# stove - 50 amp White Red Black Black Conduit - 3 hot?  where's green?



## sholleran (Jan 13, 2008)

I am remodeling my Mom's house, and my brother removed the built in oven & cook top months ago.  I want to put in a 4 prong stove plug and switch ot a free standing oven/range.  

The 4" outlet box has incoming white, red, 2 black, and conduit (as is throughout the home).  I expected white red black green and conduit.  I poped the breaker box cover off, the 2 pole breaker has 2 black wires that go into the conduit and a red, from the bus at top of the panel.  I see no white going in and no green.  Makes no sense to me.

Are the 2 blacks hot for the oven/range, red hot for clock etc., white common, and I need to use some bare to ground the plug off the conduit connector?

What is the correct way to wire these to the 4-prong outlet - pigtail together 1 black + red to 1 prong, black to next prong, white to final, and bare pigtail from conduit to final prong?  I assume I need to test the lines, confirm they haven't substituted inappropriately?

Thanks - S


----------



## guyod (Jan 14, 2008)

*DO NOT CONNECT BLACK AND RED TOGETHER*

black and red are hot they are on 2 seperate phases which gives you 240volts.
In a standard instullation there should only be one black. 
the 2 pole breaker should have a red and black going to it.
are you saying there is white on one end of the conduit and none at the panel? It dissapears? 

Probably shouldnt be tackling this one on your own.


----------



## ToolGuy (Jan 14, 2008)

I'm refraining from commenting on this because you're looking at possibly getting yourself electricuted, or maybe frying your cook range. I don't mean this disrespectfully or anything, but you really shold get a licensed electrician to hook that up for you. You don't know enough to be messing with 240 volts, and that wiring is somehow hacked. The white just dissapears? There's something not right about that. Do yourself a favor and hire a pro for this one small task. He'll have it done in about 1/2 hour at most, and you'll still be around to ask about carpentry and plaster and other diy stuff.


----------



## inspectorD (Jan 14, 2008)

I'm with Toolguy on this one...please post us back and tell us you are OK.


----------



## sholleran (Jan 14, 2008)

I'm definately mystified enough looking at this hack that unless someone had a clear explaination of why none of it looks as expected, I was planning to call an electrician, should have mentioned that.  

The breaker that turns the stove off (and it does - has been for several months during remodel) has 2 BLACK running out of it into 1 inch conduit, plus a RED from the bus at the top of the panel, no sign of white... there has to be a junction between the breaker and the kitchen wall, since I can see at the kitchen end it's 3/4 conduit - bet it's a cluster f*$# of wires in there, wherever it is.  I'm going to let a pro find out where that might be, done enough crawling around under the house.

thanks!


----------



## cheesefood (Jan 14, 2008)

+1 on calling an electrician. While single-phase is generally pretty harmful, 50 amp 2 phase will kill you and possibly start a fire on your corpse. By simply posting this question you've already pre-qualified yourself as "not an electrician".


----------



## kok328 (Jan 14, 2008)

I deal w/480Volts, 100-300Amps, 3-phase all day and this one is weird enough for me to recommend someone (an electrician) come out and take a look at this for you.  The red wire doesn't sound like it's code.


----------



## ToolGuy (Jan 15, 2008)

sholleran said:


> I'm definately mystified enough looking at this hack that unless someone had a clear explaination of why none of it looks as expected, I was planning to call an electrician, should have mentioned that.



Whew!  

_(stupid forum says I have to enter at least 10 characters. Is this enough??? grumble, grumble..)_


----------



## inspectorD (Jan 15, 2008)

We"ll  put that one in the archives for the next folks with funky wirin... Good to know you called an electrician, sorry to hear about how much it cost in advance. 
We are ready if you have something we can help you to DIY.

Pay no attention to the grumbler....he always talks to himself.


----------



## triple D (Jan 30, 2008)

If you had an electrician come to your house, I hope he took care of you fairly. The 2 black wires are hot, The red wire should get white tape wrapped on both ends, as this is your neutral, and is only wire on neutral bar in panel on this particular arrangement, and what is white should get all plastic stripped off and be your ground, because if this wire is not in panel it is probably bonded to conduit in oven box, or goes to a plumbing pipe for a ground. good luck!


----------

