It's three wire and four wire. What you do is buy a three wire range outlet
and connect it to the three wires you have. Hot, Hot, and neutral-ground ,
which are the bare wire. You get a three wire range cord set and connect it
to the range, Hot, Hot, and neutral-ground should be the center terminal.
The center terminal should have a jumper, either installed or in a parts
bag, that connects the center terminal to the frame of the range, bonding
the neutral and ground together. This method is NEC approved for existing
installations, which is what you have. If it were a new installation, you
would need a four wire cable and the neutral and ground would be separated
at the receptacle and the range



wrote in message
oups.com...
ok, just got a new stove, pulled old stove out to find a direct wire
stove. house was built in 1980. ok cut the power and opend the
junction box at the stove . this is where it gets interesting.

house has 3 way but the stove was 4 way and is wired like the
following


house

black
black-with red strip (hot)
and stranded alumium ground I guess

so on stove hooked up to house

black to black
red to red
white to aluminum
ground to aluminum.

so what options do I have for installing it. I read the other forum
topic on this but I'm confused on the multistranded aluminum.

rewiring it is impossible as we have very low roof line and getting
to the wires out of the fuse box in attic is zero unless your a 5 year
old in size.

do I uncoonnect the 4 way wiring from the old stove and hook it up as
4 way on the new stove or go get a 3way wall socket for range and 3
way plug.


the stove has a 50amp fuse breaker.

thanks in advance.