converting range/240 to 120

I am switching from an electric stove to gas and will be needing 120 at the stove for clock/controls. I currently have a two pole 40 amp breaker for the existing range with two single pole 15 amp breakers attached to either side of the 40 amp breakers with a pin connecting the 40 amp ones. My question is, what is the best way to do this, buying the least amount of new breakers?
both the 15 amp breakers are being used. Can i snap the pin and just buy two 15 amp singles and leave the remaining forty amp off? will a 15 amp single accept 8 awg wire? your thoughts would be appreciated.
Cheers R

 

A 240 volt breaker is not designed to be split. You must replace that breaker with either two 120 volt breakers or a single 120 volt breaker and a blank cover for the unused spot.

I would change this circuit to a 20 amp circuit. The 20 amp breaker should accept the 8 gauge wire. If this is a four wire circuit (black, red, white and ground), then you would have to cap the now unused red wire at both ends. If this is a three wire circuit (black, white and ground) then you will have to use the white wire as the neutral, moving it from the 40 amp breaker to the neutral bar.

You will have to install a receptacle in an appropriate box at the range. Normal 15 and 20 amp receptacles won't accept 8 gauge wire, so you will need to make and use pigtails for the connections to the receptacle.


After having said all that, I would leave the 240 volt circuit intact, and run a new circuit for the 120 volts that the gas range needs. The 240 volt circuit will make it easier to sell your house when you eventually do so.

 

Rhys, it sounds like this may be a 15/40 quad breaker. Is the entire package with both the 15s and 40s 2-inches from top to bottom? If so, you can pop this out and replace it with a tandem 20/20 and a tandem 15/15 (or two tandem 20/15s, or a 15/20 quad, or a 15/15 tandem and a 20-amp single-pole). Don't do anything goofy just to save five bucks.

Note that you cannot make two 120-volt circuits out of the range wire unless the cable has four wires (instead of just three which was common prior to 1996), and unless you buy the 15/20 quad.