# Oven wire requirements



## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Jlw5187 said:


> Where is it stated in the nec how many wires are required for a oven/ range circuit.


3-Wire oven cord caps have not been in production for years and years and years, now.

You'll only find 4-wire cord caps in modern production.

That rather forces our hand, does it not ?


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## ralpha494 (Oct 29, 2008)

110.3(b)


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## Jlw5187 (Oct 24, 2016)

Not being a smart aleck but they are available at hardware stores?


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## Jlw5187 (Oct 24, 2016)

I was looking for a direct chapter in 17 nec but I don't see anything where I've looked. Thanks Ralph.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

telsa said:


> Jlw5187 said:
> 
> 
> > Where is it stated in the nec how many wires are required for a oven/ range circuit.
> ...


You can buy 3 wire cord ends anywhere that sells appliances or at supply houses. If you get your appliances delivered and installed around here they come in and look at what receptacle you have and then pop the correct cord end on the unit.


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

telsa said:


> 3-Wire oven cord caps have not been in production for years and years and years, now.
> 
> You'll only find 4-wire cord caps in modern production.
> 
> That rather forces our hand, does it not ?


Around here they are all sold without a cord, and you purchase a 3 wire or a wire cord as needed.


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

jlw5187 said:


> i was looking for a direct chapter in 17 nec but i don't see anything where i've looked. Thanks ralph.


250.140


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## Jlw5187 (Oct 24, 2016)

I'm going to go ahead and end this post. i have found most range receptacles are made for 3 wire with ground. Nothing specifically states in the Nec that it has to be 3 or 4 wire. Manufacture installation instructions might be where something like this is found. 

Thanks.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

telsa said:


> 3-Wire oven cord caps have not been in production for years and years and years, now.
> 
> You'll only find 4-wire cord caps in modern production.
> 
> That rather forces our hand, does it not ?


That is not true at all. Where do you get this ****? I just bought a new P&S 3 wire range recept yesterday.


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

Jlw5187 said:


> I'm going to go ahead and end this post. i have found most range receptacles are made for 3 wire with ground. Nothing specifically states in the Nec that it has to be 3 or 4 wire. Manufacture installation instructions might be where something like this is found.
> 
> Thanks.


The nec has had a requirement for a separate ground for range receptacles since 96. This exact thing used to be addressed in the nec.


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

Jlw5187 said:


> I'm going to go ahead and end this post. i have found most range receptacles are made for 3 wire with ground. Nothing specifically states in the Nec that it has to be 3 or 4 wire. Manufacture installation instructions might be where something like this is found.
> 
> Thanks.


As Don stated, 250.140 is what you're looking for.



> *250.140 Frames of Ranges and Clothes Dryers.*
> Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted
> cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes
> that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be
> ...


This states that the equipment ground and neutral, if used, must be separate, with exceptions.

Now bear in mind the NEC doesn't specifically state how many wires must be used because different ranges have different voltage requirements. 

However, since most ranges use 240V and 120V, this rule would require that such a range be a 4 wire installation (L1, L2, N, EGC).


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## FaultCurrent (May 13, 2014)

If you are interested in history you will find many code sections were created during WW II to deal with material shortages. Copper was in short supply but so was housing for war workers. 

"The practice of using the grounded conductor for grounding ranges was introduced in Supplement to the 1940 NEC. During World War II there was a critical shortage of copper which was needed for defense industries. In addition to a shortage of copper, the war created a shortage of rubber which was used for insulating conductors. 

In response to these two shortages caused by the war, the NEC was revised to permit electric ranges to be grounded by an insulated grounded conductor or an uninsulated grounded conductor in type-SE Cable."


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