[MARYSEAL]

We had wired a new hood range in and in about 1 week we started having the lighting go out in the hall, kitchen and bathroom, the outlets still work fine. The lights will stay off for about 24 hours or less, you can't have all 3 on at the same time when they finally come on. We have an 86 mobile home. There are no fuses to change, it dosen't trip anything. It reads 90 in the power box.

[ballengerb1]

Start by going back to where you tied that hood into the existing circuit. Check for a loose or open neutral or hot wire. Make sure all wire nuts are very snug. Did you use pigtails?

[MARYSEAL]

My friend used electrical tape on all wires separately. We checked the wiring again and disconnected the range. The lights still won't come on.

[donf]

First serious mistake. Never make connections using electrical tape. Use Wire-nuts.

Some general questions, you said that you look in the box and it reads 90. What reads 90? Are we talking Voltage or Temperature?

Exactly how did you manage to tie a Range Hood into a general lighting circuit? Are you sure that that is what you did?

[MARYSEAL]

I rechecked the reading in the power box the voltage or amps is not reading 90, they are various ones,20,30,45 etc...
No wire nuts was used just electrical tape then when screwed the hood range back up under the cabinets.

[donf]

Mary,

Please bear with me, I need to understand your method of installation. Is your main panel a fused panel or a circuit breaker panel.

A fuse panel will contain small glass inserts that are screwed into receptacles that protect the circuit. If too much current is drawn the fuse link will open and the circuit will be shut off.

If you have a breaker panel, there will be blocks of plastic with handles on them. Usually they will be in the far right position (ON) position. The Off position is in the center. To reset the breaker, you must push the handle all the way to the left until it clicks and then push it to the "ON" position.

Under NEC Article 422.16.3 you are allowed to connect the range hood to a receptacle. Did you do that?

You can also direct connect the range hood to one of the Small Appliance Circuits in your kitchen. The NEC requires a minimum of two 20 amp circuits for kitchen counter and small appliance receptacles.

So the critical question that needs to be answered is what circuit did you connect the range hood into.

If you used one of the general lighting circuits that that could be an immediately problem because they use a 15 amp load, not 20.

Also, making electrical connections with electrical tape is a fire looking for a place to happen. You must replace the taped junctions with wire-nut caps.

[MARYSEAL]

I have a circuit breaker, it never trips it. The hood range is the kind you plug into an outlet, the last one was hardware. We cut the plug off and hardware into where the last one was.

[ballengerb1]

I think you mean hard wired not hardware, right?

[donf]

Mary,

As I now understand your installation, originally you had a "Hardwired" Range Hood.

You replaced that Range Hood with one that is listed for use with a flexible cord with a moulded plug. You cut the plug off and then "Hardwired" it to the existing branch circuit. Did I get that correct?

Apart from comprising the Range Hood's warranty, the safety of the electrical installation and the fire safety of the home, where do you want me to start?

You actually have two choices.

1) You can replace the flexible cord and plug assembly, install a 20 amp receptacle onto the existing circuit so that you can plug the Range Hood into the receptacle as it is designed to work.

2) Purchase a Range Hood that is designed (listed) to be installed as part of a Branch Circuit.

Please, understand that there are some serious NEC code and fire regulation violations here. If a fire would start in this area, there would be absolutely no product liability because you compromised the product design by the method you used to install the Range Hood.

There would be no way for you to cite an electrical system failure because again you violated the NEC code with your method of installation.

You also opened yourself to Fire Code Violations by taping bare current carrying conductors together.

Please believe me, I am not being hysterical about the exposure to fire.

[tkrussell]

This installation needs to be looked at and corrected as necessary by a qualified licensed electrician, or the owner/installer assumes all risks.