Wall oven and cooktop on the same 220?

[bjpowers]

I am replacing my range/micro with a wall oven and ceramic cooktop. Can I tap into the existing 220 that ran the old range to run my wall oven and cooktop or do i need to run a new 220 into the house?

[Wgoodrich]

Yes, no, MAYBE !

First we need to confirm if this existing range branch circuit is with a black red white and bare conductor sized a minimum of a 8 awg branch circuit in a romex cable or conduit. An exception is if this existing branch circuit is a service entrance conductor with a black, red and bare wire with the bare wire webbed around the black and red wires as protection then contained in a nonmetallic sheath as a cable marked SE cable. Either one of the three existing branch circuits are allowed to be used as you suggest to serve the cook top and oven both being electric. THE ANSWER IS YES YOU MAY USE ONE OF THESE THREE CABLE STYLES AS DISCRIBED FOR YOUR COOKTOP AND OVEN.

If you have a cable no matter the size that is a black, white, and bare nonmetallic sheathed cable [aka Romex] then this cable was never allowed to be used for a range and must not be used as an existing branch circuit for your cooktop and oven because it has no insulated neutral or is not an SE cable. IN THIS CASE THE ANSWER IS THAT YOU MUST REPLACE THAT CABLE.


Now if your cable is approved as discribed above then you may install a junction box under the cook top and oven. This cook top and oven are supposed to be as close to that junction box as possible. You may leave a 40 amp double pole breaker protecting a 8 awg branch circuit or a 50 or 60 amp double pole breaker protecting a 6 awg branch circuit. Now this puts your 8 or 6 awg existing branch circuit in a junction box under the new cook top and oven. The cooktop I am taking to be a 20 amp rated cook top. If I am right then you may run a 12/3wGrnd from that junction box cutting the bare wire off even with the sheathing of the cable not being used. This would be a branch circuit tap to your cook top from that existing branch circuit in the junction box ran to the cook top.

Then I am taking your oven to be a single oven calling for a 30 amp 240 volt load. You may install a 10/3wGrnd from that junction box to hte oven again cutting off that bare wire as unused even with the sheathing of the cable. This will be your oven branch circuit tap.

Then you must wire nut these wires together often using split bolts and filler tape and electrical tape or blue wire nuts or a key tapping device.

Make sure the junction box is accessible always such as inside a cabinet.

Below is a copy of the tap rule you will be using;

COPIED SECTION OF 2002 NEC
210.19.A.3
Exception No. 1: Tap conductors supplying electric ranges, wall-mounted electric ovens, and counter-mounted electric cooking units from a 50-ampere branch circuit shall have an ampacity of not less than 20 and shall be sufficient for the load to be served. The taps shall not be longer than necessary for servicing the appliance.


WARNING; Some local electrical inspectors may not accept this tap rule exception shown above or the existing range cable allowed as existing. Please confirm you plan with your inspector for safety from heartache and headaches.


Let us know how you come out

Wg