Electrical question

[Wildkat]

Removing a cook top and wall oven that are currently using 110V... installing a range that uses 240V...

What's the best way to convert the 110 to 240? Step-up transformer? something else? The old appliances were hardwired in... not that it makes too much difference, I guess... We can always install an outlet if need be...

Ideas?
Suggestions?
Help, please...

Thanks in advance!

[The Lorax]

My knowledge of house wiring is somewhat limited however, I believe that you will find that you have 2 separate 110v feeds in your home, they are out of phase with one another so if you measure the two hot lines, you will get 220vac. similar to how a 220v dryer is powered. a step up transformer will get yo the voltage you need, but your available current will drop by approximately 1/2. you would most likely be better off to call an electrician (or find a friend who is one) the can best evaluate what you have in your home and how best to get 220 to you stove. oh yeah, installing an outlet would be best as it gives greater flexibility the next time you go to replace such an appliance...just plug and play. I hope my long winded response has been of some help. have a nice day, and ride safe.

[HobbyMan]

Your best bet would be to run a new feeder from your panel. You will need to size up the correct wire and then pull it to the panel. My dad's going to be in France for a while but he has done a lot of that kind of work. If you have an open slot on your panel, you are good to go. My parents did something similar when they moved in to our house. How far is your panel from the range? If it is in the garage it shouldn't be that hard to run it over the kitchen. I have some NEC (national electric code) tables if you want me to email you. They are also online.

[randy]

Check to make sure your new range does not draw more current than your old one, if it does, call an electrician. Also, don't work hot, turn off the mains. If you're uncomfortable working in the panel, call an electrician. Even with the main breaker off, those big ugly connectors at the main breaker are still hot, they come from the transformer in the street, they are deadly.

Otherwise,

Change the circuit breaker to a 220 breaker, the Depot has them on the shelf. Get the same brand as your panel (SquareD for example). The 220 breaker is designed to pick up both phases, so your white and your black will be hot.

[Wildkat]

Thank you!

and not longwinded at all (You have seen some of my responses.. yes? )
I guess I was under the wrong impression with the way we're wired...
After actually looking at the old cook-top... it was 240 also... so we should be as good to go now as we were with it... but I think we might go ahead and install the outlet for convenience sake... As long as the numbers match up... we can handle it... It's when the conversions kick in that I get nervous...

Thanks for the advice and info!
Sorry I wasted your time on this one... my bad...

[hamjam]

Hi
first go look at your power panel ,the stove breaker should be a double wide one having the 2 switches joined together and the wire coming from the box to your stove should be larger in diameter than the ones for lights and stuff
next check the plug that comes with the stove is it 3 or 4 wire
this is 3 wire
The 2 hots (black and white) go to the angled prongs, while the green or bare goes to the round prong. You outlet should have some kind of designations as to what color goes where, at least where the ground goes. make sure to use a 50amp outlet, and use a 3-wire, 50amp cord for the range.

Black? --> / \ <-- White?
/ |
| <--Green?

4 wire is
l < white
Black? --> / \ <-- red?
| <--Green?

here is an installation guide
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...0outlet.html#2

check with a local electrician for hookup and codes for your area ,some of the big box stores where you buy the parts should help you out
have fun be careful turn off the power before touching any thing
Jim

[SiP]

I don't need to repeat the above good advice, but just wanted to point out that the transformer that would be needed for that amount of current draw would be impractical and not likely to last long. Definetly go the breaker route from your 220 supply.

[fredintoon]

BZZZZZZZZZZZZT

(sound of amateur electrician frying)
Hi Wildkat,
do not mess with domestic wiring unless you have electrical journeyman's papers.
(Note that the "man" in journeyman is from the latin "manus'", (= a hand) and is not gender related. Similarly, not all manual labor is done by Mexicans)
From previous replies, your old stovetop was hard-wired rather than a plug-in? Dunno if your local electrical bylaws still allow appliances to be hard-wired or not but you should convert to a 110/220V 50Amp plug-in anyway for safety & convenience sake. Check if your existing wiring & breakers are meant for a 50Amp service, if so, have the electrician attach a 50Amp 4 pin stove socket to the existing wires. If not, you'd best upgrade.
Be safe!

[HobbyMan]

50Amp sounds a lot for just a 220 stove.

[DiverRay]

50 Amp is NORMAL for a stove/oven combo. usually for just a cooktop it would be a 50 Amp, with only about 30 Amp draw.

[planedick]

Electrician

Have an electrician do it. Lots of things have to be right, one I'm thinking of is wire size too. Don't wanna burn down the house to save a few bucks.

[fredintoon]

Hi Hobbyman,
a house is wired with a 110/220V 50Amp circuit & power outlet not for Wildkat's ordinary unit (which as Ray sez will most likely only draw ~30Amps but to safely operate the biggest horkin' great stove a person could buy.

[John]

New stove

Ok, the stove is installed and is working properly. What we had was an older cooktop, with a seperate wall mounted oven. The data plate on the old cooktop says it is 240v. The cooktop was hard wired to the wiring in the wall, but it was joined together with wire nuts. The OEM house wiring colors are black (L1), white(L2) and bare copper (N). The pigtail from the cooktop had black, red, white, and green. I had some concerns about the different colors, but when I saw that the wiring was black to L1, red to L2, and white, and green to N. It was a no brainer. I bought a stove specific 3 prong cord and outlet, and wired it up like it's supposed to be, and Viola! No smoke or sparks. The breakers are twin 30A for both the cooktop , and a seperate circuit with twin 30A's for the wall mounted oven. We used the stove and oven tonight, and it worked like a charm.

[HobbyMan]

Makes sense. So the question is, what gauge wire is in there now, and is it big enough for the new stove? ... Electricity is a very interesting subject.

[John]

I would dare say it was 10 gauge. It was about 1/8 inch, and I had to bend it with pliers to get the wire into the outlet to tighten the screws that hold the wires in the socket.