Hi, I am in the process of replacing an 1970 stove top and wall oven. When I removed the stove top, I noticed it was 10 gauge wire. I went to my basement and found the junction box for the oven and stove. I confirmed an 8 gauge coming in and two 10 gauge coming out (one to the oven and one to the stove). I am going to take the two 10 gauge out and send 8 gauge to my new all in one stove/oven. One question I had, when I look at the 8 gauge, I have a red and a black wire and instead of a normal bronze ground, I have this silver wires that seem to be feathered together - it isn't solid. This appears to be my ground - especially since the two 10 gauges have the grounds hooked up to it. I bought new 8 gauge to tie into it in the junction box. The new 8 gauge has a black, white, and ground. I am going black to black, white to red, and ground to this silver feathered wire. I want to confirm I am correct here and to see if there is anything else I need to be aware of.

In the end this will go to a 50 amp outlet that I bough to go to the oven. I am using a three prong outlet as the stove came with both wire hook up (3 prong and 4 prong)

Thank in advance
Brian

 

You may have some issues.

It sounds like you have 8-2 NM w/ground aluminum cable. Aluminum cable is always rated at one gauge smaller than copper. That means your 8-2 w/g aluminum is rated the same as 10-2 w/g copper which is only 30A.

Technically that cable needs to be upgraded to #6 copper for 50A.

 

What are the voltage and amperage required by the New combo?

 

the stove is 40 amp. Couldn't find a 40 amp outlet, so I bought a 50 instead of a 30. I did just check out the wires and it is aluminum. Do I still have an issue if its 40 amps not 50 amp?

 

40 amp is the new stove/oven combo. I have 8 gauge aluminum coming in and I just bought 8 gauge copper

 

Did you buy 8-3, black red, white, bare?

 

i Bought 8-2...Black, white, and ground

 

This is a stove, correct? You can not under current code use a 3-prong receptacle for a stove. All new wiring must be 4-prong. You need 8-3.

 

Hi - Thanks for all the help Ray. What if the stove allows for both 3 or 4 prong

 

Still 4-prong if new wiring is run. Stove must be converted to 4-prong per manufacturers instructions. Note 3 prong is less safe.

 

8-2 non-metallic cable (aka Romex) has never been approved for a 120/240 volt range circuit. Using it would mean using the bare ground wire as a current carrying neutral conductor, a serious code violation.



All range receptacles are rated at 50 amps.



Ray is exactly right, the NEC changed in 1996 to require all range and dryer circuits to be 4-wire circuits. You need a 4-wire range receptacle and a 4-wire cord/plug for the range.