have turntables, cook better, and are much easier to clean. (The antenna is in the bottom of the microwave.)

It's something to consider when you replace a microwave. It might be the last microwave you'll need to buy too.
I did not know this.
Thanks!!!!

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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Kenkat »

I am a bit surprised you don’t have a personal robot to retrieve your mug from the microwave and bring it to you in your easy chair.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by rob »

L84SUPR wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 9:32 am The Boglehead way would be to perform a sensitivity analysis varying power setting and food/fluid type and mass (controlling for starting temperature) and build a spreadsheet that would tell you what power setting to use in order to achieve the perfect temperature and have the handle return to the starting position.

We expect a full report.
You're forgetting the mass distribution and where on the circular platter the object is positioned :D Can we vote this THE post of the week? Who need posts about stock up down or somewhere else....

The one I have is closish... handle never seems to be at the back nor too far to the sides but it's not the identical spot either...

Edit: Now I think about it... I tend to do even minutes or instant 30 seconds... will have to try with 27- 33 seconds :-)
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Barsoom
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Barsoom »

Mine doesn't coordinate its rotation speed with the cooking time, but it does alternate the direction of rotation with each cook.

If I plan to cook something for a minute and then check on it (or stir it) before cooking it for another minute, it will rotate clockwise on the first cook and then counterclockwise on the second cook.

-B
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livesoft
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by livesoft »

Kenkat wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 12:27 pm I am a bit surprised you don’t have a personal robot to retrieve your mug from the microwave and bring it to you in your easy chair.
I'm doing my abs workouts while the MW is zapping, so I do not have time to pay attention to what the turntable is doing:
viewtopic.php?p=2242092#p2242092

Nor do I have an easy chair. I do have a new microwave that is more powerful and has a turntable, so I have had to recalibrate things. Hence this thread.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by hicabob »

Sandtrap wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 12:21 pm
The better microwaves don't have turntables, cook better, and are much easier to clean. (The antenna is in the bottom of the microwave.)

It's something to consider when you replace a microwave. It might be the last microwave you'll need to buy too.

Antenna? Microwaves use a magnetron which is a type of vacuum tube that generates microwaves. A waveguide then sends it into a metallic "fan" which disperses the microwaves somewhat evenly. Source .. I replaced a magnetron once and being an enginerd went down the how-stuff-works rabbit hole a bit.

https://www.explainthatstuff.com/microwaveovens.html
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by HIMcDunnough »

This may be tall guy privilege here, but I think if I couldn't reach into the back of my microwave, I'd consider putting my microwave somewhere else.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by nhs76 »

Most of the time, we use CDs rather than a turntable. However, their interest rates are pretty low.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by ResearchMed »

nhs76 wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 1:27 pm Most of the time, we use CDs rather than a turntable. However, their interest rates are pretty low.
For me, it's probably those older cassettes that hold my interest.

:wink:

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livesoft
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by livesoft »

Alright, now this thread is really cookin' and going in the direction that I expected it to go.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by EZ James »

I always put my coffee cup in front but it stops in back. It's due to quantum entanglement.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by UpperNwGuy »

livesoft wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:03 am turntables are probably set to rotate once per 30 seconds, so that the popular cook times of 30 and 60 seconds do get back to where they started.
I think mine must follow your 30 second rule.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by JBTX »

This would make no sense, because you can change cook times down to the second, and that would mean that the tray would have to disengage and turn to the beginning, then somehow latch.

Seems like you could put it on 3 seconds and see whst happens.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Teague »

Astley, R.; Faraday, M.: A multi-institutional analysis of estimated benefits of rotating platter oscillation pattern modification on semi-collimated contained electromagnetic domestic food preparation devices. J. Culinary Forensics 132: 15-24., 1994.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Brianmcg321 »

Mine always ends up at its start position as long as you use :10 intervals.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by nisiprius »

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we will not be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

--Old Shaker hymn--the tune is the big theme of Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring," once used as the theme introducing "CBS Reports," and occasionally referenced by John C. Bogle.

My Panasonic microwave runs for the exact number of seconds that has been set, which usually results in its making a non-integral number of rotations. Possibly it does not come down where it ought to be. Perhaps it does not come round right.

My Panasonic microwave always rotates counterclockwise. My In-Sink-Erator garbage disposal reverses direction on each actuation.
Last edited by nisiprius on Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by retiredjg »

nisiprius wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:28 pm My In-Sink-Erator garbage disposal reverses direction on each actuation.
And you know this how......?
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by nisiprius »

retiredjg wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:47 pm
nisiprius wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:28 pm My In-Sink-Erator garbage disposal reverses direction on each actuation.
And you know this how......?
1) The manual says so. 2) It's a common feature of garbage disposals, to clear jams, and we've occasionally cleared a jam. 3) If you very quickly start-and-stop, you hear the noise stop and re-start, rather than diminish and re-accelerate.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by vanbogle59 »

livesoft wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:03 am Does your microwave oven turntable no matter what the "cook" time always return to its starting position?
The turntable? Yes. Perfectly.
But sometimes the microwave has rotated a bit.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by LittleMaggieMae »

My over 10 year old $30 "college dorm room" microwave - has NEVER ended it's cooking cycle with a cup or pot or casserole dish's handle in a position to easily remove it from the oven.

I assumed this was due to some fine print I overlooked when going thru the contract on my soul when I met Old Scratch down at the crossroads at midnight decades ago. :) The big contractual stuff I got right - the thousand tiny annoying life things I overlooked - have been the biggest source of day to day annoyance. :)
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by jabberwockOG »

When nuking cups of tea, coffee, etc., it is possible on some microwaves to switch off turntable rotation.

Situation handled :shock:
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livesoft
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by livesoft »

It would be clever if the turntable could be re-zeroed to a known position by pressing the '0' button followed by 'Start" with no microwaves being generated. Or double-click on '0' -> '00'

I do not like to move my finger so much, so I use 11 instead of 10, 22 instead of 20, 44 instead of 45. Of course, I use the 'Quick 30' instead of 33.

The beep on our microwave can be configured to be Off, but only when first plugging in the cord and then it stays like that until reset (though I do not know what happens with an intervening power failure).
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Teague »

This raises an important question: What if the summed rotations from microwaves, garbage disposals, salad spinners, washing machines, and so on do not entirely cancel each other out? Might we, as a planet, accumulate a big enough "turntable gap" to perturb our orbit about the sun, precession of our rotational axis, or other measure of Newtonian propriety to a point that threatens our ecosystems, precious bodily fluids or, yea, our fundamental American Way of Life?
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by retiredjg »

nisiprius wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:16 pm
retiredjg wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:47 pm
nisiprius wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:28 pm My In-Sink-Erator garbage disposal reverses direction on each actuation.
And you know this how......?
1) The manual says so. 2) It's a common feature of garbage disposals, to clear jams, and we've occasionally cleared a jam. 3) If you very quickly start-and-stop, you hear the noise stop and re-start, rather than diminish and re-accelerate.
As frequently happens, Nisi, you've made my day. :happy Along with this thread. I don't have a microwave, but now I'm gonna go play with my insinkerator!
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by retiredjg »

It seems to me that the obvious solution for the coffee cup is to put it in the microwave with the handle away from you...while the cup is still cold. Then since it never ends up where it started, it should be in a good place to pick it up after the nuking is over.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by Luckywon »

Brianmcg321 wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:21 pm Mine always ends up at its start position as long as you use :10 intervals.
Maybe if you use :10 intervals it doesn't turn? Just considering all possibilities.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by vanbogle59 »

livesoft wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:38 pm I do not like to move my finger so much, so I use 11 instead of 10, 22 instead of 20, 44 instead of 45. Of course, I use the 'Quick 30' instead of 33.
Using 1 finger is generally frowned upon by BHs. Check the wiki.

Diversification is key. Most people should use all their fingers. Selecting an individual finger, or even a subset of fingers introduces risks that can easily be avoided. What would happen if that finger were to become obsolete or get replaced by a better finger built in Japan?

But you need to decide which keys to hit. Some people are comfortable with 9s. Others prefer 3s. Personally, I just hit 5 over and over and over.
And once you start hitting them, that's it. Don't get distracted by the keys other people hit. They might get lucky or have different heat tolerances.
As St. Jack said: It's not timing the microwave that matters, it's time in the microwave.

And DON'T PEEK. The biggest danger to warm food is peeking. Just check back in at the time designated by your MSP (Microwave Policy Statement). That window was put there by the marketing department that built the box. It has NOTHING to do with heating your food.

Best of luck. And stay the course.
Especially the dessert course. I hear it's really tasty.
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Re: Microwave ovens with rotating turntable/plate

Post by RubyTuesday »

livesoft wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:38 pm It would be clever if the turntable could be re-zeroed to a known position by pressing the '0' button followed by 'Start" with no microwaves being generated. Or double-click on '0' -> '00'

I do not like to move my finger so much, so I use 11 instead of 10, 22 instead of 20, 44 instead of 45. Of course, I use the 'Quick 30' instead of 33.

The beep on our microwave can be configured to be Off, but only when first plugging in the cord and then it stays like that until reset (though I do not know what happens with an intervening power failure).
Always use quick minute/add minute. One key. Then open door or press cancel when done.

Our Mw turn table rotates one full revolution every 20 seconds. If you stop, it reverses direction next time.
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