So I have one of those Bluetooth thermometers for meat and other foods. I heard it wasn’t supposed to work in my oven, because it’s a combination of a regular oven in the microwave. Since microwaves are supposed to be a faraday cage, it was my understanding that no radiation should be able to get out.

On the other hand, Bluetooth sensors are so incredibly sensitive, that my microwave might still be well within safe margins in terms of escaping microwaves.

It’s worth pointing out that the reception on my Bluetooth thermometer doesn’t work very well, but if I hold my mobile phone in certain places near the oven and will shortly catch a signal.

Should I be worried and buy a new oven?

  • Norah - She/They@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    1 year ago

    Modern microwaves use 2.4Ghz frequency waves to cook food, as it means they can “leak” up to what say, a wifi router, is allowed to broadcast. This is also considered a safe amount to be around. The amount that’s actually produced is also much higher than what escapes. Still, a bargain model is more likely to emit a “louder and dirtier” signal.

    It sounds like your microwave is managing to target a narrow enough frequency band that it’s not interfering with the BT signal on a different part of the spectrum. Maybe the shielding is similarly finely tuned?

    • FrickAndMortar@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I learned about this when we got a new microwave and every time we used it, it would kill the wireless connection to my laptop!