[jxmcd]

I'm installing an oven in a remodeled kitchen and just noticed that although the 2 hot wires are 6 gauge there is no neutral and the ground is bare and only what looks like 10 gauge. Is this a problem? I know the loads are balanced but do I need to pull a new cable or a separate bigger neutral/ground? Thanks for the help!

 

[sparky48]

If it's just an oven only and requires a 50 amp circuit, you should be just fine with the circuit that is there. If it's a range/oven then a 4 wire cable needs to be installed to meet code requirements.

 

[brric]

How many conductors are in the whip for the oven?
The only acceptable three wire cable with a bare neutral/ground for a 120/240 volt appliance its SE cable originating a main panel.

 

[Arrow3030]

The only reason not to pull a new cable is if your budget is ridiculously tight.

 

[rjniles]

How many conductors are in the whip for the oven?
The only acceptable three wire cable with a bare neutral/ground for a 120/240 volt appliance its SE cable originating a main panel.

Based on the poster description, the cable sounds like 6\2 NM. This cable never was a compliant install.

 

[jxmcd]

Thanks, it is a 240v circuit originating at the main panel. The new oven/micro combo has a 4 wire whip but instructions showing white and green from oven to bare,white or green wire in the existing circuit. This make sense?

 

[brric]

Your existing cable is NOT compliant for a 120/240 volt circuit which is what the oven requires.

 

[jxmcd]

Thanks all for the help. I traced the cable and it seems that 6/2 SE was run from the panel to the original spot for the oven/range combo maybe 15 years ago when the house was built. The reno moved the new oven/micro combo to a new wall, about 10 feet. There is an accessible junction where they connected the new 6/2 NM to the existing 6/2 SE. The new 10' cable runs behind the wall of the new cabinets and would be a real pain to replace. Can i leave it or do I have to replace? Thanks for all the great help!

 

[rjniles]

Thanks all for the help. I traced the cable and it seems that 6/2 SE was run from the panel to the original spot for the oven/range combo maybe 15 years ago when the house was built. The reno moved the new oven/micro combo to a new wall, about 10 feet. There is an accessible junction where they connected the new 6/2 NM to the existing 6/2 SE. The new 10' cable runs behind the wall of the new cabinets and would be a real pain to replace. Can i leave it or do I have to replace? Thanks for all the great help!

It needs to replaced. You have 2 violations:
Although 3 wire installations(the SE cable) are grandfathered, they cannot be relocated or extended.
2 wire with ground NM cable was never approved for that application.