Post # 1
Member
1359 posts
Bumble bee
okay, bees – hopefully someone can help.
my microwave is fine – reheats and cooks things just fine. however, the second I put baker’s chocolate in there to melt it (in a micro-safe bowl!) it sparks. it also sparks if I attempt microwaving dish sponges, which with a quick google, are totally okay to micro to kill germs. it will also spark if I microwave carrots. this turned up info on google to do with the minerals.
but it’s still scary as hell! why is it doing this to mee?
Post # 3
Member
413 posts
Helper bee
@sorrycharlie: Do you still have the wrapping on the chocolate? It could be that. Does the bowl have any silver on it? That’ll spark in the microwave too.
Gwen
Post # 4
Member
2084 posts
Buzzing bee
No idea, but this has to be the best post title I’ve seen in a while…
Post # 5
Member
1359 posts
Bumble bee
@GwenvonD: nope, definitely no wrappers. and I’ve tried a basic glass prep bowl, as well as my traditional cereal bowls. 🙁 I can’t figure out the sponges, either.
@Button: LOL. thanks!
Post # 6
Member
1944 posts
Buzzing bee
Out of everything you microwave it’s only these 3? Weird as hell! The only thing I can think of is if you have a wire shelf in yours? I do in mine and sometimes if it’s not sitting properly it will spark on the area it’s suppose to sit on.
Post # 7
Member
1543 posts
Bumble bee
That’s definitely weird.
*goes off to google this stuff*
Post # 8
Member
1359 posts
Bumble bee
@MissGreen: nope, no shelf. just a glass plate that spins. there’s a metal plate thing screwed to the side, which google says to make sure is spotless, but the thing is so weird! google says minerals in carrots (okay, I suppose), and maybe my sponge has metal, but the chocolate? so sad 🙁 much easier than double-boiling. lol!
Post # 9
Member
955 posts
Busy bee
I found a couple different things online. One says if you put too small of an amount of whatever it is you are microwaving it can cause sparks. Says to use a larger amount of whatever it is u are micro-ing. Then somthing else says if you put a cup of water in the micro at the same time as chocolate it will keep it from sparking. But mostly all I see is that the microwave probably needs replaced. Many people report it acting up with a couple differnt things inside but in the end it was the microwave that needed replace.
Post # 10
Member
1359 posts
Bumble bee
@pinkb: thanks for the help! I’m going to definitely try the quantity & water tricks first..I was totally dreading the last option of replacing. sigh.. I suppose no chocolate for me! 😛
Post # 11
Member
351 posts
Helper bee
Ahhhhhh! Your microwave is possessed, get some holy water and a priest!
(Please update us, this is super intersting. I wonder if it has to do with mineral metal content or something of that natural, bizarre for sure!)
Post # 12
Member
3368 posts
Sugar bee
I don’t know if anyone else will find this funny, but my Darling Husband is a science geek and always has (very lengthy) answers to stuff like this, so I asked him. He says, “There’s no common denominator in those items which would cause the magnetron to output radiation any differently. But I would like to see that happen!” I know that doesn’t help at all, but he was so cute when he said it.
Post # 13
Member
592 posts
Busy bee
I think your microwave and mine are in some secret microwave freak out pact.
Mine randomly stopped heating things up about a month ago. I didn’t get rid of it because we use it for the timer (sad, I know) and I didn’t want to buy a new one because we are likely moving and I figured if we needed a microwave when we move we’ll register for a new one in our wedding registry.
So, until then…no microwave…or so I thought. Then I randomly put some butter in it yesterday to melt it and it worked fine. Weird – right?
Anyway – so not helpful I realize, but I sympathize with your microwave freakout.
Post # 14
Member
2433 posts
Buzzing bee
That’s the strangest microwave malfunction I’ve ever heard of! Have you considered calling an appliance repair place to see if they could take a look at it? Or maybe you could call the manufacturer? I would just want to get it checked out to make sure it isn’t possibly a malfunction which could cause a fire. Probably isn’t, but I would just double-check it to be safe.
Post # 15
Member
1359 posts
Bumble bee
@Lady Baker: lol!
@jjmomma: I thought the same thing, but in much more basic terms – “what the heck do a carrot, baking chocolate and a dish sponge have in common?” sounds like a bad joke! 🙂
@flutterbi: thanks! yeah, thing’s bizarre.
@MrsEdamame: I haven’t called anyone, because we don’t have the money – I just scream and turn it off if it sparks. And I’ve since avoided carrots and chocolate in there like the plague. I’d really like to disinfect those sponges though! sigh..no dishwasher.
semi-update – still at a loss with the chocolate, but, google says carrots its from minerals and the dish sponge may have metal in it in the scrubby side.
Post # 16
Member
3799 posts
Honey bee
The only success I’ve had with melting chocolate in the microwave and it not burning or sparking is when I got a Dolce Frutti from the grocery store. Usually it is located in the produce near the fruit. It is a dip for making chocolate covered strawberries, etc. It microwaves easily.
