[tkpirson]

Looking into moving our stove to a different wall, I had a electrician come out last night to take a look.

He offered a reasonable price to move the existing 220 line to the new location. In the process though, we realized that we have a 50amp stove on a 30amp line and breaker. The price to replace the breaker and route a new line to the new location is understandably a bit more.

If we don't get the line replaced or moved, we still have a the problem of a 50amp stove on a 30 amp line and breaker. Been in the house about 8 years and never had a breaker trip, also the stove has never seemed underpowered. Are we doing long term damage to the stove by running it on the 30amp line?

Tangentially, when we had our inspection, one of the recommendations was to have an electrician check out whether our panel was sufficient. It's never been an issue, so it's never come up. It was in a "you might want to keep this in mind", rather than the "this is a problem" list that the home inspector gave us to take to the prior homeowners.

Prior to giving him the go ahead to do the work, how do I check that replacing the breaker, won't cause a need for us to upgrade the panel?

 

[u3b3rg33k]

the stove won't seem underpowered - it'll run until it pops the breaker. I think each burner is in the 2-4kW range, so turn all 4 on high and you might pop the 30A. or set something on fire. preferably the former.

really with a reasonable duty cycle it probably isn't a performance issue, but they size them for 50A for a reason.

 

[tkpirson]

Definitely something that we'll get fixed, but strange that we haven't run into any issue using all burners and the oven together. But like anything, I suppose it'll work until it doesn't, then we'll have a problem.

 

[jbfan]

Definitely something that we'll get fixed, but strange that we haven't run into any issue using all burners and the oven together. But like anything, I suppose it'll work until it doesn't, then we'll have a problem.

The reason is you haven't had all the burners and stove going at the same time.
The burners and stove cycle on and off as needed to maintain their temperature.

 

[AllanJ]

You will not be able to plug the 50 amp stove into the 30 amp receptacle behind it; the plug does not match the receptacle. You could get away for a few months with an adapter (short extension cord) with 50 amp female end and 30 amp male end. It is against code to substitute a different plug on the stove cord or to install a non-matching receptacle on the end of the branch circuit wiring (here 30 amps, probably 10 gauge). It is hazardous to create, possess, or use an adapter going the other way i.e. smaller amperage female end and larger amperage male end.

... how do I check that replacing the breaker, won't cause a need for us to upgrade the panel?

By doing a load analysis (sample rules at the back of the NEC). Depending on the permit application and inspection procedures in your city, the need to do a load analysis might not jump out at you when all you are planning to do is restringing the 30 amp stove circuit as 50 amps (6 gauge).

 

[tkpirson]

I have a really limited understanding of electrical, so I'm at the mercy of the folks who have done the work. The tech who came out to install the current stove last spring, had come to the house ahead of time to check on the connection, took note of the type of plug, and installed the power cable on the stove when they delivered it, no extention between the stove and 220 plug. Haven't had a problem with it.

Yesterday, the electrician pointed out the 30amp breaker and line and, not finding a clear answer in the oven manual, I called the shop I got the stove from to ask which it is and they confirmed it was 50amp.

Forgive my ignorace, we haven't had any major work done to the house. Am I or the contractor responsible for getting a permit for the work?

 

[FrodoOne]

If you have a stove (cook-top and oven) rated to require a Breaker and Cable for 50 A, that means that, if all the elements and the oven were turned on at the same time, the "draw" would certainly exceed 30 A (7200 W at 240 V) and may approach 50 A (12000 W at 240 V.)

The point is that 50 A is the next "step up" available in domestic wiring after 30 A.

Since you have "got away with it" for 8 years, it seems that you have not at any time turned on everything at once. If you had, the breaker should have operated within a relatively short period of time to protect your house wiring from overload heating.

I suggest that you look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector to see the ratings of the plug and/or socket outlet which you may/should be using.

 

[huesmann]

You will not be able to plug the 50 amp stove into the 30 amp receptacle behind it; the plug does not match the receptacle.

I think you missed the point of the OP. He (she?) currently has a 50A stove plugged into a 30A circuit. I suspect the receptacle is a 50A, just wired up to 10ga wire. The electrician came out and discovered that the wiring is unsuitable for 50A service, so new wiring will need to be installed. The OP knows this.

 

[NCmountainCabin]

...this conversation is not much different from my 50amp 240v motorhome plugging into a 30a 120v RV outlet, via an adapter - I just can't use as 'much' stuff, all at the same time, as I would otherwise, or I will trip the 30a breaker...

your Stove/Oven is essentially the same condition - even though the manufacturer wants you to have it plugged into a full 50amp 240v outlet, on 6/3 wiring, and thru a 50amp double-pole breaker, this is really just for the very rare events that ALL the stove tops were going on high at the same time as the oven was on it's highest setting - that's not really 'practical', so you've never run into any issue...

You have 240v service, whether thru a 50a or a 30a 240v outlet and breaker - so your stove and oven work just fine.
You only have a 30amp limit, though, which you've never exceeded, and therefore never seen any 'issue' with. It should continue working JUST FINE if that's the way you normally use your appliance.

cheers ! : )