Destruction Wrought in Microwave Ovens

[aimeeandbeatles]

We need a thread for discussing destruction wrought in microwave ovens, clearly..

One thread, coming right up!

Soap in microwave ovens is always fun.

 

[Kaitzilla]

Microwaves are the devil

 

[Snerk]

Real men heat their food with gamma rays.

 

[Manfred Belheim]

I've taken to heating up oranges with a quick burst in the microwave. An interesting note is that they seem to get noticeably hotter at the poles, which I find odd because those are the parts that presumably have the least water directly below the surface.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Well, this got me sidetracked with YouTube idiots making "microwave cannons" out of magnetrons scavenged out of ovens. In case it ever crosses someone's mind to do this, be aware that they all put these tin foil cone "antennas" on their supposed cannons and then either demonstrate that it doesn't work or fake some sort of reaction to make it look like it does. Whether it might work or not, a cone does not function as a "focusing array" for microwaves...it dissipates them. You need to use a cylindrical barrel.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I've taken to heating up oranges with a quick burst in the microwave. An interesting note is that they seem to get noticeably hotter at the poles, which I find odd because those are the parts that presumably have the least water directly below the surface.

If any steam forms the poles are the only vents in the skin so the heat is carried there?

 

[Manfred Belheim]

You have oranges with holes in the skin?

Anyway I don't think it can be that as I'm sure no steam is forming. I'm basically trying to warm them up to room temperature from the fridge and am only hitting them for 10 or 15 seconds.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I once had a plate that split apart and broke in the microwave. The best explanation I came up with is that there was some sort of microfracture that I was unable to see and the heat/spinning around caused it to get bigger.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

You have oranges with holes in the skin?

I think so. "At the poles" would be where the stem connected, which is more porous (I think) than the rind itself, and if it's a navel orange there is definitely some opening at the other end. I put that question mark because it was just a theory, but I'd be willing to bet if you put an orange in the microwave and just blasted it you would wind up with steam jets coming out of the poles. If I had an orange handy I'd try it myself.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I once had a plate that split apart and broke in the microwave. The best explanation I came up with is that there was some sort of microfracture that I was unable to see and the heat/spinning around caused it to get bigger.

With ceramics there's usually a surface glaze over a porous substrate. If there's a crack in the glaze that liquid can seep through and collect in the substrate steam pressure will break it. That works in the regular oven too, or even in the "heated dry" cycle of the dishwasher.

 

[Manfred Belheim]

I think so. "At the poles" would be where the stem connected, which is more porous (I think) than the rind itself, and if it's a navel orange there is definitely some opening at the other end. I put that question mark because it was just a theory, but I'd be willing to bet if you put an orange in the microwave and just blasted it you would wind up with steam jets coming out of the poles. If I had an orange handy I'd try it myself.

The "north" pole definitely has a "stem attachment", but it's not a full hole and what's there is plugged with a... whatever that bit is. The "south" pole is just a flat bit of rind like the rest of it though. But anyway, I'm not making steaming oranges so I don't think it's that. But am tempted to try now.

 

[Broken_Erika]

I once had a plate that split apart and broke in the microwave. The best explanation I came up with is that there was some sort of microfracture that I was unable to see and the heat/spinning around caused it to get bigger.

With ceramics there's usually a surface glaze over a porous substrate. If there's a crack in the glaze that liquid can seep through and collect in the substrate steam pressure will break it. That works in the regular oven too, or even in the "heated dry" cycle of the dishwasher.

That's how my parents had a hamburger explode in the microwave.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

The "north" pole definitely has a "stem attachment", but it's not a full hole and what's there is plugged with a... whatever that bit is. The "south" pole is just a flat bit of rind like the rest of it though. But anyway, I'm not making steaming oranges so I don't think it's that. But am tempted to try now.

That place where the stem attaches was where the orange shared fluids with the parent plant so I'm pretty sure it is porous and would vent steam. If you microwave, you produce steam...if there's just a little it condenses and gives off the heat to the surrounding "food." If there's more it visibly "boils off." If it is contained in something it blows that something open.

If you blast an orange please post the results. I predict a growing steam jet from the stem hole until it cannot pass the steam fast enough and the skin splits.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I also once microwaved a CD (a failed burn) for a few seconds to see what would happen. Nice light show, but the kitchen smelled of burning plastic for like a week afterwards. Apparently you can damage your microwave too if you do it too long.

 

[Kaitzilla]

I once put a foil-wrapped Arby's sandwich in the microwave as a kid.

It instantly burst into flames about 1 second after turning it on.

My dad had to grab it with tongs and drop it into the sink and drown it .

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I also once microwaved a CD (a failed burn) for a few seconds to see what would happen. Nice light show, but the kitchen smelled of burning plastic for like a week afterwards. Apparently you can damage your microwave too if you do it too long.

The microwaves propagate more easily through metal so anything metallic, including the foil substrate in a CD, will draw more current through the magnetron. Current heats up the magnetron and if you draw too much current for too long it will burn it up. It should take a really long time to burn out a magnetron in a well designed microwave oven (good ventilation available to the magnetron) but every time it gets overheated it shorten the lifespan.

 

[Sommerswerd]

Real men heat their food with gamma rays.

Then the food comes alive... turns green and kills you in an uncontrollable rage.

On a semi-related note... Ever read Bunnicula or The Celery stalks at Midnight?

 

[Sommerswerd]

I once put a foil-wrapped Arby's sandwich in the microwave as a kid.

It instantly burst into flames about 1 second after turning it on.

My dad had to grab it with tongs and drop it into the sink and drown it .

My mother always used to tell me not to microwave metal because it would "arc" and start a fire, but I never knew what she meant by that... Anyway... one day, as an adolescent I was too lazy to take the leftovers out of the metal cooking pot they were sitting in and I just put the whole thing, top and all into the microwave... I got a lightshow and sparks with the pot-lid's handle melting and catching fire... Lesson learned.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I think it's more dangerous to microwave forks than spoons, because of something to do with the pointy ends on forks.

 

[Sommerswerd]

There is no spoon.