Installation Guide for a Spacemaker 1850 Microwave Oven

Made by General Electric, the Spacemaker 1850 microwave oven can be conveniently mounted above your oven to give your kitchen more counter space. Completing this task requires basic knowledge in the use of tools and wiring, so you may consider having someone else install it for you. However, if you choose to install your microwave oven yourself, carefully follow some basic instructions in order to complete the task properly.

• 1

  Measure and prepare the space for your microwave oven. The space should be approximately 30 inches wide and 16 1/2 inches deep. Locate the studs in your walls with a stud finder or by tapping gently along the wall with a hammer, listening for a solid sound. Poke a straight pin or a small nail into the sheetrock to find the edges of the stud through the wall and mark the edges with a pencil, then draw a line down the center of the stud, which is halfway between the two edge marks. The centers of other studs will be located either 16 or 24 inches from this center mark.

• 2

  Place a level on the bottom of the cabinet you intend to mount your microwave on. If cabinet trim is in the way, remove it. Draw a central, vertical line on the wall from the top of your cabinet to where the bottom of your microwave will be.

• 3

  Remove the mounting plate from the back of your microwave oven by unscrewing the two screws holding it on. Hold the mounting plate with the tabs touching the top of the cabinet in the 30 inch space. Ensure that the central line you drew on the wall matches up with the notches on the mounting plate, and trace four screw holes onto the wall through the mounting plate. Two holes are located near the top of the mounting plate and two are near the bottom. They are all marked with arrows. If the holes marked at the bottom are not in a stud, choose another hole on the bottom section of the mounting plate that will be in a stud and make a fifth hole mark.

• 4

  Set the mounting plate aside and drill holes where you've marked circles. Use a 3/16 inch drill bit for wood screws where there is a stud or a 5/8 inch bit in other spots to place toggle bolts.

• 5

  Install the mounting plate on the wall using toggle bolts and at least one wood screw in a stud.

• 6

  Prepare the bottom of your cabinet for your microwave installation by following the instructions on the template provided.

• 7

  Install the microwave by tilting the front of the oven forward and first attaching the microwave to the mounting plate tabs at the bottom, then turn the microwave so the top is flush with the cabinet bottom. Insert a screw through the cabinet into the microwave to hold it in place temporarily. Ensure the power cord is all the way through the cabinet and not pinched anywhere.

• 8

  Place the screws into the microwave through the top cabinet and turn each screw twice. Then tighten the screws all the way, beginning with the center screw and working outward. Someone else should be holding the microwave tightly into place while you do this.

• 9

  Install the grease filter according to your owner's manual and other exhaust ducts, if necessary.