Can You Install a Cooktop and Wall Oven on the Same Circuit?
If you are installing a wall oven and cooktop separately in your kitchen, thankfully, you don’t have to worry about wiring the two appliances individually. You can wire them onto the same circuit.
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Unlike traditional stove/oven combinations, which plug into a 240-volt socket, cooktops and wall ovens are directly wired into the house electrics via an appropriate junction box.
The junction box is usually in the cabinet above or below the wall oven or the cabinet beneath the cooktop.
You can connect a cooktop to the same circuit as one or more built-in electric wall ovens. Keep reading to find out how to wire these appliances on the same circuit and to do so safely.
Does an Electric Cooktop Need a Dedicated Circuit?
National Electric Code (NEC) regulates household electrical codes. Section 220.55 permits households to wire a cooktop and up to two wall ovens together on the same circuit.
The same code section describes permitted demand factors and load limits for a defined number of appliances plus total appliance wattage.
The NEC provides guidelines on adding the individual wattage ratings together and calculating the circuit ampacity.
Under the rule, up to two wall ovens and a cooktop can count as one sole appliance providing they are installed in the same room.
The cooktop only needs a dedicated branch circuit when there are no other built-in cooking appliances installed. In this scenario, the circuit ampacity must match the full load ampacity of the cooktop.
Read more: Who connects gas stoves?
How to Wire a Cooktop & Wall Oven Together
1. Disconnect Mains Power
Go to the breaker box and shut off the power. Typically, the stove and oven breaker has a label, so you know which one to hit.
If there are no labels, work through them in turn until you find the right one.
2. Open the Junction Box
Remove the cover of the junction box using a screwdriver. The junction box is a metal box found near or adjacent to the oven or cooktop area.
Inside the box are three red, white, and black wires, matching those that come out of the cooktop and oven.
The red wire is the hot wire and transfers the power. The black wire is negative and completes the circuit, and the white wire is the ground. The ground or earth can also be green in color.
3. Strip the Wires
Take off around ½” from the end of each wire using wire strippers, a tool designed to remove the plastic or protective covering. Then twist together the bare ends of the matching colors individually and add a wire nut cap to each new connection.
A wire nut cap is a little round plastic cap that twists over the bare ends of wires to make a tight and secure connection.
4. Re-Connect the Junction Box
Push the wires back into the junction box and screw the cover plate back in place.
Now that you have wired the appliances together on the same circuit, you can put the breaker back on and restore power. Test the appliances to make sure they power correctly.
This relatively simple wiring job is something many DIY enthusiasts could manage. There is plenty of online guidance available about electrical safety in the home. However, you may prefer to hire an electrician to do the job for you.
Always follow correct safety procedures. Remember to isolate the circuit fully before starting work, open the junction box, and ensure that you’ve switched off all appliances.
Read more: Cost to install a gas line for stove
Conclusion
Remember to follow all the local codes when performing any electrical work in the home. Municipal regulations may be over and above the requirements listed in the National Electric Code.
Some jurisdictions state that only a licensed electrician can conduct electrical work like this, so you may need to hire a qualified professional to do it for you. More importantly, some local codes might prohibit installing an oven and cooktop on the same circuit even though the NEC permits this, so check this out first.
For more on home safety and repairs, including water and fire damage and remediation, call the experts at All Dry USA.
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