Chuck B
sea-bee
Hi Guys,
I am replacing my free standing range/oven which was wired on a 50-amp circuit with 6-gauge 4-wire. The breaker was 50-amps.
I would have a very difficult time feeding an 8-gauge wire to the new cooktop. I will install a 40-amp breaker in the panel as that is what’s required for the cooktop. Of course all power will be off at the main for the wiring project.
My questions are this:
I have always understood that going bigger with the wire is not a problem and safe. So can I use the 4-lead, 6-gauge wire with a 40 amp breaker for the cooktop?
The range/oven was wired with a 4-wire configuration. A black, red, white, and a bare ground.
However the GE cooktop was prewired with a flexible conduit whip with just two wires plus a bare ground.
Do I connect the two non-ground wires leading from the cooktop to the same color wires from the panel in the electrical box near the cooktop, formerly used by the range, and connect the grounds together, then cap off the third unneeded wire in the box and also in the electrical panel?
The range/oven circuit wire of course was connected to a range cord plug, But that would not be used for the cooktop connection. Just a plate with a flexible cable connector.
I am presuming that the two wires that are connected to the cooktop are attached to the 40 amp breaker, and the bare ground wire to the grounding lug in the panel. I would cap off the third wire that is not being used in the panel out of the way just as I would do in the electrical box near the cooktop.
Or do I use the white wire as a ground and not use the bare ground and attach the white wire to the grounding lug in the panel, capping off the bare ground wires instead.
i’ve tried to explain the situation as clearly as I could. However if you need any more information please respond. Thank you very much!
PS I know this is not an electrical question but should the cooktop be set on a bead of caulk? And if so what kind do you suggest, silicone, etc? There are also screw on connectors that come with the cooktop.
I am replacing my free standing range/oven which was wired on a 50-amp circuit with 6-gauge 4-wire. The breaker was 50-amps.
I would have a very difficult time feeding an 8-gauge wire to the new cooktop. I will install a 40-amp breaker in the panel as that is what’s required for the cooktop. Of course all power will be off at the main for the wiring project.
My questions are this:
I have always understood that going bigger with the wire is not a problem and safe. So can I use the 4-lead, 6-gauge wire with a 40 amp breaker for the cooktop?
The range/oven was wired with a 4-wire configuration. A black, red, white, and a bare ground.
However the GE cooktop was prewired with a flexible conduit whip with just two wires plus a bare ground.
Do I connect the two non-ground wires leading from the cooktop to the same color wires from the panel in the electrical box near the cooktop, formerly used by the range, and connect the grounds together, then cap off the third unneeded wire in the box and also in the electrical panel?
The range/oven circuit wire of course was connected to a range cord plug, But that would not be used for the cooktop connection. Just a plate with a flexible cable connector.
I am presuming that the two wires that are connected to the cooktop are attached to the 40 amp breaker, and the bare ground wire to the grounding lug in the panel. I would cap off the third wire that is not being used in the panel out of the way just as I would do in the electrical box near the cooktop.
Or do I use the white wire as a ground and not use the bare ground and attach the white wire to the grounding lug in the panel, capping off the bare ground wires instead.
i’ve tried to explain the situation as clearly as I could. However if you need any more information please respond. Thank you very much!
PS I know this is not an electrical question but should the cooktop be set on a bead of caulk? And if so what kind do you suggest, silicone, etc? There are also screw on connectors that come with the cooktop.
Last edited: