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I just bought a house. When i'm in the kitchen cooking, and need to use the over the range, pre-installed microwave, it trips the circuit and ALL the lights in both the living room and kitchen go out, including the stove. I can only use the microwave when all lights in the first floor are out and the stove is OFF. This--to say the least---doesn't work for me. The inspection did not find this fault which is annoying to me because obviously something is weirdly wired here and could cost me a lot of money.
Question: How do I not go broke over fixing this? The circuit breaker is outside in a little utility closet and the switch says "Lighting" instead of "Kitchen" which doesn't make sense. I'm CONFUSED. I am a Spanish teacher, not an electrician, and my knowledge of circuit boxes is if it's orange, flip it back and forth until it comes back on...
Ok Spanish teacher, call an electrician. You have only 1 option, moving some of the electrical load to a different circuit (be that an existing one or a new one) and since you're posting here about it, I'm going to hazard a guess that you're going to want a professional do the work for you.
DO shop around though, rates are all over the place. I've gotten quotes for the same work that ranged from ~$80 to over $500, with the less expensive options always being the small business owner (big companies have big advertising budgets to feed). Depending on the Exact specifics of what you have, it could be as simple as popping in a new $30 breaker and moving a couple wires right at the box (So, about $100-ish total cost). Of course, it could be running a few new lines (the range should be on it's own 220 breaker and have Zero to do with the microwave and lights), all the way from the appliances in very difficult to access areas... if that's the case, then the price will be Substantially higher.
As for the home inspection, they test functionality of each item. Everything Functions correctly (lights turn on and off, microwave turns on and off, range turns on and off, etc...) it's just an overloaded beaker because the installer was too lazy to do things correctly.
When your house was originally built (I'm guessing its 20+) there was no microwave. It was probably just a vent hood and it would have been acceptable to be on the "lighting circuit".
"Today", power-hogging appliances need dedicated circuits- microwaves, refridgerators, ranges, and dishwashers, along with the standard two circuits for countertop receptacles.
The "best" option is to have another (dedicated) circuit run for the microwave. Or use a countertop type plugged into a receptacle.
Ok Spanish teacher, call an electrician. You have only 1 option, moving some of the electrical load to a different circuit (be that an existing one or a new one) and since you're posting here about it, I'm going to hazard a guess that you're going to want a professional do the work for you.
DO shop around though, rates are all over the place. I've gotten quotes for the same work that ranged from ~$80 to over $500, with the less expensive options always being the small business owner (big companies have big advertising budgets to feed). Depending on the Exact specifics of what you have, it could be as simple as popping in a new $30 breaker and moving a couple wires right at the box (So, about $100-ish total cost). Of course, it could be running a few new lines (the range should be on it's own 220 breaker and have Zero to do with the microwave and lights), all the way from the appliances in very difficult to access areas... if that's the case, then the price will be Substantially higher.
As for the home inspection, they test functionality of each item. Everything Functions correctly (lights turn on and off, microwave turns on and off, range turns on and off, etc...) it's just an overloaded beaker because the installer was too lazy to do things correctly.
If it is a gas range, there will be no "220 breaker". I would guess that is the situation, as a 220 volt electric range will not be on the same circuit as 110 volt items. (And if it is, that is one home inspector who needs removed from the profession.)
Some of these things can be quite easy to remedy, especially if you already have a new main electric breaker panel, a big attic, and a basement (from which a new wire can easily be run). Or it can be more expensive if the main panel also needs to be replaced and there is no easy way to run a new wire.
In either case, you need to call an electrician and have a new circuit installed to the microwave.
Good advice above and I'll add that since you just purchased the home, you might have recourse to the seller and home inspector to remedy this. The inspection should have caught this.
I just bought a house. When i'm in the kitchen cooking, and need to use the over the range, pre-installed microwave, it trips the circuit and ALL the lights in both the living room and kitchen go out, including the stove.
The wiring for lighting is typically lower gauge wire than receptacles because the load is far smaller. It's not made for plug in devices especially something like a microwave. Even having a microwave and a taoster on the same circuit designed for plug in devices can trip the breaker. As suggested by KB you need to have a wire run dedicated for the microwave.
Figure at least $200 to run a dedicated circuit to the rangehood/micro. That is if there is easy access from the basement that isn't finished or an open attic if it's a ranch style home.
If it's a multi level with a finished basement sheetrock ceiling then expect to pay more. Ofcorse this is a very rough estimate because I can't see the layout of the home.
I'm an electrical contractor and $200 is my minimum price for a dedicated 15-30 amp circuit in old work aka remodel.
New microwave ovens consume 1100 watts, plus fan, lights. If it's an old house, it's probably using a common circuit on a 15 amp breaker. My house was built 16 years ago and code required a microwave oven to have it's own [single use 20 amp] breaker.
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