240V AC questions ...

[Bootstrap]

OK, now I'm back to not knowing.

If I need a 40 amp circuit, at least I can have the satisfaction of believing I read the manual correctly the first time. If I can get away with a 30 amp circuit, I can have the satisfaction of thinking my money was well spent and being happy with Waylon.

Which form of satisfaction should I want? Is OJ right or is JM right?

Most cook tops are fine with 30 amp. The only danger would be if you didn't have heavy enough wire on a higher level circuit. For instance, if you put a 40amp breaker in without upgrading the wiring. The worst that could happen with a 30amp for you now is that the breaker might flip leaving your food uncooked.

Thanks. And I assume if I had 8 gauge wire and a 40 amp breaker I would be able to boil water faster? Or does it make a difference?

[AnthonyMartin]

OK, now I'm back to not knowing.

If I need a 40 amp circuit, at least I can have the satisfaction of believing I read the manual correctly the first time. If I can get away with a 30 amp circuit, I can have the satisfaction of thinking my money was well spent and being happy with Waylon.

Which form of satisfaction should I want? Is OJ right or is JM right?

Most cook tops are fine with 30 amp. The only danger would be if you didn't have heavy enough wire on a higher level circuit. For instance, if you put a 40amp breaker in without upgrading the wiring. The worst that could happen with a 30amp for you now is that the breaker might flip leaving your food uncooked.

Thanks. And I assume if I had 8 gauge wire and a 40 amp breaker I would be able to boil water faster? Or does it make a difference?

Prolly not, wouldn't change performance. The breaker is there to protect the wire from overheating.

[JimFoxvog]

In practical terms, it's perfectly safe if you never use all four elements at the same time. But just in case you forget that on Thanksgiving morning, and in consideration of future owners if you sell the house, upgrading the circuit would be the right thing to do.

I think it's only if you use all four elements at the highest setting at the same time that you might flip the breaker. Still safe, just have to turn one down and flip it back on.

[ohio jones]

And I assume if I had 8 gauge wire and a 40 amp breaker I would be able to boil water faster? Or does it make a difference?

No, it's the wattage of the element that determines how fast the water boils. That's why the big 3100W element on the right is called Power Boil; use that instead of the 1200W element in the center rear or one of the other two 1500W elements.

[Judas Maccabeus]

In practical terms, it's perfectly safe if you never use all four elements at the same time. But just in case you forget that on Thanksgiving morning, and in consideration of future owners if you sell the house, upgrading the circuit would be the right thing to do.

I think it's only if you use all four elements at the highest setting at the same time that you might flip the breaker. Still safe, just have to turn one down and flip it back on.

Why not turn all four to the max and see what happens. Worse case is you may trip the breaker.

J.M.

[Fidelio]

Electrician shows up. Waylon, about 30 years old, smells like cigarettes, huge smile, engaging, strong twang, smart guy. Knows a LOT about fishing and how to catch various kinds of catfish and where to find them locally, happy to tell you all about it as he works. Looks at the circuit box. Walks over to the stove box, pulls out the manual, reads it slowly. Looks up at me and says, you know, you can also run this on a 30 amp circuit ...

Whoa there, Waylon. Now that we know the model number and can look at the manual for ourselves, we see that you can indeed use a 30A breaker on a 208V circuit which would come from a 120/208V three phase panel. For a 240V circuit, which is what you have on a typical 120/240V single phase residential service, the maximum current draw is 30.4A, which would overload a 30A breaker.

In practical terms, it's perfectly safe if you never use all four elements at the same time. But just in case you forget that on Thanksgiving morning, and in consideration of future owners if you sell the house, upgrading the circuit would be the right thing to do.

I must be really safe because my stove has two burned out burners, so it effectively is a 2-burner stove. Can't get replacements because the stove is too old. Its a Frigidaire Compact 30 by General Motors. Dates to 1950 presumably as it looks like it came with the house.

[Bootstrap]

Why not turn all four to the max and see what happens. Worse case is you may trip the breaker.

Nothing tripped. It sure puts out a lot of heat.

[Josh]

Back when General Motors made stoves, Chrysler made refrigerators, and Hoover made dryers.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Electrician shows up. Waylon, about 30 years old, smells like cigarettes, huge smile, engaging, strong twang, smart guy. Knows a LOT about fishing and how to catch various kinds of catfish and where to find them locally, happy to tell you all about it as he works. Looks at the circuit box. Walks over to the stove box, pulls out the manual, reads it slowly. Looks up at me and says, you know, you can also run this on a 30 amp circuit ...

Whoa there, Waylon. Now that we know the model number and can look at the manual for ourselves, we see that you can indeed use a 30A breaker on a 208V circuit which would come from a 120/208V three phase panel. For a 240V circuit, which is what you have on a typical 120/240V single phase residential service, the maximum current draw is 30.4A, which would overload a 30A breaker.

In practical terms, it's perfectly safe if you never use all four elements at the same time. But just in case you forget that on Thanksgiving morning, and in consideration of future owners if you sell the house, upgrading the circuit would be the right thing to do.

I must be really safe because my stove has two burned out burners, so it effectively is a 2-burner stove. Can't get replacements because the stove is too old. Its a Frigidaire Compact 30 by General Motors. Dates to 1950 presumably as it looks like it came with the house.

You sure?

https://partsdr.com/appliance-parts/reg ... ing=number

[Fidelio]

Whoa there, Waylon. Now that we know the model number and can look at the manual for ourselves, we see that you can indeed use a 30A breaker on a 208V circuit which would come from a 120/208V three phase panel. For a 240V circuit, which is what you have on a typical 120/240V single phase residential service, the maximum current draw is 30.4A, which would overload a 30A breaker.

In practical terms, it's perfectly safe if you never use all four elements at the same time. But just in case you forget that on Thanksgiving morning, and in consideration of future owners if you sell the house, upgrading the circuit would be the right thing to do.

I must be really safe because my stove has two burned out burners, so it effectively is a 2-burner stove. Can't get replacements because the stove is too old. Its a Frigidaire Compact 30 by General Motors. Dates to 1950 presumably as it looks like it came with the house.

You sure?

https://partsdr.com/appliance-parts/reg ... ing=number

My local appliance parts warehouse said they coils for my stove are discontinued. The link you provided has coils but they are thin. My stove has the fat coils and the connectors are different. We managed for many years cooking for four on two burners, and not only have to cook for two. Wife wanted to replace the stove but it is unusual as it is a slide in that comes about 8 inches short of the floor. Very few like that out there and usually very expensive.

When the burners burned out, they became like sparklers throwing hot metal around the kitchen. Very strange and dangerous.