A chemical or burning odor - GE Spacemaker JVM1640SJ Microwave Oven

Hello -

It is probably safe to use the microwave oven after removing the burned smell.

I found some methods for removing a burned smell from a microwave.

From:
https://blog.bostonappliance.net/5-foolproof-ways-to-get-burnt-popcorn-smell-out-of-the-microwave/

(Quote)
1. Fill a bowl with 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon white vinegar.

• Microwave it for 4-5 minutes and leave it with the door shut for 10-15 minutes.
• Steam will loosen smell-causing detritus stuck to the walls. Vinegar absorbs odors, even stubborn ones like burnt popcorn smell.
• After the waiting period, remove the bowl and wipe the inside of the microwave down with a paper towel

2. Not good enough? Okay - soak a sponge with vinegar.Place some baking soda on top and microwave the sponge for 25 seconds.

• Wipe the inside of the microwave with the sponge.
• Don't forget the glass tray and the microwave door.

3. If steps 1-2 don't remove all the grime, soak cotton balls with acetone-free nail polish remover and wipe down the inside of the microwave.

• Even stubborn stains should come out.
• Wipe down the inside with soap, then vinegar water, to remove the polish remover.
• We recommend following through with step 4 to get rid of chemical smells.

4. Banish the remaining smells with the power of citrus.

• Peel two oranges or slice a lemon in half.
• Place the orange peels or lemon slices in a bowl of water (1-2 cups).
• Microwave it for 4 minutes. Watch closely to ensure that the water stays in the bowl and the citrus peels do not burn.
• If possible, leave the bowl in the microwave (with the door closed) for 12 hours.
• Too time-consuming, or just not doable for you? That's okay too. Let the bowl sit in the closed microwave for half an hour then, if the burnt smell persists, continue to step 5.

5. Still bad odors in your microwave? Leave an open box of baking soda on your microwave tray overnight.

• It will neurtalize the odor without adding to the smelly situation in any way.
• You can also place coffee grounds from your morning coffee in a bowl in the microwave all day while you are at work.
• If you don't mind coffee smell, you can microwave 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds in a half cup of water for 2-3 minutes to expedite the process.

(End quote)

Best wishes.

Sounds like you Magnetron has failed. The only way to repair this is to replace the part. Some microwaves have an extended warranty on this part. Check your manual and Call GE for service if it does. If the warranty has expired you might as well buy a new microwave unless you are very attached to this one. Hope this helps

This caused by a defective magnetron, "heats food" and the odor is a classic symptom of a bad magnetron, cheaper to replace.

I've adviced you to placed charcoal inside the unit overnight or when it is not in used.
Charcoal will absorb the upleasant odor from your microwave oven.

Thanks for using fixya...

Sounds like Magnetron MAY have shorted or an HV rectifier shorted.

Also there is a resonating cap for the current limiting trnansformer typically. That may have shorted.

Repair shop is in order.

Magnatron or the HV Transformer. Each has a distinct odor, Mag is heavy and thick burning smell transformer is more electrical. Eric

The smoke has permeated the works, so a more aggressive cleaning will be needed.

There are many good suggestions for cleaning and deodorizing microwaves here.

We're happy to help you and we'd appreciate your thoughtful rating of our answer.

It's probably normal, but you might visit your dealer and check another one and even another model or brand to see if they have the same odor.

We're happy to help and we appreciate your thoughtful rating of our answer.

For the smell, do a Google search for "smell microwave" or "odor microwave" for many great tips.

If you need a new turntable support, you can order Sharp parts from Tritronics at http://www.wehaveparts.com

It's part # FROLPB017MRK0

http://froogle.google.com is showing this model selling for as little as $100. But as a technician, I have never cared for the inverter models. As complexity increases...