Trigger warning: Extreme stupidity detailed below.

I was replacing the waveguide cover / mica plate in my microwave, and needed some light to see what I was doing, so used my phone torch with the phone propped against the inside of the microwave.

Finished putting the waveguide cover in place, popped a packet of rice in and turned on the microwave.

The music playing out my bluetooth speaker next to the microwave starting cracking up, “oh weird, guess microwave leakage is messing with the bluetooth waves” I thought.

Then I realised “FUCK my phone’s still in there”, opened the microwave and took it out. Judging by the display on the microwave it was in there for 19 seconds at 800W.

The phone was hot, but not crazy hot, less hot than it gets playing Hearthstone Battlegrounds on low graphics lmao. And it seems to still work (wifi, 4g, bluetooth, camera, everything). And the microwave is still intact.

So I’m kinda surprised at how okay everything seems right now, given that googling about it shows that other people have irreversibly broken their phones after like 2 seconds of accidental microwaving, and that you can set a microwave on fire by putting metal in it.

The phone was on the edge of the microwave in an opaque silicone case, which I guess means it didn’t receive as many microwaves as if it was in the middle, and also didn’t reflect microwaves like crazy because there wasn’t much exposed reflective surface?

My question is: how likely is it that I’ve done unseen damage to my phone or microwave such that they are no longer safe to use?

I’m worried about the integrity of the phone battery, the microwave magnetron, microwave shielding, etc. Although everything seems to work right now, if there’s an increased chance of my phone or microwave randomly exploding / setting fire in the future then I’d like to replace them.

Any help or speculation appreciated! If this is the wrong place to post please direct me somewhere else. Thank you :)

  • RiffyDivine2B
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    1 year ago

    Ah the old wave charging iphone meme, it’s been awhile. But I’d say it sounds like you go very lucky with how the beams bounced around inside of there and adding in you had food in to absorb the bulk of it.

    Worst case maybe replace the battery if it helps you sleep at night but honestly just thank the lady your phone isn’t fragged. But I’d just assume you are on borrowed time all the same and maybe setup syncthing to back it all up nighty to be safe.

  • SuperseaslugB
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    1 year ago

    The thing is, I can see myself doing this. Don’t feel too bad, just try and do better next time lol.