Rangehood electricity changed to oulet

[shan2themax]

As a runn off from my post in the general chit chat, can I use the electrical line that was feeding my range hood, and install an outlet there? I would like to try to turn the breaker back on so that I have electricity in that wall in the kitchen, and the wall behind it in living room, and the living room ceiling fan.

(For those not UTD.... I installed a ventless rangehood, a few days later, I was woken up by the smell of something burning. It last <1 minute, but I got up and turned the breaker off to that vent hood because that was what I had just wired..... (a little more back history and there are.pics in the what did you do today thread; mice/rats/whatever ate the drywall behind the old range hood vent. So, in an effort to stop that from happening again, I close the vent that was for a vented range hood with metal, but sprayed gap filler foam on top to keep mice from sneaking through). I fully expected to see a scorch or something there, when I immediately uninstalled the ventless range hood, but it wasn't even warm or showed signs of a burn.

The VFD came by a while later and couldn't find evidence of scorching or anything. Gave me a number of an electrician, he called, made an appointment and then never showed up. So I have had that breaker turned off since Oct 8. I'd rather get a box and install a temporary outlet than just put wire nuts on the ends... I just wasn't sure that it was a good idea.

So...... what say ye?

 

[zannej]

I didn't think of this before, but what if the mice chewed some of the wires behind the wall? They could be touching something and it could be causing the burning smell. Not sure how to determine that. I think there is a way to use a voltometer to test to see if there is a bad wire but my brain is too overheated to think on how right now. If it was the hood itself then putting in an outlet might be fine. If its not the hood and was mouse damage further in, it might cause some problems. Can you cap off the wires with wire nuts and turn the breaker back on and see if the smell comes back?

 

[shan2themax]

I actually have an endoscope. I might put that up in the wall cavity and see what I can find. I hadn't thought about doing that!

 

[Eddie_T]

Is the living room receptacle in the same wall cavity? If so it might be feeding the fan and you could replace that wire if you can't see it well enough to check its integrity.

Also if you haven't tested the fan since detecting the smell you could temporarily do test run by rigging an extension cord from a receptacle.

 

[shan2themax]

The LR receptacle is on the same wall, just opposite sides.
I'm going to peek up there soon. Currently have a car full of stuff from my storage unit, brought it to the house. Larry is here loading more things up...
Hopeful to inspect it later this evening, if I can get most of my stuff out of my storage unit and to the house.