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Can Electronics Pass By Microwaves Unscathed ?
I am expecting a rather expensive package today. A CD Recorder worth over $300.00. My microwave is right there next to the common entrance / exit of my home. It is turned off & unplugged , but I am always weary of bringing in or out electronics without removing & moving the microwave to some other far location to keep from any negative reactions between those items I bring in or out of my home passing by my microwave. I simply want to bring in my CD Recorder into my home from the delivery person in it's respective packaging & carry it passed the microwave , which is right there by the door for which & go in & out & carry my recorder into the adjoining livingroom about 10 paces away. Again, the microwave is unplugged. I just don't like bringing expensive things like my electronics passed a device that generates & emits small levels of radiation or any other forms of generated energy that can effect audio & video devices such as this recorder. I am not really paranoid about this so much as I am trying to just be better safe than sorry & I want to protect my investment. Please let me know if anything goes on with any emitting of anything from the microwave whether it is plugged in or not. I don't want t pass by with my electronics with what the microwave is made of either. Just knowing how recent I have used it & all the bad emissions that it gives off with any close by electronics items , CD's & DVD's , I am just weary of allowing my CD Recorder to pass by my microwave oven. Once again , my microwave is right there by the front door , but is unplugged & has been for some time. Can anything radiation relation still exist on the microwave long after it's last usage ? Is it safe to have my electronics pass by such an unplugged , but such a damaging piece of equipment such as a microwave that can damage electronics by safe to be around my delivered package for however short of a time ? I am hesitant of even wanting one second of my package being close to my microwave at all , even if it is to only pass by my microwave for a few seconds. Please let me know if I have anything to worry about .... Thank you. Much obliged. :-)
2 Answers
- Mmm JLv 77 years agoFavorite Answer
You are overly worried about the impacts of your microwave oven. When it is off, the magnetron (the thing that is the major component making the microwave energy) does not get any power and is not radiating microwaves. You can even leave it plugged in. If the microwave oven is within 10 years old or so and in good working condition, leave the door closed. It is shielded. You can do this experiment to prove it to yourself:
Place a glass of water in the microwave oven. With no power but plugged in, the water will not get warm or hot. You can do this with the door open or closed. When you close the door and power it on, the water will heat. That means the magnetron is working properly. The door interlock is what causes the microwave oven to not work when you open the microwave oven door. Assuming this interlock is working properly, the shielded door will keep the microwave radio waves inside the oven cavity.
Microwave radiation is from radio waves (not radioactivity like nuclear material). In the case of a microwave oven, assuming it is in good working order, if it is plugged in, but the microwave portion is off, there is no power and no microwave radiation. Closing the door keeps things pretty and *if* there was any microwave activity, the closed door would keep it contained. There is no impact to electronics, sensitive or otherwise.
If you were to put the sensitive electronics IN the microwave oven and turn the oven on, there there will be impact - but that is not what most people do. If you are *that* concerned about microwave leakage form your oven, you should probably invest in one of these
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Microwave-Oven-Leaka...
If your microwave oven is somehow damaged and radiating inappropriately, then it should be replaced with a non-damaged, properly functioning unit.
Remember, microwave radio waves ARE NOT nuclear radiation.
The WORST thing that can happen when you leave a microwave oven plugged in but not in use is during a power surge, the sensitive electronics in the microwave oven can be damaged and break the oven so it no longer works... but that is about it. If microwave ovens were as dangerous as you think they are, no one would be using them...
- PoohBearPenguinLv 77 years ago
Microwave ovens are sealed - no microwave radiation leaves the inside of the oven.
So, as long as you don't cram your CD recorder inside the microwave oven and turn on the oven, it will be fine.
By the way, we're exposed to low power microwave energy everyday. Some comes from the sun, while other sources include things like those short range communication towers that look like they have large timpani drums bolted on them. Despite all this, our electronics continue working.
