[geo22]

when i moved my hood fan over my stove and relaced it with a combo microwave and fan the circuit will not take the extra load

there is an existing plug below it
this plug has (i am not sure the name for the breaker) my panel is stab-lok
it is 15 amps and has 2 slots taken. these plugs are fed with 14-3 wire

can i remove the breaker and replace it with 2 15 amp breakers so i get 2 circuits
i have not installed my tile on the walls so i can feed wire from the plug up to the microwave fan combo.

 

[rjniles]

An OTR MW requires a dedicated 20 amp circuit.

 

[Arrow3030]

Are you sure it's 20 amp? I think it can be 15A

 

[Jay82304]

if I am understanding correctly you have 1 receptacle for your range hood, and a separate receptacle below it. Both are separate circuits, but tied together with a handle tie making it a 2-pole breaker. This is common and called a multi wire branch circuit. Technically no you can't separate these 2 circuits and make them singles because they are sharing a neutral.

 

[geo22]

no i did not want to make my question confusing
the plug i am using for the microwave fan combo is a circuit in the kitchen
these plugs are looped together.
the plug below is looped with another plug.
these plugs have a shared neutral and i was wondering if i could make 2 circiuts using one neutral.
one for microwave only and the other for the 2 plug- ins
i looked my panasonic microwave fan combo up on the internet and it said it required a 15 amp breaker

 

[Jay82304]

Are you sure it's 20 amp? I think it can be 15A

The (2) Small appliance branch circuits must be 20amps each...I don't believe it is code to have a dedicated circuit specifically for the microwave, although it is good practice

 

[Jim Port]

The MW instructions will call for a dedicated circuit.

 

[Arrow3030]

The two SABC'S must be 20 amp. No disputing that in the NEC. The microwave above a range needs a dedicated assuming it's cord and plug. Most, if not all, MW instructions I've read call for a 15 or 20 amp circuit. You can not extend a counter circuit to any outlet behind a cabinet excluding supplemental power for a gas fired cook top.