I'm about to install an electric oven in our house to replace an
existing gas oven. The oven's installation instructions state that 8AWG
wire should be used to power with 40A breaker protection. Ok, makes
sense.

Here's the question: The oven has factory installed leads running out
of the oven via flexible conduit. There are two hots (a black and a
red), a neutral and a ground. The two hots are #12 wire, and the
neutral is #16! Is this safe to use, or should I re-wire to use #8 into
the oven? The leads are probably about 5-6ft runs.

Thanks!

-Eric

More likely it's #10, and possibly a high temperature insulation, but in any
event, if it has a U.L. label on it, I'd assume it has been tested and is
safe. The internal wiring of equipment is done under different standards
than those used in building wiring



"mcfly32" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm about to install an electric oven in our house to replace an
existing gas oven. The oven's installation instructions state that 8AWG
wire should be used to power with 40A breaker protection. Ok, makes
sense.

Here's the question: The oven has factory installed leads running out
of the oven via flexible conduit. There are two hots (a black and a
red), a neutral and a ground. The two hots are #12 wire, and the
neutral is #16! Is this safe to use, or should I re-wire to use #8 into
the oven? The leads are probably about 5-6ft runs.

Thanks!

-Eric

Agree, and would also like to ask why the heck anyone would ever
consider replacing a gas stove with an electric? I thought electrics
were only bought by people who lived out in the sticks and couldn't get
a gas hook up?

nate

RBM wrote:
More likely it's #10, and possibly a high temperature insulation, but in any
event, if it has a U.L. label on it, I'd assume it has been tested and is
safe. The internal wiring of equipment is done under different standards
than those used in building wiring



"mcfly32" wrote in message
ups.com...

I'm about to install an electric oven in our house to replace an
existing gas oven. The oven's installation instructions state that 8AWG
wire should be used to power with 40A breaker protection. Ok, makes
sense.

Here's the question: The oven has factory installed leads running out
of the oven via flexible conduit. There are two hots (a black and a
red), a neutral and a ground. The two hots are #12 wire, and the
neutral is #16! Is this safe to use, or should I re-wire to use #8 into
the oven? The leads are probably about 5-6ft runs.

Thanks!

-Eric






--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

short internal run of lighter weight wire no problem, on long run big
problem. if it UL approved no problem but do install the specified
wire..........

The wire in the flexible conduit is most definitely labeled 12 AWG.
Whether or not it is mislabeled, I don't know.

The labeling on the red wire is as follows. Black is similar if not the
same:
12AWG E-44576(14) AWM 3173 600V 125C -- LL14432(14) CSA XLPE CL1251
125C 600V FT2

I think this means it is #12, rated up to 600 volts and 125 degrees
Celsius (so better ampacity than standard THHN, but 10A better?).

Thanks for the reply. The oven is UL rated, but I purchased it "open
box". I just want to make sure that the leads are safe.. it appears it
came from the factory this way by the way it was crimped into the
internal electronics of the oven (same crimps and crimp connectors as
others on the unit, very clean). But #12 just seems too small, thus I'm
conflicted

-Eric

My understanding is that electric ovens have better heat control while
cooking than do gas. Plus, I have solar panels producing electricity
for me

Sounds like the general consensus is that the #12 leads are OK. Thanks
for the help and responses, everyone!

-Eric


Nate Nagel wrote:
Agree, and would also like to ask why the heck anyone would ever
consider replacing a gas stove with an electric? I thought electrics
were only bought by people who lived out in the sticks and couldn't get
a gas hook up?

nate

Electrics are for people who eat out. No amount of real cooking can be done
on one.

--
Steve Barker



"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Agree, and would also like to ask why the heck anyone would ever consider
replacing a gas stove with an electric? I thought electrics were only
bought by people who lived out in the sticks and couldn't get a gas hook
up?

nate

RBM wrote:
More likely it's #10, and possibly a high temperature insulation, but in
any event, if it has a U.L. label on it, I'd assume it has been tested
and is safe. The internal wiring of equipment is done under different
standards than those used in building wiring



"mcfly32" wrote in message
ups.com...

I'm about to install an electric oven in our house to replace an
existing gas oven. The oven's installation instructions state that 8AWG
wire should be used to power with 40A breaker protection. Ok, makes
sense.

Here's the question: The oven has factory installed leads running out
of the oven via flexible conduit. There are two hots (a black and a
red), a neutral and a ground. The two hots are #12 wire, and the
neutral is #16! Is this safe to use, or should I re-wire to use #8 into
the oven? The leads are probably about 5-6ft runs.

Thanks!

-Eric






--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Clearly it's high temperature, sometimes the conductors are made of Nickel
as well


"mcfly32" wrote in message
oups.com...
The wire in the flexible conduit is most definitely labeled 12 AWG.
Whether or not it is mislabeled, I don't know.

The labeling on the red wire is as follows. Black is similar if not the
same:
12AWG E-44576(14) AWM 3173 600V 125C -- LL14432(14) CSA XLPE CL1251
125C 600V FT2

I think this means it is #12, rated up to 600 volts and 125 degrees
Celsius (so better ampacity than standard THHN, but 10A better?).

Thanks for the reply. The oven is UL rated, but I purchased it "open
box". I just want to make sure that the leads are safe.. it appears it
came from the factory this way by the way it was crimped into the
internal electronics of the oven (same crimps and crimp connectors as
others on the unit, very clean). But #12 just seems too small, thus I'm
conflicted

-Eric

mcfly32 wrote:
My understanding is that electric ovens have better heat control while
cooking than do gas.

I disagree; personally, I find adjusting a gas flame to be much more
intuitive than a rheostat controlling a coil of unknown resistance.
Also the gas burner has almost no thermal mass; if you want to stop
cooking something immediately (such as pasta that has achieved the
perfect level of doneness) on an electric, you either have to move the
pot to a spare burner or if there's none available, you need to have a
trivet handy. On a gas stove, you simply turn the knob to "off." Now
as for the oven itself, I can't say that I've noticed much difference,
although I hardly ever bake anything more complicated than a pizza
(that's the girlie's department.)

Plus, I have solar panels producing electricity
for me


Now that is an argument I can respect; while I far prefer cooking with
gas, cooking for free is a good inducement to switch.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

I think it was Nate Nagel who stated:

mcfly32 wrote:
My understanding is that electric ovens have better heat control while
cooking than do gas.

I disagree; personally, I find adjusting a gas flame to be much more
intuitive than a rheostat controlling a coil of unknown resistance.
Also the gas burner has almost no thermal mass; if you want to stop
cooking something immediately (such as pasta that has achieved the

Ovens. You're talking stovetops; mcfly32 said ovens.

Stovetops are MUCH better gas -- IMNSHO . . . .
--
"What do *you* care what other people think?" --Arline Feynman

mcfly32 wrote in message
. com...
I'm about to install an electric oven in our house to replace an
existing gas oven. The oven's installation instructions state that 8AWG
wire should be used to power with 40A breaker protection. Ok, makes
sense.

Here's the question: The oven has factory installed leads running out
of the oven via flexible conduit. There are two hots (a black and a
red), a neutral and a ground. The two hots are #12 wire, and the
neutral is #16! Is this safe to use, or should I re-wire to use #8 into
the oven? The leads are probably about 5-6ft runs.

Thanks!

-Eric


Just installed one a few weeks ago.

If you read the instructions word for word, you may find. . . .as I did. .
..a short blurb to the effect that although the factory-supplied wire looks
to be too thin, it will do the job because of the superior insulation.

Regards
Al

Plus, I have solar panels producing electricity
for me
-Eric

so how many giga bucks does it cost to run a electric stove off solar
panels?

About $3 a watt minimum. And that's just for the panels. then you have
battery banks, inverters, and charge controllers.

--
Steve Barker


wrote in message
ups.com...
Plus, I have solar panels producing electricity
for me
-Eric

so how many giga bucks does it cost to run a electric stove off solar
panels?

Steve Barker LT wrote:
About $3 a watt minimum. And that's just for the panels. then you have
battery banks, inverters, and charge controllers.

--
Steve Barker


so you in the desert southwest? on or off grid? all solar or
supplement?

how big is your battery bank?

I have a friend with a windmill since 1960, its largely ineffective.
his battery bank is a large number of used car batteries, done for cost
reasons.

are you actually using a solar system to power your electric stove/
oven?

On 2 Dec 2006 10:25:00 -0800, "mcfly32" wrote:

I'm about to install an electric oven in our house to replace an
existing gas oven. The oven's installation instructions state that 8AWG
wire should be used to power with 40A breaker protection. Ok, makes
sense.

Here's the question: The oven has factory installed leads running out
of the oven via flexible conduit. There are two hots (a black and a
red), a neutral and a ground. The two hots are #12 wire, and the
neutral is #16! Is this safe to use, or should I re-wire to use #8 into
the oven? The leads are probably about 5-6ft runs.

Thanks!

-Eric

IMHO:

Breaks down to this truth, the oven is [should be] UL tested. Home
wiring isn't, so home wiring is 'beefed' up.

Just guessing....

tom @ www.WorkAtHomePlans.com

Don Fearn wrote:
I think it was Nate Nagel who stated:

mcfly32 wrote:
My understanding is that electric ovens have better heat control while
cooking than do gas.

I disagree; personally, I find adjusting a gas flame to be much more
intuitive than a rheostat controlling a coil of unknown resistance.
Also the gas burner has almost no thermal mass; if you want to stop
cooking something immediately (such as pasta that has achieved the

Ovens. You're talking stovetops; mcfly32 said ovens.

Stovetops are MUCH better gas -- IMNSHO . . . .
--
"What do *you* care what other people think?" --Arline Feynman


Most high end kitchens are now dual fuel. Gas for the range and
electric for the ovens. It's clear to me why gas is preferred for the
range, but not so sure about electric for the oven. Perhaps it's that
dry heat is better for certain applications, like baking?

Actually for most bread baking wet heat is better, and a pan of water is
often used to humidify the oven while baking breads to improve the crust.
Gas makes a lot of moisture while burning and that helps keep the oven
humidity higher.
I believe the electric oven is supposed to provide more accurate temperature
control than the gas, but my gas oven seems to do just fine.

--

Mike S.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Most high end kitchens are now dual fuel. Gas for the range and
electric for the ovens. It's clear to me why gas is preferred for the
range, but not so sure about electric for the oven. Perhaps it's that
dry heat is better for certain applications, like baking?

None of the above, just replying to the question. I am fixin to put about
a 100w system of some sort on a detached building however. It will be only
for a garage door opener and an 80w circulator pump on a solar heated
radiant floor.

--
Steve Barker



wrote in message
ups.com...

Steve Barker LT wrote:
About $3 a watt minimum. And that's just for the panels. then you have
battery banks, inverters, and charge controllers.

--
Steve Barker


so you in the desert southwest? on or off grid? all solar or
supplement?

how big is your battery bank?

I have a friend with a windmill since 1960, its largely ineffective.
his battery bank is a large number of used car batteries, done for cost
reasons.

are you actually using a solar system to power your electric stove/
oven?

You want to second guess the manufacturers? After all the work and
research they went through?

More seriously, yeah, manufacturers are getting blooming cheap ass
these days. Like the inverter I got, the 12 volt DC leads weren't
heavy enough to run the inverter. Yeah, get larger wires.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"mcfly32" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm about to install an electric oven in our house to replace an
existing gas oven. The oven's installation instructions state that
8AWG
wire should be used to power with 40A breaker protection. Ok, makes
sense.

Here's the question: The oven has factory installed leads running out
of the oven via flexible conduit. There are two hots (a black and a
red), a neutral and a ground. The two hots are #12 wire, and the
neutral is #16! Is this safe to use, or should I re-wire to use #8
into
the oven? The leads are probably about 5-6ft runs.

Thanks!

-Eric