I’m installing an electric range, replacing a gas unit. I don’t normally deal in wire more than 10ga, which almost always comes with ground. So I bought a length of 6/3 wire for the range, then looked at it when I got home, and it has no ground, just black, red, and white. Will this work for the range? Do I need 6/3 with ground?
Thanks in advance,
Jon
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Replies
Short answer, yes You need a ground.
Yes, current code requires 4 wires. Has for at least 20 years.
DanH?
ARe there not some cases where the neutral white wire is both neutral and ground????? Seems to me there are times when that is the case? Or am I thinking about running a sub-panel where neutral is ground??????
Are you a sparky???
Range Wire
Neutral is not ground in a sub panel. Neutral is not to be connected to ground in a sub panel. All neutral current returns to the main panel via the neutral. The neutral and ground are bonded at the main panel.
Thanks. Maybe I can talk them into letting me return the wire. I don't recall seeing 6/3 with ground. Out of curiosity, what applications would use the 6/3 wire without ground?
6/3 without ground
byrd48 wrote:
Thanks. Maybe I can talk them into letting me return the wire. I don't recall seeing 6/3 with ground. Out of curiosity, what applications would use the 6/3 wire without ground?
You would have to have Sherman set the "Wayback machine" to 1995 or before to use that wire
Of course, one of the wires may be green, indicating it's a ground wire. But then you'd only have 2wg -- not sufficient for most ranges.
Not sure ... perhaps source of discussion ...
I think you don't always need a neutral when wiring 220. The to hots are out of phase (???) since the black is on one bus at teh panel and the other red is on the other bus. Not sure how that works, if the return run for teh red is on the black and visa vera, hence no neutral and only a ground.
For a stove, where you also have a clock which is 110 and not 220 you need the neutral and hence four wires.
I think a dryer needs four wires also ... is that for the control unit?
Now a furnance might only need the 3 wires. But then you might need a 110 fan in that case or that might be on a separate circuit. ???
A lot of ???? in this post, but I do beleive I am on to something.
Humbly your.
If you do not have a neutral load (120v equipment) you can live with 6/2 with ground (cooktops etc)
Dryer motors are usually 120 and most ranges have a 120 load.
I believe you want 6-4 cable. 6-3 will not have a ground wire, unlike romex which does not include the ground in the wire count.
Ok, so I took the cable back to HD and the returns person called the electrical associate up to the desk to help, since they normally don't accept returns on cut wire. He looks at it for a minute, is confused, then pulls the jacket back off the wire, and lo and behold, there is that ground wire
Yeah, for large gauge wire the ground can be one size smaller, and it's likely uninsulated, so it can "hide" inside the cable.