Tag: Microwave Oven Outlet

MICROWAVE OVEN ON TOP OF STOVE Dear Mr. Electrician: How does one go about installing a microwave oven over stove?  I would like to remove the hood over my stove and install an over-the-stove microwave oven in its place. Answer: If you already have a hood with fan and light mounted on the underside of the cabinet, you can possibly use that circuit to power your new microwave oven over the stove.  You should determine first what circuit is powering the hood. NOTE: Some text links below go to applicable products on Amazon.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Turn the hood fan and light on and then flip off each circuit breaker to see which one powers the hood. With the hood circuit breaker off, take note of what else is off in the kitchen and the rest of the home.  If you see that the lights in the kitchen or lights and outlets in other rooms are off, then you should not use that circuit to power the microwave. If only some of the electrical receptacle outlets on the kitchen counter top are off and it is a 20 amp circuit, then you can probably use that circuit for the needed outlet in the cabinet above the stove.  Be advised that not every home is wired the same and what works in one home does not make it okay in another. There are several makes and models of microwave ovens that mount under the cabinet that is located above a stove.  The instructions for mounting the microwave are fairly common and explained in the manual that comes with the purchase of a new microwave oven. You should read the installation instructions before purchasing an over-the-range microwave oven, but basically you mount the wall bracket and drill some holes in the cabinet above.  The instructions will tell you what the minimum distance must be from the bottom of the microwave oven to the top of the stove.  If kitchen cabinet above the stove is too low, you cannot install a microwave oven over your stove. Below are two examples of microwave oven installations that I did a few years ago.  There is a chart of adjustable electrical boxes at the bottom of this post. The difficult part is getting power to the microwave oven.  This is accomplished by installing an electrical receptacle inside of the cabinet above the stove, which should be done before mounting the microwave oven on the cabinet. One tool that I have found to be very helpful for installing an outlet for a microwave oven over the stove is the Oscillating Multifunction Tool.  It seems to be the perfect tool for cutting clean precise holes in woodwork.  This is a tool that I always kept on my truck because it came in handy often. REMOVE THE OLD HOOD FROM OVER THE STOVE Make sure that the circuit breaker for the hood is off.  Remove the small cover underneath the hood that contains the electrical connections.  Using a non-contact voltage tester, check to make sure that...