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Posted By: rmiell seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/25/03 02:23 PM
Comments on the following located at a electrical D-I-Y help site. The author wanted to use the exisiting range circuit for a 120v outlet for use by a new gas stove?

"I removed the 220V receptacle and replaced it with a 110V receptacle. I used the black wire as the hot and the white wire as the neutral. I capped the red (hot) wire and left it in the box. It works like a champ.
I have not done anything to the breaker panel yet. It was already too late in the evening to cut the power so I am leaving that part for the morning. I have to take the breaker with me to Home Depot because there are 10 different types of breakers. I will swith the breaker in the morning to the 20A.
Just out of curiosity, why does it matter if I leave the 50A breaker there?? "


Rick Miell
Posted By: NJwirenut Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/25/03 03:25 PM
Breaker ratings aside, I would like to know how he terminated the original 50A wiring to a 15 A receptacle.... [Linked Image]

Here is another , even more worrisome attempt at a similar retrofit, from a recent Usenet post:

Quote
I have a 220 knob and tube outlet behind my range I need to convert to
110. The wires are in good condition, there are 6 individual wires on
the hot, 7 on the neutral and 6 on the ground. I spoke to a contractor
and he recommended that I just wirenut off one each of the hots and
neutrals, and connect the rest to a normal plug.

My question is, since there are 6 and 7 wires on the hot and neutral,
respectively, will it work to just wire nut and tape off 3 and 4,
respectively, or does this present problems. If the method above is
completely off-base and unsafe that information would also be helpful.
Posted By: SvenNYC Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/25/03 03:49 PM
NJWirenut said:

Quote
Breaker ratings aside, I would like to know how he terminated the original 50A wiring to a 15 A receptacle....

In-wall conductors for 50-amp electric stove circuits are usually stranded right? I'm wondering if the guy actually "trimmed" the conductors by cutting out strands until it was small enough to wrap around the terminal screws of a standard 110-volt socket. [Linked Image]

This is a gas stove the guy is fitting? I'm wondering if the 110-volt 15-amp supply is for the electric "spark plug" type pilots that some stoves are sold with (instead of standard gas pilots).
Posted By: pauluk Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/25/03 05:14 PM
Depending on the model of stove, it may need power for lights and a clock as well.

That post about 6 hots and 7 neutrals sounds fascinating. I bet the wiring in that place would make for some interesting ECN threads! [Linked Image]
Posted By: Bill Addiss Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/25/03 06:01 PM
Paul,

My guess would be that the person is talking about wire strands.

I'd sure like to have a picture of this completed installation.

[Linked Image]
Bill
Posted By: Big Jim Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/26/03 05:48 AM
About terminating 50 A cable on a 15 A plug. Very easy. Bend out one strand and backstab it into the recep.
Posted By: pauluk Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/26/03 10:30 AM
Ah right! I see what he was getting at now.

Unfortunately, I've seen similar tricks done here. [Linked Image]
Posted By: ThinkGood Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/26/03 01:58 PM
How will he trace the strand from the kitchen to the corresponding strand in the panel?
Posted By: Texas_Ranger Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/26/03 04:57 PM
Trial and error.
Or he'll rely on the strands making enoughcontact where they touch each other inside the cable [Linked Image]
However, I'm not really sure he's talking strands. Or why are there 6 on the hot and 7 on the Neutral?
Posted By: pauluk Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/26/03 05:25 PM
One strand already broken off on the hot wire?
Posted By: electure Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/26/03 06:55 PM
Sadly, I can see where this could become the "ultimate setup".
If they'd splice both ends of the (#6, maybe) conductor to a piece of #12 that could be terminated properly to the receptacle and the C/B...S
Posted By: winnie Re: seen at a D-I-Y site - 11/26/03 07:54 PM
I don't see the sadly in that last setup.

Some #6 in the wall, spliced (in a box and in the panel) to some #12, protected by a _20_ A circuit breaker, going to a single duplex receptacle. Hell, you could change the 50A double pole breaker to a 15A double pole breaker, and wire the duplex as a multiwire unit. The #6 wire would be wasted in this application, but it would remain exactly where it would be needed should the home-owner ever want to go back to an electric stove. I don't believe that the oversize wires themselves would present a problem; presumably the original stove receptacle box was properly sized for the #6 conductors....

-Jon
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