I am replacing the microwave/range hood with a new ranghood(no microwave). The existing wiring in the cabinet above the stove is a two socket outlet, and the wiring for the range hood are two loose wires. What is needed to wire this properly? Any help would be much appreciated.
Depends on the voltage and current and your country's wiring practices. It's too general a question.
Rather like saying how how much flour is needed to make some bread? Without specifying the size or number of loaves of or the type of bread! Or the type of flour?
Since this is an internationaly read news group; what country is the OP (original poster) in?
Assuming for a moment you are somewhere in North or South America using typical 115/230 3 wire plus GROUND domestic electrical service it sounds as if your existing microwave/hood unit plugs into a standard duplex outlet. The electrical 'cord' as it is sometimes called, between the now removed unit and the outlet is/was presumably placed so that it is/was shielded from the heat and fumes being drawn from above the stove?
Without much info to go on it appears that the new hood needs to be equipped with a similar 'cord' with a 3 pin plug on the end it to be plugged into same outlet. The cord will need to be attached to the hood using proper electrical pieces such as a cable connector/anchor, Burndy wire nuts etc. An electrician or competent do it yourself-er is likely to have those items on hand. The connection will probably be made inside a small metal compartment which is part of the new unit; 'proper grounding will be important'. There are likely to be instructions in the box of the new fan unit if brand new?
The new fan will most likely use less electrical current than the existing unit so it can, most likely, be plugged into the existing outlet. If you are scrapping the existing unit and its cord is in good condition you may be able to cut it off and use it; making EXACTLY the right connections etc. including ground. The electrical cord should not be exposed to the heat or fumes from the cooking top of the stove etc.
Alternatively may be necessary to get an electrician to remove the duplex outlet and using standard bits and pieces, possibly including a short run of that flexible but metal armoured electrical cable; most likely #12 AWG or #14 AWG depending on the ampere rating of the other wiring in that circuit, wire from the outlet box to the hood in standard manner. This likely to be needed if the new wiring is on the surface and/or not protected. See wiring practices and insurance/codes in your area. Not needed is cans of beans eventually chafing through wiring on the surface not designed for that type of use!
Most worrying is the mention of ''two loose wires". Most range hoods are of metal; is yours? So it is essential to meet code electrical and your insurance policy requirements, in most/all countries, to ground that metal correctly, not just hitch up a couple of wires and plug it in somewhere; ungrounded. Even if it appears to work OK!
Sorry to be so vague; the above is full of 'possibly' and 'most likely' but the manner in which the question is asked suggests some potential for mis-wiring. It has also been assumed, as mentioned, the original question is posted by someone in a North American type wiring area such as USA, Canada, Mexico?
If OP is in Europe, Australasia, Middle East, Japan etc. which are
230 volt and different wiring practices pleas re-submit.
The typical microwave range hood has a cord and plug coming off the top, right side of the unit. It's designed to go through a hole in the upper cabinet and plugged into an outlet. The typical standard range hood will have two knockouts for a cable to be connected to it, one on top, right side, and one at the back, right of center. Unlike the microwave, these units have a junction box for the connection. You can remove the outlet and install the cable feeding the outlet into whichever knockout is more convenient, then attach the white and black wires to the unit's white and black wires. There is usually a green screw in the junction box to attach the ground wire.
I think the easiest thing to do is put a cord on the hood and plug it into the outlet above. I think Home Depot sells small appliance cords with the plug on them already. Make sure that you connect the ground wire to the hood. You will probably need to drill a hole in the cabinet at the location where the cord enters the hood knockout. Be sure to use a connector in the knockout on the hood. A Romex connector should suffice.
First of all this is my first time posting in a Google group so I hope I'm adding to the thread the correct way (reply, reply to author).
Anyway, thank you all so much for your quick suggestions. Let me clear up a few things here. Terry as you assumed, I am in North America (US). There are already holes drilled for a plug because the microwave used a plug, so that is all taken care of. I just need to wire it up.
"Two loose wires? No ground? Does that sound strange to anyone? Didn't the unit come with a manual explaining how to connect the power? "
There is a green ground wire connected to a screw, I'm sorry I forgot to mention that. And I believe the manual said something like "hook up to house wiring".
"I think the easiest thing to do is put a cord on the hood and plug it into the outlet above"
John, I like that idea best. ;) You said to make sure to connect the ground to the hood, but wouldn't I be doing this already by attaching a cord to it (as it has a black, white, and green wire for ground I assumed) What's a romex connector?
First of all this is my first time posting in a Google group so I hope I'm adding to the thread the correct way (reply, reply to author).
Anyway, thank you all so much for your quick suggestions. Let me clear up a few things here. Terry as you assumed, I am in North America (US). There are already holes drilled for a plug because the microwave used a plug, so that is all taken care of. I just need to wire it up.
"Two loose wires? No ground? Does that sound strange to anyone? Didn't the unit come with a manual explaining how to connect the power? "
There is a green ground wire connected to a screw, I'm sorry I forgot to mention that. And I believe the manual said something like "hook up to house wiring".
"I think the easiest thing to do is put a cord on the hood and plug it into the outlet above"
John, I like that idea best. ;) You said to make sure to connect the ground to the hood, but wouldn't I be doing this already by attaching a cord to it (as it has a black, white, and green wire for ground I assumed) What's a romex connector?
First of all this is my first time posting in a Google group so I hope I'm adding to the thread the correct way (reply, reply to author).
Anyway, thank you all so much for your quick suggestions. Let me clear up a few things here. Terry as you assumed, I am in North America (US). There are already holes drilled for a plug because the microwave used a plug, so that is all taken care of. I just need to wire it up.
"Two loose wires? No ground? Does that sound strange to anyone? Didn't the unit come with a manual explaining how to connect the power? "
There is a green ground wire connected to a screw, I'm sorry I forgot to mention that. And I believe the manual said something like "hook up to house wiring".
"I think the easiest thing to do is put a cord on the hood and plug it into the outlet above"
John, I like that idea best. ;) You said to make sure to connect the ground to the hood, but wouldn't I be doing this already by attaching a cord to it (as it has a black, white, and green wire for ground I assumed) What's a romex connector?
It looks like your pictures tell enough of the story that attaching the cord, black to black, white to white and green to green should do it for you. Use the correct size wire nuts and you'll be all set. The cord should say what size wire it uses (possibly 12) and the wire nut package will tell you what size nut to use. Since the cord has the larger wires, use those to determine the wire nut size.
A romex connector is a metal ring that will clamp down on the cord and hold it securely to the hood's junction box. I can't see the hole where the wires come out, but hopefully it will fit one of these:
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They make plastic snap in connectors, but I prefer the old fashion metal ones like the one shown. The ring goes inside the junction box and the clamp remains external. I typically postion the clamp so that the screws are about a 1/4 turn from where I want them to end up, then hand tighten the ring. I then grab a pair of pliers, insert the jaws into the clamp and give it the 1/4 turn required to tighten it up.
There are hundreds of styles of grommets and wire clamps out there, so if a Romex connector won't fit, I'm sure you'll find some type of clamp that will. You do *not* want to leave the cord loose in the hole since vibration may eventually cause the cord to wear out.
Just make sure that the excess cord is in the cabinet above and not jammed between the hood and the bottom of the cabinet
Yes you would.
As someone else mentioned it is a two screw clamp type connector that will fit in the knockout opening which is 1/2" trade size, but 7/8" in actual size. There are also cord connectors as well, but I don't know what their availability is at a home center.
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