I am putting together a proposal for a new Kitchen Island. The existing cooktop 240v circuit is a 10/3 with no ground, just black, red and white. My question is, can this feed be converted to provide a dedicated circuit for the new gas cooktop downdraft fan…
ie…changing out the breaker to a 15amp single pole and using the the black as the “ungrounded conductor”, white as the “grounded conductor” and the red as the “equipment grounding conductor”…(see I did my research on being politically correct)
If all that works, should the red EGC be stripped bare in the panel and J-box or can it be marked up with green tape??
Doing this will help save opening up a lot of walls to run a new cable.
This is just a feasibility study a licensed elect. will to the work….Thanks Gary
Replies
I think this will work, but don't take my word for it. Bump!
zak
"so it goes"
Gary,
I am getting ready to do exactly the same thing with a circuit that used to feed our electric water heater before we switched to gas. I need a 20A dedicated line for a new built in microwave, so I am going to use that line. I think the only real question is what is the proper way to mark the red wire to indicate that it is now the ground wire. Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
The problem is that the code only allows remarking the of the EGC is it is larger than #6.
Gary,
Here is the reply and the code section I got from one of the guys over on the JLC forums. The kicker in doing this seems to be the ability to assure that only a "qualified person" will ever be working on the entire circuit. That means that if there is ever a chance that a future homeowner or anyone else might get into the wiring, especially half way throught the circuit where its not marked, then you cant do it :(
Looks like I will be pulling some cable.
250.119 Identification of Equipment Grounding Conductors.
(B) Multiconductor Cable. Where the conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons service the installation, one or more insulated conductors in a multiconductor cable, at the time of installation, shall be permitted to be permanently identified as equipment grounding conductors at each end and at every point where the conductors are accessible by one of the following means:
(1) Stripping the insulation from the entire exposed length
(2) Coloring the exposed insulation green
(3) Marking the exposed insulation with green tape or green adhesive labels
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md