Electric Cooktop to Gas

spafford · 03-30-2008, 06:48 PM

Hey Guys ...

First post ~ need some help.

Just replaced my wife's electric cooktop with the a gas cooktop. Surprisingly, the conduit was only 3-wire (Black, Red and White). No ground wire. We built the home in 1992 (State of WA).

Needed to provide 110 to the new stove, for the pilot light. Obviously, used the white and black ...but, did not connect a ground wire. The plug for the stove and downdraft both have 3-prong plugs.

Is "no ground" wire a problem? If so, should I use the "red" wire (which is now unused) as a ground wire? Running a new wire would be a major under taking ~ i.e. lots of sheet rock between kitchen and panel (in garage).

We're trying to prepare our home to put on market, so want to ensure this is done right and poses no risk to future owners.

Thanks!
Kelly ....

micromind · 03-30-2008, 11:04 PM

The proper way to do this is to get into the panel, remove the 30, 40 or 50 amp two pole breaker , put a 20 amp single pole in one of the now empty slots, and land the black wire on it. The white should already be on the neutral bus. Put some green tape on the red wire, and land it on the ground bus. (If this is the main panel, not a subpanel, there's only one shared neutral/ground bus.)

Now, at the outlet, black is hot, white is neutral, and put more green tape on the red to make it the ground.

You now have an actual 20 amp circuit, just with oversize wire.

Rob

spafford · 03-30-2008, 11:40 PM

Thank you, Rob. That's exactly what I will do. Didn't think about the green tape. Was concerned I might cause someone some grief if they say the red wire connected to the common bus. The "green" tape seems like a rational solution.

Thanks a bunch,
Kelly ....

CowboyAndy · 03-31-2008, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spafford

Hey Guys ...

First post ~ need some help.

Just replaced my wife's electric cooktop with the a gas cooktop. Surprisingly, the conduit was only 3-wire (Black, Red and White). No ground wire. We built the home in 1992 (State of WA).

Needed to provide 110 to the new stove, for the pilot light. Obviously, used the white and black ...but, did not connect a ground wire. The plug for the stove and downdraft both have 3-prong plugs.

Is "no ground" wire a problem? If so, should I use the "red" wire (which is now unused) as a ground wire? Running a new wire would be a major under taking ~ i.e. lots of sheet rock between kitchen and panel (in garage).

We're trying to prepare our home to put on market, so want to ensure this is done right and poses no risk to future owners.

Thanks!
Kelly ....

You mentioned conduit. It may be worth looking into and see if that conduit provides a ground path back to the panel.