What's inside a microwave oven magnetron 

Some time ago I first saw one of your videos. You used an ugly soldering iron and crude hand tools. I immediately thought something like "This guy is so amateurish." The more DiodesGoneWild videos I watched the more I realized how wrong that first impression was. Your straightforward style and the way you explain circuits in plain language is wonderful. You bring the subject of electronics down to earth, not hiding it behind complicated language or fancy equipment few can afford. Rather, using found and fabricated tools you say to your audience "You do not need a 200 dollar power supply, an 800 dollar oscilloscope, and a lab full of specialized tools to start learning and playing with electronics." Too many channels seem to say just the opposite. I am glad that you discuss safety while still doing things "the book" calls unsafe. We all do these things in real life but worry that people unfamiliar with how to stay alive will jump in unaware. Your cautions are well placed and helpful I'm sure. I have been surprised how much I have learned from your videos. Today as I watched your description of your understanding of the magnetron operation for just a moment a light went on in my mind. I suddenly had a glimpse of understanding of the "How." I have read about the function of magnetrons and their fascinating history (A Secret Weapon, highly classified!). Still when it came to How it actually resonated always stayed in my mind as "...and then Magic happens." Today I think I understand and will go back to the books. That alone is worth boosting my Patreon support. I encourage others to give as they can to support DGW's continued efforts.

4:16 "but I still have to cover my ass..." this is really going to be wild :D

Thank you for debunking the Beryllium Oxide myth. It's like an urban legend that wouldn't just go away

Amazing...almost as mind blowing as trying to understand the universe!

I love your thumbnail on this... it's saying "look how close this dremel is getting to the beryllium... WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!" :)

When I used to repair microwaves back in the 1990's, several of the training courses I attended warned us about beryllium oxide in the magnetron, which I ignored as they were internal training courses. It was not until I attended several official courses, one from Sharp, and especially one from Panasonic UK, a full seminar training course, where once again they stressed about the dangers of the beryllium oxide contained within the magnetron that it really sunk in how dangerous they are. The RULE is, if the insulator is PINK it contains beryllium oxide (as beryllium oxide is pink) , if it is WHITE then it is ALUMINIUM based. Older microwaves before about 2005 used beryllium oxide, but have noticed a switch to Aluminium over the years since. I have also noticed some within the last year with BLUE insulators?... If you have a pink insullator ind you break it and inhale the dust, you are asking for berylliosis of the lungs...

I did not expect to laugh that much at this video! 👍😍🤣

The magnets cause a circular flow like its effect on an arch turning it into plasma.

I heard somewhere that you can take a magnetron apart and remove the tube and magnets and use it as a high voltage diode. Is this true?

Thanks brother

Black magic indeed!

"F" and "FA" replaces from this schematic

doing a physics lesson in a second language is impressive by itself......of course

Beryllium oxide was very common a long time ago, but most modern magnetrons do not use it anymore, but use aluminum oxide instead. From what I have been told- again, I can't say that this is fact- a pink insulator indicates that it's a newer aluminum oxide insulator. A white insulator could be anything, and should be assumed to be beryllium, especially on a newer unit, because the pink color- as I've heard- indicates that it's aluminium oxide, with chromium oxide added. Once again, this is information I've learned from a third party, I can't vouch for its accuracy. What is certain is beryllium oxide WAS used in older magnetrons, and may still occasionally be used today, though most have switched to aluminum oxide.

9:00 Man, your cat is more useful than most of the tools in my workshop.

Magnatron: Guess i'll die

MagnetronGoneWild

In some old russian owens, "military grade" magnetron design used, and yes, that magnetrons contains BeO. But, in that case some warning labels are present (at least in russian language)

A friend of mine whilst preparing to open a RADAR museum was given permission to look through the GEC research laboratories in Wembley after they closed the site. He discovered all the Magnetron prototype blueprints, correspondence marked top secret, production drawings etc...The whole history of the Magnetron from the late 30s through to the late 40s boxes full. In the event the museum idea fell through , yet nobody seemed interested in the complete history of the invention that arguably saved the world. The Imperial War museum didn't want them etc..They are still sitting in cardboard boxes. I have some scans. They also made and developed some great audio gear (like KT88 ) along with dozens of other amazing things etc. Great video as usual. Love your channel.

19:08 36 uR/h, not great, not terrible!

The best way I've heard to describe the operation of a magnetron is to think of blowing air into an empty bottle, the air resonates in an empty cavity, just as the electron cloud resonates in the cavities of the magnetron as they rotate in the magnetic field...

This is the most interesting explanation (and teardown as well) I've ever met on this topic. Big thanks!

Those injoulators are soooo danjarooz! XD

- There are some screeeews, let's unscreeew it! XD

My head is swirling just as the electrons inside the magnetron! Great video!

Pink in Beryllium is merely a added colour, as the oxide itself is white. Not al pink insulators are beryllium oxide, in general it is only used where you need very good thermal performance and a very high insulation resistance, and it is good at this, though very expensive, so in most applications you use a much cheaper aluminia instead.

Amazing job, thank you. For the first time ever, I have an intuitive feel for how the magnetron works, with some great insights.

18:55 if the filament emits alpha radiation some of it may be shielded by the plastic wrapped around the wire pieces I assume..

A magnetron is quite facinating piece of alien technology even for me as an electrician.

Enjoyed the video and your knowledge in Black Magic.

Excellent DGW :o) Spark plugs before WWII used to have insulators the same colour as the rf output insulator here - and they were mostly made from aluminium oxide also I believe.

This is hands down the most informative electronics channel in the whole internet. I follow every electronic channel in RU-vid (some are so small they might have 50 or so subscribers) i watch hundreds of videos about electronics and I'm not exaggerating when I say it. Thank you very much sir.

Don't you ever try to die! Who am I going to watch during breakfast? :-)

Just after last video I got very interested in precisely this: what is inside a magnetron!! Thank you for the video Diode! Love your content!

If it was up to me to come up with something like this, we'd still be cooking in pots over a fire. My hat goes off to anyone that actually understands how this stuff works. 🤯

2.45 GHz isn't used because it is the best frequency to heat water. The main reason is that the size of the magnetron as well as the oven chamber scale with the wavelength. Commercial microwave ovens, where size and weight isn't as much of an issue, sometimes run at lower frequencies (

This guy sounds like he's singling. Nice video!

Well well well. Rumor has it that this is now the definitive video on magnetrons. Look like it’s time to fire up the old camera and CGI software and defend my honor.

Ngl your accent is funny AF😂

Great analyses and explanation of the magnetron. First time I have seen one taken apart. Very interesting design. Keep up the excellent video's DGW.

Excellent job fine sir. Now... can you please reassemble and aim at Joey Biden’s brain to restart functioning? Seriously. Thank you for yet another physics lesson in plain-speak

very nice autopsy and physic explanation thank you ..your Name?? i am a radio amateur passionate of electronic since 40 years

DiodeGoneWild -Where are you from(country)? You have the best knowledge about electrotechnics. I could learn a lot from you. :-)

10:30 those Dremel wheels are usually more for cutting harder metals like aluminum, steel, and iron, they don't cut well through soft materials either due to build up of dust sticks around where you're cutting or the softer particles will gum the blade especially with plastics, they make reinforced wheels but those things tend to cost too, plus they tend to be thicker, so you lose a little precision depending on what you're cutting

Love your Geiger counters, that looks like a backlight transformer from a LCD TV used for the high voltage supply? And a PIC based counter? Video please!!!

How to get cancer in 20min

I dismantled so many microwaves and i never know that the main body of the magnetron is made of clean copper, so much metal went to the scrapyard for price of scrap instead of millberry copper that i dont want to think about it.. As always really good video, keep it up :)

Your cat is a genius

This truly is a real rally english. :P

This video makes me want to open my microwave to get those 2 magnets

you talk weird....I like you... Subscribed

I don’t have any background with vacuum tubes but the specification that stands out to my mind is the low voltage/high current of the heater. Is there a particular reason for this?

Oh my god, i am so reliefed. I thinked my cough because of berillium, but it's maybe just a simple covid-19

Because wireless communication snd microwave ovens magnetrons frequency are same it can interfere with smartphone ??

i was wondering is there any way to condense the microwaves into a beam like a laser tube to make it a long range beam?

GOLD! MINE!

The insulator which the filament leads go through really looks like some Be crap.

"i think is aluminium oxide" :| that sound so dangerous!

Thank you for a great video

Z té angličtiny slyším samou češtinu, je to tak? :-D Jinak super video, neměl jsem nikdy odvahu zrovna tohle rozebírat

Hey excellent job cutting that apart yes at very high frequencies ac ground and positive float in between. And explaining it also. Watched a video on how they are made quite interesting. Keep the videos coming

You seen to be a very intelligent person. Do you mind answering what's your formation? I'm getting my electrical technician degree soon, but i'm not even close to knowing the things you know.

I think the insulators are aluminium oxide too, but I can't give you a guarantee on that. I still handle them with care, and if I would break it, I would consult a specialist with the sample. But as you said, it is unlikely to see more expensive and harder to work beryllium oxide in consumer product, where the aluminium oxide will do very good job instead. One way to have higher confidence is check the density (weight / volume), and compare with tables, or use XRF.

Beryllium oxide is really only dangerous if your machining it or doing some other process thats creating lots of dust. Just cracking the ceramic probably wont be an issue. We used beryllium alloys as well as ceramics and our in-house machinist had to take some special precautions when turning or milling it.

How do you know so much. Bow to you and your knowledge !!. TOday, I scrapped my microwave, but due to lockdown, I had ample time. So, I separated the metals, plastic etc to that scrap dealer can handle them easily (scrap is sold in India, not just thrown in bins). I can recover some of the money of microwave oven, if I separate the steel, copper etc and then sell to scrap dealer.

What a beautiful accent... LMAO

I appreciate your cat's genuine interest in physics! By the way, may I ask what you do for living? I'm a physicist and I like all of your videos very much!

It works at 2,4GHz just like WiFi networks.

Who ever Designed the Magnetron is a Genius...

Many thanks for sharing this the tear down and operation it's fascinating I've always wanted to know about them hats off to the designers....

Good work brother

Sir in the first place we bow down unto you and seek your Blessings as you are an Eminent Teacher, a one Man Institution or a University. I am a Senior Citizen age 70 yet I learn alot from you. You subjective Explantion with so much of clarity and indepth knowledge in details can amaze any student and if one has a bent of mind for learning you are an Ocean. I want to see your face which always remains hidden but Sir please oblige us and in one of your Videos tell us all about yourself for we worship you for your knowledge. I sincerely Thank You from my Heart and Pray to God that you lead a healthy and have a life span of 100 years to benefit your students.

I found it interesting that you were able to measure some form of ionizing radiation from thoriated tungsten, even though it was in a plastic sleeve, as it's typically an alpha emitter. Either way, a neat tear-down. For those wondering about the 'black magic,' as an example: at 2.45 GHz, a mere 0.5 pF capacitance has a reactance of 130 Ω, and there is actually much more than that going on. }:)

I didn't know Count Dracula was making videos like this

I collect the magnets out of microwaves

Finally a new video. Where have you been man? I keep checking for new materials.

Thank you for alerting everyone to the danger of the beryllium oxide. It's not obvious and may not kill someone now, but a slow lingering death due to respiratory berylliosis and lung cancer probably isn't fun.

Can cat do physics

ok, great. a magnetron seems to be a compareably solid build, so why did i had to replace one in my oven the other day? what part of it might fail? there seems nothing to be moving in there, can it overheat?

totally funny english :D Thumbs up :)

Happy Thanksgiving from Texas! Stay safe...as you can LOL

Face reveal at 150k subscribers.

who would have thought a magnetron is something like a electron-jacuzzi.

You spoke like a machine gun combined with Google translator.

Best channel ever...

There's a few bits of bad advance in this video. And by far the worse is about the pink ceramic insulator. Some other magnetrons, depending on the make are white ish, but anyway. NEVER listen to his BS about it being make out of aluminium oxide and even if it was. You don't want to breath it in. If you do think it's that safe and you've breathed it in the past, then rack a line up and snort if you think it's fine. Just remember everyone. A little knowledge is dangerous. When you think you know it all, in reality, you know a tiny amount about what your studying and learning. It's how most people's brain s work. NEVER do all of your research online. Although it's the easiest way. Go and get a book from the library and do some actual reading as there's a shit load of fake news.

So a tornado of elektrons propelled by a magnetic field twists and oscilates between two rings of negative anodes and every other one that is connected to the antenna becomes charged with super high frequency high voltage radiative micro waves and they escapes the antenna, go into the oven and shake vigorously the water molecules. As they shake the friction between other molecules produces heat and the food absorbs that heat and evenly heats up and becomes hot.

lovely accent

Antennas Dont Have Plus Or Minus Where You Need To Wory, zi Have Made Many Antennas. Antennas are difrent snimal

your accent and tool OMG great keep it up

What if no water inside microwave? Where energy going? Heated back magnetron or microwave body? How much heat at magnetron its have only little heatsink with air blowing but even with digital control its never have temp sense for protection?

PLEASE HELP ME...................WITH WHICH CIRCUIT (OR TYPE OF CIRCUIT) DISTORTION OR DISTURBANCE CAN BE INDUCED WITHIN A COAXIAL CABLE REMOTELY ( 5 OR 7 METERS AWAY). PLEASE REPLY MY QUESTION .............SORRY FOR POOR ENGLISH..............AWAITING FOR YOUR REPLY.

Such a poetic and musical accent. I could listen to this man reading the telephone directory!

Two things; firstly, videos are ALWAYS better with cats, and secondly, luckily, NONE of my diodes have EVER "gone wild," but if they had, I would "rectify" my mistake!

Noticed it is RARE to read SO MANY positive comments regarding someone explaining electrical things on RU-vid.... Well done

First of all this is a good video! About radiation precaution advice I believe the same that you said. And for example I mentioned the smoke detector that contains a radio active substance like Americium. Naturally there is the necessary signal of the radioactive substance. So is it possible microwave that is for food to not have the same signal? I think not. Instead there is only the Lightning strike that indicates high voltage. Of course there is beryllium oxide (pink layer)but as you said is toxic only if you break it and inhale the dust! The thorium tungsten alloy cathode is slightly radio active possible less than Americium or almost like ground.

Don't explode the magtrometer!!!

Video itself might be interesting, but i just cannot coup with that strange accent with the random pitch ups. :[

Newbie here, and I know it's old ... but how is the pulse sent out? How is the pulse sent out at 2.45 GHz? Is it the size of the cavity or the frequency? Does the anode "push" it out? Some many questions ...

Please check the radioactivity of the tungsten spiral out of plastic cover. Any material even thin plastic can actually block the flow of alpha particles.