240v powered microwave

oil pan 4 · 08-30-16, 05:02 PM

I was tearing out some dry wall and running some new circuits and remembered I had my German 240 volt 50Hz microwave stashed in the garage.
You can get 240 volt microwaves in the US but the sellers say "not for use in US or Canada".
At my last house I cut off the euro style pin plug and installed a 6-15 plug then installed a 6-15 240v receptacle on the back of the oven not the smartest thing to do but it worked for 5 years from about 2008 to 2013 until I took it with me when I moved. I don't have an electric range now so no easy source of 240v power to tap into.
Then realized its only a few more feet of wire and a few more holes to drill. So I picked up a 2 pole QO 15 amp circuit breaker, ran some 12 gauge wire and installed a 6-15 receptacle.
I always liked the power this microwave had to heat up things, it beats the snot out of all but the biggest 120v powered commercial units I have used. This micro wave draws 8 amps of 240 volt power. That's almost 1,900 watts. Standard 120 volt microwaves draw between 8 to 12 amps, that's only 1,400 watts on the high end.

Why did I run 12 gauge circuit, for a microwave that uses 8 amps and only put it on a 15 amp breaker?
I figure when we move I will remove the 2 pole 15 amp breaker and the 6-15 240v receptacle and install a single pole GFI 20 amp breaker and standard 120v duplex receptacle and it will just be another dedicated kitchen circuit. No normal person is going to use 240 volt power in the kitchen so no reason to leave it.

Also I like 240 volt appliences because when the power goes out its easier for me to power more stuff with my generator. Its removes the possibility of over loading one 120v circuit or the other.

08-30-16, 05:02 PM	#1
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	240v powered microwave I was tearing out some dry wall and running some new circuits and remembered I had my German 240 volt 50Hz microwave stashed in the garage. You can get 240 volt microwaves in the US but the sellers say "not for use in US or Canada". At my last house I cut off the euro style pin plug and installed a 6-15 plug then installed a 6-15 240v receptacle on the back of the oven not the smartest thing to do but it worked for 5 years from about 2008 to 2013 until I took it with me when I moved. I don't have an electric range now so no easy source of 240v power to tap into. Then realized its only a few more feet of wire and a few more holes to drill. So I picked up a 2 pole QO 15 amp circuit breaker, ran some 12 gauge wire and installed a 6-15 receptacle. I always liked the power this microwave had to heat up things, it beats the snot out of all but the biggest 120v powered commercial units I have used. This micro wave draws 8 amps of 240 volt power. That's almost 1,900 watts. Standard 120 volt microwaves draw between 8 to 12 amps, that's only 1,400 watts on the high end. Why did I run 12 gauge circuit, for a microwave that uses 8 amps and only put it on a 15 amp breaker? I figure when we move I will remove the 2 pole 15 amp breaker and the 6-15 240v receptacle and install a single pole GFI 20 amp breaker and standard 120v duplex receptacle and it will just be another dedicated kitchen circuit. No normal person is going to use 240 volt power in the kitchen so no reason to leave it. Also I like 240 volt appliences because when the power goes out its easier for me to power more stuff with my generator. Its removes the possibility of over loading one 120v circuit or the other.