# Range hood, hardwire or receptacle?



## 220/221 (Oct 9, 2007)

Put an appliance pigtail on the hood and you're good.

Use a two screw romex connector in the KO to secure the cord.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

DIYGST said:


> I have a range hood with a knock out hole and you make the connection inside, could I get a power tool cord (3 prone plug) to install it, what kind of clamp/connector do I use at the knock out hole? The reason is I already have a receptacle in place. Is this to code?
> 
> If I use NM wire to hardwire it, is it OK to make a hole in the ceiling and run the NM wire down from there, into the cabinet and into the range hood?
> 
> Another question, my old range hood was a microwave with a plug, but it was just a NM wire from the ceiling into the cabinet, and a metal box housing the receptacle screwed into the cabinet, if I want to keep this, does this conform to code or do I have to get a old work box to put it inside the wall?


How will you route the cord? Most hoods I have seen have the knockout hole tight to the wall to hide the supply cable. You will have no way to route the cable up to the cabinet receptacle. Fishing the cable in the wall is not acceptable.


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## HouseHelper (Mar 20, 2007)

rjniles said:


> How will you route the cord? Most hoods I have seen have the knockout hole tight to the wall to hide the supply cable. You will have no way to route the cable up to the cabinet receptacle. Fishing the cable in the wall is not acceptable.


Most hoods have a knockout on the top as well as the back so you have a choice on where to install the cord.


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## DIYGST (Nov 13, 2008)

rjniles said:


> How will you route the cord? Most hoods I have seen have the knockout hole tight to the wall to hide the supply cable. You will have no way to route the cable up to the cabinet receptacle. Fishing the cable in the wall is not acceptable.


I would have a receptacle in the wall, there is knock out hole on the back and the top. So if I do use an appliance cord, it would come from the hood's top, the cabinet's back cut out accordingly.

Now this brings up a good point,. I could use the knock out hole in the back of the hood and run NM inside the wall and out at the appropriate spot into the back of the hood, this is the best look, and no exposed wire to deal with. This a valid installation when there is no cabinets above the hood (horizontal vent).


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

Just to add my 2 cents on the subject,


*(4) Range Hoods *
*Range hoods shall be permitted to be cord-and-plug connected with a*​*flexible cord identified as suitable for use on range hoods in the installation instructions*
*of the appliance manufacturer*, where all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The flexible cord is terminated with a grounding-type attachment plug.

_Exception: A listed range hood distinctly marked to identify it as protected by a system of_
_double insulation, or its equivalent, shall not be required to be terminated with a_
_grounding-type attachment plug._
(2) The length of the cord is not less than 450 mm (18 in.) and not over 900 mm (36
in.).
(3) Receptacles are located to avoid physical damage to the flexible cord.
(4) The receptacle is accessible.
*(5) The receptacle is supplied by an individual branch circuit.*
Section 422.16(B)(4) was added to the 2005 _Code _to allow range hoods to be cord-andplug-
connected under five specific prerequisite conditions. A grounding-type
attachment plug is not required where the range hood is identified as protected by a
system of double insulation. One method of verifying such protection is to look for the​
mark of a testing laboratory.




I highlighted some of the more important stuff.


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## DIYGST (Nov 13, 2008)

Hmm, thanks that was very helpful, so it needs a dedicated circuit if I want to use the receptacle? I also noticed that I would need some kind of OK or approval from the manufacturer to use a plug.

The hood only draws 1.8 amps.. The instructions did not say it needs to be on it's own circuit if it was hardwired.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

DIYGST said:


> Hmm, thanks that was very helpful, so it needs a dedicated circuit if I want to use the receptacle? I also noticed that I would need some kind of OK or approval from the manufacturer to use a plug.
> 
> The hood only draws 1.8 amps.. The instructions did not say it needs to be on it's own circuit if it was hardwired.


Thats right. If you use a cord and plug you need a dedicated circuit, if you hard wire it you don't.

The way this should be done is to fish an NM cable from above and down inside the wall and exit at the knock out hole in the back of the range hood.
Drill a hole in the top plate right above the range hood. Then make a hole in the wall where the KO is. Make the hole large enough for the NM cable connector to fit through. You can hold the range hood up and mark it. Make sure you stay inside the stud bay. Then fish your cable from the top down. You can most likely just push the cable down and have someone pull it out of the hole. It's only a few feet.
Insert an NM cable connector in the hood KO and insert the stripped cable. Snug the connector screws. Then install the hood and make the connections.

To install a dedicated circuit the instructions above will be the same. So just hard wire it and be done with it. Then drink several cold beers. This is most important. :thumbsup: :thumbup:


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## DIYGST (Nov 13, 2008)

Thanks, now I am pretty clear I will use NM.

Just got a question about the NM clamp, can I use the round plastic ones made for NM that chokes the wire instead of the metal clamp ones? They are equavalent? 

Because the plastics snaps into the round hole, it has better clearance on the back of the unit. I only have 1/4" from the back of the hood to the wall. I guess behind there would be the hole I made in the wall, but I plan to seal it up well against the wire with some caulk, after fishing, since I don't want the hood drawing fiberglass insulation from the hole.. just a precaution.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

Sure. If it's designed for NM use it.

The range hood in most cases is installed up against the back wall. Leave enough slack in the cable so you can guide any excess cable back into the wall cavity. The connector will be partially in the wall.


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## DIYGST (Nov 13, 2008)

Hi Chris and others, thanks for all the advice.

I got all the parts and holes drilled to hardwired it, I am thinking about it MORE and I may have done it wrong. I have a general 15 AMP lights circuit that power some ceiling lights and also a couple of outlets in the bedroom, I am running off this circuit. 

* Is there any rules where the power for range hood needs to come from * The hood draws less than 2 AMPs.

This is still an improvement from the previous monster OTR Microwave that was running off this circuit :furious:


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

DIYGST said:


> Hi Chris and others, thanks for all the advice.
> 
> I got all the parts and holes drilled to hardwired it, I am thinking about it MORE and I may have done it wrong. I have a general 15 AMP lights circuit that power some ceiling lights and also a couple of outlets in the bedroom, I am running off this circuit.
> 
> ...


You can use that circuit.


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