Stove circuit


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Old 12-07-09, 08:17 AM
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Stove circuit

I cuurently have an electric cooktop (30 amp circuit) that I would like to replace with a gas unit. Can I (to code) pig tail a 15 amp receptacle to the 10 gauge wire and replace the 30 amp breaker with a 15 amp breaker so I can leave the wire in place if I ever decide to go back or sell the house? Or should I just bite the bullet and run a seperate 15 amp circuit?

Thanks

Leslie
 
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Old 12-07-09, 09:07 AM
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If easily accessible, I would just install a new 15A or 20A circuit and leave the old one as-is.

However if the area is not easily accessible to add a new circuit you might be able to convert the old one depending on what wires are available. You need a black, a white and a bare. If you have these, switch the breaker to 15A or 20A and replace the receptacle with a 5-15R or 5-20R. Cap off the other unused black or red wire in case you ever want to switch the stove back to electric.

Some older cooking circuits will only have two blacks and a bare which unfortunately cannot be converted to 120V by code unless you inspector allows re-identification. Many inspectors will allow you to mark one of the black wires with white tape thus "marking" it as a neutral wire. If this was allowed you can remove that wire from the 30A breaker, mark it white, and move it to the neutral bar. Replace the receptacle would be the same as above.

If your inspector will not allow remarking the wire, then a new circuit is required.

P.S. If you get a heavy duty backwired 20A receptacle it can take #10 wire right to the pressure plates so there's no need to pigtail smaller wire. This eliminates unnecessary connections in the receptacle box.
 
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Old 12-07-09, 10:29 AM
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Thanks. I'll just run the extra circuit to avoid any potential hassles with "the man".
 
 

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