Microwave Oven Registration

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Petek

Cook
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
73
Location
Berkeley, CA
I was browsing an old (copyright 1972) microwave oven cookbook. I came across the following statement:

All radio and television stations are licensed for uses as specified by the FCC. Since the oven emits electromagnetic waves somewhat like a broadcasting station, if you purchase or now own a microwave oven, you will be required to register as the owner with the manufacturer, so the location of the oven will be known at all times. If you sell it, or purchase one through an original owner, you are required to notify the manufacturer.

Was there really such a law at one time? I searched the internet, but found nothing about this matter.

Pete K.
 
I bet they were really concerned with your safety, and had no intention of sending you unsolicited advertizing materials, or selling your name and address to mass marketing groups.
 
Registering an appliance usually insures that if there is ever a dangerous problem with it, that you'd be immediately notified about what to do.

A recall would then be placed on the product - as in the case of the earlier models of Maytag dishwashers. Then at some point in time, the appliance would either be repaired at no cost to you or replaced.
 
What? You do not register your nuker with the FCC, OSHA, the FBI and the CIA?

Yeah, the paperwork is tough but am not worried about the microwave police coming into my house in the middle of the night.

I feel very sorry for those who do not observe the law.
 
I don't think it's a law any more. Times have changed. As Andy M. said above, it's dead.

Oh. OSHA investigates occupational injuries and work safety hazards, while the FBI & CIA handle criminal matters and corruption cases.
 
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Registering an appliance usually insures that if there is ever a dangerous problem with it, that you'd be immediately notified about what to do.
If you actually believe that, I have a piece of ocean-front property in Kingman, AZ that I'd seriously consider selling you, for the right price. ;)
 
It's supposed to. it also is supposed to make sure that your appliance is registered with the warranty that's on it. In case service is needed.
 
Yes, there was such a law back then - and it didn't have diddle-squat to do with product safety recall notification. It had to do with the fact that microwave ovens were in their infancy and posed a "potential" threat to be an incidental source of electromagnetic radiation interference to protected communication services (military and civilian radar; aircraft, public service such as fire police, private, citizens band, and amateur radio; broadcast TV and radio reception). By having your "nuker" registered with the FCC - if they received a complaint from someone about EMI (interference) they could narrow down the culprit with a minimal amount of effort and in a timely manner. Of course, back then, most people received their TV and radio signals via antennas - not cable which is much less prone to EMI.

Also, about that time, they came out with something called Lithium-Ion batteries. One of the first civilian uses was for cardiac pacemakers. These "nuclear powdered" pacemakers required registration with both the FDA and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (or, whatever it was called back then). The main thing I remember is that there were about 20-pages of rules to read/comply with and about 10-pages to fill out for each patient.

If the microwave manual has a reference to a CFR - that will identify the law that was in effect at that time.
 
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