Even if you could do this in your jurisdiction(which I doubt), my advice is pull in a new circuit. The wiring in that house was not designed to add a microwave where the old hood fan was. I can almost guarantee that the hood fan is on with many other things, including probably the dishwasher(if so equipped) the refrigerator, counter receptacles and the bedroom lights and that chest freezer in the garage. Really, I mean it. Pull in a new wire.

Thanks for the advice. I checked out the fuse box and cannot even find the grounding wire to the box. Looks like I will ground out fuse box first and then run a grounding wire from cold water pipe in attic to outlet box. The main line from the switch is going to another light switch and looks like it runs down to fuse box.

Thanks again,

DMack

Pull a new 20a circut from the panel. I've seen kithcen circuts where everything is on the one fuse- and i'm 14.
if you ever replace the panel, use squared qo-easy to use, lasts forever. also good quality. i hate my ge panel.

Don't do any of that! You are REQUIRED to run a new 20 amp circuit from the microwave to the fuse box. The box is already grounded by the neutral wire from the electric service. It should however also have a grounding electrode wire to the main water pipe. Even if the outlet didn't have to have a new circuit ran, you can not just run a random ground wire up to a water pipe in the attic! The only grounding connection allowed to the water pipe is the electrode conductor from the panel connected to within 5 feet of where it enters the house. You also can not run a separate ground wire back to the panel from the outlet, the ground has to be in the same cable that feeds the outlet.

If you don't have an extra fuse, which is likely, this is going to bring the need for a service upgrade.

Umm, either the OP didn't read, or didn't understand my post. Adding a ground wire will not help you here. I said to pull in a new CIRCUIT. you don't have the capacity on that circuit for a M/W. See my post again about the myriad items on a typical circuit in a house of that vintage. New circuit. NEW. CIRCUIT.

Thanks for everyones advice. What has me concerned is there is no ground to the main water pipe. Decided to leave this to a professional and upgrade to circut breakers and have a dedicated circut for microwave.

DMack

The water pipe may not be the ground in this case. However, if your house water piping is metal, it should be bonded to the house ground. This is to protect against the piping if it were to become electrified rather than providing a ground for other things.

You should point that out to the electrician when he comes as well.

The ground in the fuse box is the neutral running back to the power co. transformer. Neutral and ground from the first fuse box to the pole is the same wire, any subpanels after the main fuse box needs to have a seperare wire for ground and neutral.

It also is connected to the building grounding electrode system.

you misread my post, spencer electrician. i was reffering to replacing the panel inthe future and trying to reccomend the panel i liked best, and lasted the longest-my neighbor's has been in service for over 50 years!!!

I don't think I saw your post at the time, posted 2 minutes after yours. Probably was typing while your post went out. All my comments were directed to the original poster's situation, nothing that you said.

I've installed several GE panels. I like QO better, but the GEs are OK. I've gotten to kind of like the goofy way their half-width double pole breakers fit. Just make sure you get a copper bus.

ge panels belong in the scrapyard, not anyone's home or anywhere for that matter.

what if the neutral wire from a receiptical is jumpered to the grounding prong on the outlet,...after all that is whats in the first sub panel? or is this a code that prevents this method of wiring? if a hazard, please explain in reciting a code from the NEC BOOK please

Please start a new thread with your question.

It's a hazard and so blatantly wrong, that if you're even considering it you have no business even taking coverplates off.

250.130 would be a good place to start but it's probably in violation of a ton of other articles as well. About the only time you can use the grounded conductor to carry the equipment ground is a few grandfathered cases for stoves and electric clothes dryers.

david - that is called a bootleg ground and is a really bad idea. often it is done by unscrupulous house flippers.

A bootleg ground would be connection to another circuit's ground. This one is just plain wrong.

"A bootleg ground would be connection to another circuit's ground"

It is also commonly used to refer to using the neutral to supply a connection to the ground of a receptacle.

Smithy123: I have to disagree with your statement regarding GE panels. I use nothing but GE Powermark Gold and they have been great with proven track records....these have a copper bus, METAL mounting rail and are American made...your Square D's have plastic mounting rails, are made in Mexico and in some cases have an aluminum bus....that is garbage, not the GE's.

Scott: don't get him started.

Luckily Smithy123 has been gone for a l-o-n-g time!
His advice was usually wrong anyway!