JE740WH01 General Electric Microwave - Instructions

Removed the control panel, one screw at the top. Removed 2 screws on the door switch holder and removed the door switch. VERY EASY.

Relatively simple for skilled person.

remove cover, unplug secondary door switch (top switch)
remove switch from holder, install new switch, plug in wires, replace cover, very easy. door switches are a common problem
with microwave ovens.

remove cover-unplug wires from secondary switch-remove switch-snap in new switch-plug in wires-replace cover-works great. very easy to do.

Removed the microwave with the buit in housing from the cabinet. Removed microwave from built in housing. Removed outer cabinet giving access to remove control panel and smart board where switches are located. Removed control panel to get to smartboard. Removed smart board after disconnecting a few wires to allow easy removal. Individually removed and then tested each switch using multimeter. Found seondary Door Switch (bottom of smart board) operation to be intermittent (switch trip button extremely loose and rattle inside this particular switch) Ordered replacement part which came very quickly on standard shipping order. Put new switch on smart board and remounted, reinstalled control panel and reconnected various wire connectors previously disconnected. Then plugged in oven and tested for opertation - didn't work at all! But, after bleeding off capacior charge by removing connectors and discharging capacitor to ground, then reassembling control board and smart board into oven, then trying agian, it has worked perfectly ever since. Do not understand why capacitor disconnect/discharge was required but suspect this reset the control electronics. Easy fix and hope to get another 12 years out of this appliance which is used multiple times every day. Also have two other identical micorwave ovens, one is 20 years old, but these get used relatively infrequently.

Opened the microwave oven door, unscrewed two screws which held the control panel on, then I removed two of the door switches (each had two screws), and then used the continuity tester to see which one was not operating. It turned out to be the secondary door switch, replaced it and to my amazement, the microwave worked. I have never repaired an appliance before but I didn't want to replace our over-the-stove built in microwave. It was the best day ever when it was working again! The hardest part was getting myself to try the repair.

Turn off main power bracker. Removed fan vent, removed control panel, disconnect leads to the three monitor switches. Replaced the secondary switch (top). Reversed procedures.

removed access panal, found soft switch as discribed on your web site. removed and replaced.

thank you very much.

I googled "Microwave stopped working", and after reviewing numerous websites with suggestions, I found the response noted below at "Help Owl" which was the most straighfoward and clear explanation to trouble shoot the problem. I first tested the Thermal Cut Out (TCO) per the instructions below and that was the problem. I didn't have to test the electrical fuse. Turns out that you cannot typically use the microwave continuously for more the 12 or 13 minutes or it may overheat and the TCO will shut it down. Extremely easy to test for and fix, and the part is only $15! See Trouble Shooting steps as follows: Make sure that the unit is vented properly and that if you are using it for prolonged periods while cooking, that you turn-on the vent fan.
If there is no display / power within the unit...first check your power source where you plug the unit into the wall.

If that is good, Remove the Cabinette/Cover "Note: it has 3-Torx Anti-Tamper Screws".

Then as you face the microwave from the rear, at the left rear corner is a small circuit board with a fuse. "Check the Fuse"

If the fuse is good, Check the following:

1 - The most common component failure is the "Cabinette TCO" (Thermal Cut-Off Thermostat).

As you face the microwave from the rear...It is located under the cover, on top, on the left front corner area.

It is a Circular, Black & Silver Disc Shaped component about the size of a dime in diameter and is about 1/2" in height.

It has Two (2) Wires attached to it's spade connectors and it acts as a safety fuse.

"IF YOU PUT AN INSULATED JUMPER WIRE ACROSS THE 2 TERMINALS THE POWER SHOULD RETURN AND THE DISPLAY WILL LIGHT"

Anything other than these two items should be checked by an Authorized Service Technician as these microwaves have components thay carry "HIGH VOLTAGE SHOCK HAZZARDS"

it was a simple screw in on both ends. no soldering

First, unplug microwave. Unscrew two screws at top of microwave, slide grill cover left and remove. This allows access to single screw holding control panel. Remove this screw and lift up control panel to remove. Secondary door switch is black switch at lowest position. The switch is held in place by a lever in back and very hard to get to. Remove the wires plugged into the switch, then remove two screws holding the plastic switch mount that holds all three switches. These screws use a "star" type screwdriver. Once the plastic mount is free, lift it up, right, and tip it slightly to find the lever that will release the black secondary door switch (the lowest switch)...release the broken switch, snap the new switch in its place. Replace the plastic mount by lifting and replacing back into position and replace the two "star" screws. Now, replace the wires onto the new switch, and test operation. Replace control panel, and top grill. It goes faster than it writes...getting the old switch out through that difficult to reach lever was the hardest part...still less than thirty minutes.

every thing is working, but no hot

20 month old GE m/w had made "electrical" smells from beginning. Finally unit failed to turn on. Disassembly was easy except that I needed to buy anti-tamper screw driver bits from Sears to remove two screws. Found the blade connector to the sensor was a loose fit, resulting in severe heating at the connection. Plastic connector was melted and sensor was damaged to the extent this seems a possible fire hazard. Replacing the sensor is trivial, and requires removing one Phillips head screw. Reterminating the defective connector requires basic electrical skills; wire stripping and crimping. Be sure to clip a few millimeters of wire to get undamaged copper. Be sure to replace both connectors if connections feel at all loose. M/w reassembly is trivial.

Remove the microwave cover. Requires a phillips screwdriver and a torx security bit/nut driver (there are two security type screws on the back...guess they don't want you to do this at home!). I had to buy the a security bit set (about $7). The diode is easily accessible on the right side under the fan. Requires removing on small phillips screw and unplugging on electrical connection. GE provides some instructions in an envelope on top (after cover removed). There is a warning/instruction to discharge the capacitor before service. This was not a problem for me. Actual diode replacement took 30 seconds. Whole job = 15 minutes.