Kenmore Microwave

[MajorApp]

 Could someone tell me exactly how to discharge the high voltage capacitor on a microwave before servicing. I'm replacing the magnetron.

Model 363.6270220

[Repair-man]

Go to the capacitor after unplugging the unit and place one side of your needle nose pliers on a terminal, the other on the side of the capacitor body or holding bracket. If there is no pop, the capacitor is discharged.

[JWWebster]

Note: Since that cap has a very small rating the pop will be barely audible. Most microwave caps have fractional micro-farads. Very doubtful that puppy could bite you very hard.

[Repair-man]

JW, that cap can load up 2000 volts @ 47 joules. That'll knock the shizzle out of your pazizzle...

[whirlpooltech]

JW, that cap can load up 330 volts. That'll knock the shizzle out of your pazizzle...

lol,   

That or kill you!

[RegUS_PatOff]

Go to the capacitor after unplugging the unit and place one side of your needle nose pliers on a terminal, the other on the side of the capacitor body or holding bracket...

1) ...on the side of the capacitor body or holding bracket...
2) ...place one side of your needle nose pliers on a terminal...

also, insulated pliers (or screw-driver) would be better...

[MajorApp]

 I did as instructed and there was nothing. Do they sometimes and sometimes not store electricity? Thanks everybody for your help.

[Repair-man]

9 times out of 10 they will bleed out thru the diode. There's always that one time that you forget when it'll zap ya.

[JWWebster]

The cap repels the juice from the high voltage transformer while the diode agitates the juice going into the magnetron so that it makes the molecules inside whatever you have in the microwave  rub up against each other. When they rub, they cause friction, and friction makes heat.