Simple microwave oven leakage test using wifi

[Mobus]

So my LG solardom microwave oven combo is several years old. Now ideally I would like to properly test microwave leakage with a calibrated detector but I don't have one!

So I downloaded this wifi signal strength app and measured the change in 2.4GHz wifi signal strength with the phone inside the microwave with door open vs. door closed, lying flat on the turntable and off centre to the front. (DONT SWITCH ON THE MICROWAVE!)

I also did tests with the phone lying flat on the metal turntable vs. standing upright against a short glass. Upright seemed to pick up a slightly stronger wifi signal (delta ~5dBm).

Now I would like to solicate the help of my fellow forumites. Please do the same and post your results like this:

Microwave brand and model:
Years in service:
Type of turntable: glass/metal
~Distance to 2.4GHz wifi router:
Open microwave facing router: yes/no
Obstruction between microwave and router: none/walls
Phone position: e.g. lying flat, off centre to the front
Signal strength in dBm (open door):
Signal strength in dBm (closed door):
Frequency/band: e.g. 2437Mhz

Disclaimer: DONT SWITCH ON THE MICROWAVE WITH YOUR PHONE INSIDE. SWITCH OFF AT WALL IF YOU CANNOT TRUST YOURSELF OR YOUR FELLOW MICROWAVE USERS. IF YOU NUKE YOUR PHONE/MICROWAVE/HOUSE/BODY PARTS ITS ON YOU.

 

[Mobus]

Microwave brand and model: LG solardom
Years in service: 15 yr
Type of turntable: metal
~Distance to 2.4GHz wifi router: 3m
Open microwave facing router: no
Obstruction between microwave and router: none
Phone position: lying flat, off centre to the front
Signal strength in dBm (open door): -45 dBm
Signal strength in dBm (closed door): -72 to -80 dBm
Frequency/band: 2437MHz

 

[3WA]

Hi, I followed the steps above but my phone stopped working after I microwaved it. Please advise.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

I do the cat test that Land Rover owners use.

Put a cat inside a microwave before you go to bed, you just close the door and if the cat is gone in the morning, you know you have a leak.

 

[1am7h30n3]

Hi, I followed the steps above but my phone stopped working after I microwaved it. Please advise.

Your phone was probably on it's way out anyway, borrow a different phone and repeat the test to be sure.

 

[Mobus]

Somehow knew putting the disclaimer in would just derail the thread

 

[Mobus]

Also did a test on band 9, which at 2452MHz is more aligned with the standard 2450MHz magnetron frequency.

Went from a delta ~30dBm to ~40dBm. The math sort of checks out: thats a 1000 to 10000x reduction in transmitted power. A 1000W microwave would thus emit 1 to 0.1W pressumably across the surface of the door or door window. At ~500cm^2, thats 2 to 0.2 mW/cm^2, which is below the legal limit of 5 mW/cm^2.

 

[Gnome]

Isn't this basically what they need to do for the device to be complaint?
Or are you worried that somehow the faraday cage degrades over time?

 

[SeRpEnT]

I do the cat test that Land Rover owners use.

Put a cat inside a microwave before you go to bed, you just close the door and if the cat is gone in the morning, you know you have a leak.

But until you check in the morning the cat can be considered both dead and alive at the same time?

 

[lkpat]

I gotta say, you've got some serious curiosity and technical know-how going on with that microwave testing adventure! But let's not forget safety should be the top priority! It's impressive how you used the wifi signal app to measure microwave leakage, but handling microwaves can be tricky.

@Pineapple Smurf u drunk bro?

 

[soulie]

.