bathroom power not turning on

[anf9292]

I'll try to list everything that will be helpful.
I live in an apt so my bathroom is connected to the kitchen by a doorway of course. The other day, I press start on my microwave and the power to the kitchen + bathroom both turn off. I go down to the basement to turn on and off the main power via the breaker and the kitchen power turned back on but the bathroom light and fan are still off. When I use the microwave, I'm able to use it for like 30 sec before all the power shuts off again. So far I've been using my microwave via an extension chord that runs from my living room. Nothing electrical is being used when using the microwave so it can't be because that's too much power being used at one time..and from the same outlet.
And about the bathroom..I'm completely lost.

Anyone have some helpful tips? (other than calling the landlord)

[Speedy Petey]

(other than calling the landlord)

Sorry, this is the ONLY correct, legal and safe answer.

[SlowCoder]

I completely agree with Speedy Petey, but I also believe in learning and teaching.

My first thoughts:
- Microwaves are high-wattage appliances. What happens when you plug your microwave directly into a socket?

- Extension cords, the longer the worse, cause attenuation, or resistance in your electrical current. Could be that's causing too much load on that circuit.

- Could be a bad main breaker.

- Depending on how your bathroom is wired, is it possible your light/fan are wired through your GFCI box?

I experienced apartment living in my younger life. Fun to watch the inexperienced, careless or dumb work done by the landlords and/or maintenance people. No offense to the landlords, or maintenance folks lurking here.

[buckofdurham]

I go down to the basement to turn on and off the main power via the breaker and the kitchen power turned back on but the bathroom light and fan are still off.

When you say you turned off the main power. I don't think you are talking about the Whole house main are you?? May be the breaker to the kitchen.
If so you may be looseing a hot phase or a neutral.
Probably some where in the branch circuit wiring. You have a loose connection. When this happens, you can have intermitten power as you described. Their is absolutely no way to diagnose the problem with out opening a couple outlets or the panel cover. It could be a bad breaker.
It is possible it could be some how on with a gfci circuit that may be causeing problems.
In new codes microwaves that are fastened in place are required to be on their own circuit. Because most of them do use more then 50% of the circuit's ampacity.
Don't ignore the problem. If the power is trying to get through on a loose circuit. It could be arcing or heating in the wall.