HELP! Need question answered on 220v microwave

[wideglide01]

Hello,

I have an interesting situation I'm hoping an electrcian/electricial expert in this newsgroup may help answer.

I have an 30 year old 220v range with an attached upper (second smaller ) oven.

It's on it's last legs and we're in the process of purchasing a new oven (also obviously 220v) and a separate microwave/oven to mount above it.

My question is, the existing oven has a 220v line running to it and now I'll obviously have to get an electrician to install another plug for the microwave.

Will the electrician have to run a second 220v line for the microwave or will he/she be able to just put in an outlet from the existing line to handle both appliances? Obviously, putting in an outlet with two plugs would be cheaper but I'm not sure that's legal/safe to do or will they have to run a completely different 220v line to the breaker box?

The amp rating for the new oven is 40amps and the microwave is

30 amps. The existing breaker is a 50 amp breaker so I would think at a minimum, the breaker would have to be replaced with a higher rating.

This *sounds* to me like it would a separate line would need to be run and an additional breaker be installed for the microwave.

Am I correct? The kitchen is located directly above the (unfinished) basement where the breaker box is located (and the line is run inside an outside wall). I would *think* that even if a separate line needs to be run, it wouldn't be that difficult however I'm getting scary thoughts that this could end up being a very expensive venture to run the second line however, my knowledge of "Mr. 220v Electricity" is limited.

Any suggestions/comments is greatly appreciated. I just want to get a ballpark idea of what I may be getting myself into before I order this setup.

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[SQLit]

Most microwaves for residential are 120v unless your buying foreign made. Seems strange to me that your microwave draws almost as much as the oven.. Hummmm maybe more than an microwave? Electrical connection for the new microwave if as you described should be an outlet and maybe an breaker change out. Electrical connection for oven will probably need an new run as the new ovens require and neutral and ground conductor. (4 wires). Check with the manufacture/ local authority to see what is required.

[MC]

some of the new microwaves that are built in to an oven unit are also convection requiring more juice, not sure if that much.

[HaHaHa]

Not the old style microwave/range combination units popular in the late 80's. They were one unit, as tall as a refrigerator.

Those older units utilized the 40/50a 220v for everything.

They're no longer common, probably not made anymore as a critical defect in one component would require either a house call from an authorized dealer/repairman or junk the whole kit and kaboddle.

I think the OP is simply converting from an all-in-one appliance containing a microwave on top, and a standard convection oven/4 burner cooktop on the bottom.

Replacing with 2004 unit will require only running a new 20a 120v line and receptacle for the new, stand-alone, "over-the-stove" microwave/range hood.

The original, existing 40/50a 220v 3-wire circuit for the original range can remain.

Code changes cover new installations of circuits, not the replacement appliances. The new range can be connected just as the old range was, on a standard 2-wire with ground circuit.

But if replacing the old 3-wire circuit with a new 4-wire circuit is a piece of cake as the OP describes, might as well just do it anyway.

[e-mail]

[wideglide01]

Previously in alt.home.repair, "SQLit" proclaimed :

The microwave/oven that I'm buying is a GE Advantium 220v combination oven and microwave. There's two versions, the 110v and the 220v. The

220v is more efficient and cooks better than the 110v version. Both are relatively new to the GE appliance lineup. The 110v version is approx $800 and the 220v version is $1,100.

Which ever one that I purchased, would of required an additional outlet. Since I didn't have a 110v outlet, I figured I go ahead with the 220v.

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[wideglide01]

Previously in alt.home.repair, [e-mail] (HaHaHa) proclaimed :

..the one that we're getting rid of is a "over and under" unit. Where the upper oven is an oven/exhaust fan combination that is connected to the lower oven/range. The entire until was fed by a single 220v line.

..that probably explains why we couldn't find a similar, more modern replacement and had to go with two separate units.

..actually it even more basic than that. The all-in-one is just an upper and lower oven setup. No convection or microwave (hey this thing was made in the late 70's). ;-)

It's actually worked quite well all these years and didn't start acting up until lately when the thermostats for both ovens started acting up and the knobs have started to deteriorate and when we had a technician come out to replace a faulty timer assembly, he said that the wiring is shot and recommended either replacing the entire control unit or just consider replacing the entire range. I took the control unit apart and the wires are indeed shot. Since the entire unit is a little long in the tooth and my wife really wanted a more modern unit, we ordered a new flattop convection oven with a combo oven/microwave for the upper unit. It's a really nice combination actually. It's just the wiring situation has become a little more complicated than we had thought it would.

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[John Grabowski]

I wired one of those GE Advantium ovens for the Food Network a few years ago when GE introduced them. They are the ones that cook with light. It definitely requires a separate 30 amp, 220 volt circuit in addition to the

50 amp circuit for your stove.

John Grabowski