Need some help! ( Range guy's)

[bethann]

We are finally working on the pink kitchen again! (Yay) But, I ran into a snag.

I have the 57 drop in cooktop and the wall oven. My brother said that since their separate they shoud be 30 amps. The plug that is on the end is for 50 amps. Or at least the configuration is for a 50 amp in this day, ( all three straight )So... my question is... are they 30 amps and the plug is like that cuz that's the way they were made then and I can change the plug on the appliances to a 30 or are they really 50 amps? I don't want to blow them up! HELP!

 

[veg-o-matic]

Is there a label on either that states how many amps? Might have been mis-wired in its previous life.

Smooches!

veg

 

[toggleswitch]

IIRC these separates are 30A each.

There may be a name-plate that lists total killowatts. (KW)

Multiply by 1,000 for watts.
Then divide by 220v to get amps.
Then round UP!

You should be at or below 24 amps, which is the maximum permissible on a 30a circuit (80%).

Hope this helps.

A one-piece range is about 10.0 kw
X 1,000 = 10,000
divided by 220v= 45a.

These ranges are seen on 40a or 50a circuits in that you rarely if ever are drawing full wattage and when you do it is for brief periods.

GOOD LUCK!

Will you be connecting this to two 30a lines or one 50a line with two receptacles?

 

[toggleswitch]

If both will be on a 50a line, which I believe to be legal and permissible (and safe) I don't think you need to or should change the plug and recptacle(s). down to 30s.

A 30a plug and/or cord on a 50a appliance is bad bad bad. The other was around (as in your case) is not as crucial.

Think of it this way:
A table lamp draws much less than 15a and is on a 15a or 20a line. The wire and plug are probably not rated 15a because it will never (under normal circumstances) draw anywhere near that amount of current. If it does draw so much there is a short and the circtuit protecton will blow quickly protecting the circuit and the wires of the lamp.

This club being what it is there will be a zillion opposing views. LOL

 

[bethann]

There is a wiring diagram on one but, it says to refer to the serial plate ( which is gone ).
I haven't ran the wire yet till I figure out what's going on.
I bird told me that I could run each on a 50amp breaker and plug ( which fits ) and if it was 30 it would only draw 30.

What do you guy's think?

 

[toggleswitch]

Agreed. This would appear to be OK even if the wire from the plug to the appliance is only 30a, based on the lamp story above.

 

[toggleswitch]

~There is a wiring diagram on one but, it says to refer to the serial plate ( which is gone ).

Check any similar electric oven on the web. I'll bet today's wattages are still similar to those.

I think my WP has a 3,500 watt bake element and a 4,500 watt broil. Chances are both won't be on at the same time in a stove of that vintage.

 

[toggleswitch]

~I haven't ran the wire yet till I figure out what's going on.

Two 50a cables allows flexibility in the future in case you want to change over to two one-pieces cookers.

A smaller breaker (30a) can be used on 50a wire, assuming only one appliance on that line. The outlet and plug can be either amperage.

A larger breaker (50a) MAY NOT be used on a 30a cable-run. It will no longer protect the wire.

TOO MUCH SAID. Over and out. Time to let someone else speak.
Feel free to shoot me an email.

 

[gansky1]

Bethann, your brother is correct. A separate 30 amp circuit for each will be sufficient. Usually, these built-in units are hard-wired to the electric system of the house, it sounds as though someone put "range cords" on them instead. You can remove these and hard-wire them or, as long as the cords are OK, use those. The difference in cords is the 'range cord' is usually rated for 50 amp max load, while a 'dryer cord' is rated for 30. I'm not sure of your model, but the oven may energize both the bake and broil elements for preheating and then switch to the bake element after the desired temperature is reached. Even with that feature, the elements are most likely no more than 5600 watts total, drawing a max load of approximately 3.9 kwh according to the 56 and 58 single oven ratings in the Frigidaire TechTalk books. I used a dryer cord on my 30 amp-rated induction cooktop and it works just fine.

 

[gansky1]

Oh yeah! Where's the damn pictures? ;-)

 

[toggleswitch]

Will you be connecting this to two 30a lines or one 50a line?

I believe either option is viable.

 

[rickr]

Oh for god sakes Beth Ann! Just call out for pizza every night! lol!!!

 

[bethann]

Thanx guy's

Now knowing what they pull I'm going to use 30amp breaker and wire for each and a 50amp receptacle.
I would have to pull the oven out of the cabinet to change the plug or hardwire it and that would be a pain. Yeah, yeah I guess I'm lazy! At least this way I can use both at the same time without worrying about it.
That's where I'll cook Thanksgiving and X-mas and I really don't want breakers blowing.
Thanks again for your help!