Preparing to hook up the new stove/oven in the kitchen remodel. last one was ‘hard-wired’ in that there was no plug and it was wired from the junction box on the wall to the oven in armored cable (not sure if that is the correct, specific term for it).
The instructions for the new stove mention it can be hard-wired that same way, or it could be installed using a plug.
Is one method preferable (now-a-days) compared to the other?
thanks for any insight, Dave
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Replies
NEC now says it has to have a plug (or disconnect switch) at the appliance unless you can visually see the circuit breaker from the appliance.
That said, in own house I hardwire and ignore the code.
dp
The most important hookup is one that fits the ever getting smaller "space" available for the damn range-most wall ovens can be semi close in recommended location.
but
whether plug or direct wire-ranges were not meant to be hooked up. You need a shoe horn and lube to get the thing back into the space.
well, I take that back.............
There's room for the box, plug or flex conduit-downside is when pluged in or hooked up-there's no room for the stiff cable...............
Calvin makes a good point about the space issue. If it's a free-standing range, I would personally go with a plug. To ease installation and removal, you might consider relocating the receptacle. For instance, you could place it high (just out of sight) and let the excess cord "loop" down behind it. Or, you could locate the receptacle in an adjacent cabinet. To avoid having a lot of excess cord laying in that cabinet, just shorten it and use a leader to feed it through when installing the appliance. Of course, you'd need to create a hole in the side of your cabinet that's large enough to let the plug pass through it. I don't think that violates any codes. If it does, I'm sure someone will call me out on it.
The receptacle needs to be placed such that the range can slide all the way in without hitting it, and the cord can be folded up under the range when you do this. Or you can consider recessing the receptacle into the wall somehow. But do plan so that you can plug/unplug the thing without standing on your head behind the unit.
the damn cord
I don't care if you place the box so it's flush to the wall, turn it anyway you can to help in the install, follow the REAL SMALL space it's recommended to put it.............that stiff cord will fight you everytime.
If they would knock an inch off the depth of the oven we'd be in good shape and still fit the turkey in there for Thanksgiving.
Ideally the recptacle is mounted almost flush with the floor, near the center of the space. Then it (and the cord) will slide under the "toe kick" space on the back side.
But of course mounting it there leads to the standing-on-your-head thing. (If they'd make the pigtails 6" longer it would help a lot.)
Dan
centered-ideal?
Not so. If you don't get the spec sheet from the manufacturer b/4 redoing the kitchen (or replacing the range) you'll be in for a rude awakening.
The day of "centered" being ideal are over.
You still need access to the plug without actually pulling out the range
[quote] 422.33(B) Connection at the Rear Base of a Range. For cord-and-plug-connected household electric ranges, an attachment plug and receptacle connection at the rear base of a range, if it is accessible from the front by removal of a drawer, shall be considered as meeting the intent of 422.33(A).
Greg
Removal of a warming drawer requires pulling the screws that hold the drawer to the slide out hardware.
Even with removing the drawer, you'd be hard pressed to be able to remove a range plug. It just isn't going to happen.
Fine as long as noboby gets an inspector involved
Greg
It's been my experience that upon final, the inspectors pass right by that interpretation.
And over the last couple yrs I've had the displeasure of trying to crammmmmmm most, if not all those ranges (freestanding or slide in) into those spaces.
For the life of me I cannot understand the continued misbuilding of some of these appliances in order to smooze the purchaser with all the gadgets etc. Old ranges pushed right back to the wall. No big problem and Dan's "keep it low" recommendation worked every time. However, in the last 10/15 yrs, those drawers have gotten deeper, the backs more enclosed and filling, etc that now there's a 6 inch from the floor "recommended" area that gets narrower and narrower. Add the duel fuel appliance and you've introduced the flex gas line you don't want to kink.
Wall ovens-really not so bad (as long as the designer and customer aren't trying to put it in the narrowest cab so they can pack in that slim "cookie sheet cab" or those usually goofy and too close to the heat source slide out spice drawers at 3" wide..............
Don't get me started on refrigerators................