What Sparking Inside means on your Dacor microwave (dacor microwave sparking during operation)
This page covers a symptom of a microwave rather than an error code, because no such Dacor code exists. Sparking, or “arcing,” inside the cavity most often has a simple cause — metal, or a damaged interior surface, reflecting microwave energy — but it should always be treated as a stop-and-check situation before continuing to use the microwave, since repeated arcing can damage the cavity or the waveguide cover.
Symptoms
The signs below separate this condition on your Dacor microwave from other problems that present almost identically on a microwave.
- Visible sparks or arcing appear inside the cavity during a cook cycle.
- A crackling or popping sound accompanies the sparking.
- The sparking tends to happen in the same spot each time.
- Food or cookware with any metal trim, twist ties, or foil is present in the cavity.
Common causes
The causes below are ranked by how frequently each is responsible on a Dacor microwave, which is also the order worth checking them in on your microwave.
- Metal in the cavity — foil, metal-trimmed dishes, or twist ties reflect microwave energy and arc, the most common and easiest cause to rule out.
- Damaged waveguide cover — the small mica or ceramic cover protecting the waveguide opening has burned through or cracked, exposing metal beneath.
- Chipped or worn interior coating — exposed metal at a chip or scratch in the cavity paint can arc.
- Failed magnetron component — less common, but an internal magnetron problem can also produce arcing.
Troubleshooting steps you can try
The safe checks on a Dacor microwave are below, in order; the moment a step involves the microwave’s power, gas or sealed system, hand it over.
- Stop the cycle immediately and remove anything metallic from the cavity.
- Inspect the cavity walls and the waveguide cover (usually on a side or top wall) for visible burning, discoloration, or holes.
- Run a brief empty test cycle with a cup of water only, no cookware, to confirm whether sparking still occurs.
- Do not continue to use the microwave if sparking persists with no metal present, since the waveguide cover or cavity may be damaged.
- Book a technician to inspect and, if needed, replace the waveguide cover before further use.
Parts a technician may replace
A technician will work through the waveguide cover, cavity paint/coating, metal cookware, and magnetron on your microwave. Genuine OEM or trusted-supplier parts are matched to the microwave by model and serial number rather than fitted to a microwave on spec.
When to call a technician
This is High severity when sparking happens with no metal present: stop using the microwave and have the waveguide cover and cavity checked before it runs again. Because this is rated High severity on a microwave, stop using the microwave and arrange service rather than retrying it. We service your microwave independently of Dacor, fitting genuine parts and standing behind the labor for 30 days.
Related help and Dacor resources
Where the Sparking Inside condition persists on a microwave, stop retrying and arrange service. See also our microwave repair guides, our service areas, and www.dacor.com for the microwave specification.
