Kitchen Rewiring

13 years ago

We are starting into a major kitchen remodel and will need to reconfigure the electrical circuits. Fortunately, we have an unfinished basement, which will make it easier to move things around.

1) We are replacing an electric range with a single wall convection oven. The breaker for the range is 50A. The wall oven only requires a 20A breaker, if I read the install instructions correctly. Can I connect the 6 gauge wire to a 20A breaker, or do I need to run a new 12 gauge line?

2) We are installing a gas cooktop and it needs a 15A outlet for the igniters. Can I simply tap off of one of the GFCI protected branches? The install instructions recommend a separate circuit, but that seems a waste for what is essentially a small appliance electrically.

3) Above the cooktop will be a vent hood that requires a 15A breaker. Can I tap into the lighting circuit for that? Or should I just run a new 15A circuit to power the cooktop and vent hood?

4) The dishwasher currently plugs into an outlet that is in the wall directly behind the dishwasher. I thought that the outlet was supposed to be accessible, like inside a sink cabinet. Does this outlet need to be moved or is it fine there?

This post was edited by gpraceman on Sun, May 19, 13 at 1:21

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Comments (7)

Ron Natalie
13 years ago
1) You can reuse the existing wire for the oven.
2) Yes, there is an exception to the "no other outlets" rule for the small appliance circuits for this.
3) If it requires exclusive use of a 15A circuit, you can not.
If it just says it needs to be connected to a 15A circuit, oK, though you may wish to consider a dedicated circuit for it (especially if you've got arc faults on the lighting circiut).
4) depending on how the code is interpretted that MIGHT be acceptable, but having the plug (or other disconnect) under the sink would certainly be preferable.
gpraceman55
Original Author
13 years ago
The install instructions for the cooktop says that it is "recommended" to be on a dedicated circuit. I did miss that it says that it will not work properly if plugged into a GFCI protected circuit, so that is out.

The install instructions for the vent hood says nothing about being on a dedicated circuit.

I think that I will just run a new 15A circuit for the vent hood and the cooktop.
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Ron Natalie
13 years ago
I will tell you that having just replaced my dishwasher (never again Fisher-Paykel) it was sure convenient having the receptacle readily accessible under the sink.
llaatt22
13 years ago
gp
Why do you think the man. says "rec. dedicated cct" ?
gpraceman55
Original Author
13 years ago
@laat2 - Doesn't make sense to me. It is a gas cooktop, so the only power is for the igniters. I did find out from another forum that code does allow an exception for the lighting of gas-fired ranges, ovens, or counter-mounted cooking units to be placed on a small appliance circuit.

Anyways, this is my current plan for the appliances:

Gas Cooktop and Vent Hood - Run a new 15A circuit dedicated to these.

Wall Oven - Run a new 20A dedicated circuit for this. Seems better than trying to splice #6 to #12 pigtails. I can move the old #6 line into the cooktop cabinet and terminate it in a junction box there. Then someone who buys the house later on can put in an electric cooktop, if they wish.

Microwave - Move the existing outlet over to the new location.

Dishwasher - Move the outlet into the sink base cabinet.

Disposal - No change.

Refrigerator - Move the outlet to the new location. I'll make sure to check that the circuit is dedicated to the refrigerator.
brickeyee
13 years ago
Electronic seigniors do not get along with GFCIs in many cases.

The high voltage to make the spark can leak onto ground all to easily and trip off the GFCI.
gpraceman55
Original Author
13 years ago
@brickeyee - I did find a note on that in the install instructions. So, I will not be putting it on a small appliance circuit. I was going to run a new 15A line dedicated to the cooktop and the vent hood.