Can I use my existing wiring from a 220V outlet for a 110V outlet?

Question

I am replacing my existing electric range with a gas range. I know that I must change the outlet so that I will have 110, however I do not want to run new lines if I can avoid it. I have been told that the new gas stove must be rewired using a different gauge of wire.

Since the existing wire is capible of handling 50A, why would the electrician need to run new wires for a 110V 20A circuit? Are all 110V outlets required by code to be 10 gauge or would any gauge that is rated for the voltage and amperage be acceptable?

Answer 1

No problem Karen, just a few details.
The code requires minimum, not maximum wire,
so that's OK. ( you would have to splice in
short lengths of smaller (#12 AWG.) wire at the
ends to make the connections to the new
20A.Single pole breaker in your electric panel,
and the new outlet in the wall-box.
Ideally, you should mark the ends of the 'neutral`
wire with white tape, (The one you disconnect from
the breaker, and connect to the neutral bar in the
electric panel.

Answer 2

Yes, you can Karen. Change the 50 amp breakers to 2 single 20 amp breakers. For the 220v line, you are going to select 1 main wire, either the black one, or the red one as the hot lead for the 110v line. If the electric stove was a 4 wire cable then it will be even easier. This is because there is already a white, neutral, and a green ground wire. Electrically, the white and green wire at the same potential, ground. They are used because if one wire comes loose, you still have a ground.If the electric stove just used 3 wires, black, red, and ground, then that white wire needs to be pulled in. I'm betting that you have a 4 wire power cable, so my first description is what you have..Tie the other main lead back, and tape it up to make it safe. As for the wire size differences, a plain box and the old stove cable brought into that box, wire nuts capable of being used with the original power cable wire, and can accept the new wire, then you have what you need, without having a new cable pulled in to the kitchen.
The bad news in all of this, and this is your decision, doing as described may be against code in your state. IF it is, and IF there were a fire that could be traced to that change over, then your insurance would be canceled and all repair would be at your expense. Ask your city planners about it. If they say it's okay, do it, if not, don't.

Answer 3

Wiring 220v Outlet

Answer 4

You may already have 120 volts. Some ranges require a dual voltage system. 220 volts for the burners etc...and 120 volts for the control circuit. You might just have to cap one off. Many clothes dryers have that configuration too. Change the 2 pole breaker to 2 single pole breakers. Take one of the wires and hook it to the single pole breaker and the other will go to the neutral bar. Cap off the extra one if there is one. Now change your outlet and make sure that the wire that went to the neutral bar is connected to te silver terminal on the new receptacle. The wire that is connected to the breaker will go the the gold (hot) terminal. Take the old ground wire and ground it to the new receptacle. I don't know if that is code, but it should work as long as the wires to the old range were sized big enough to handle the current to the new gas range. I am sure they are since the control circuit for a gas range draws very little current. You may need to reduce the wire size with a pigtail. Wire color doesn't matter because the electrons do not know the color of the insulation. Just identify them accordingly.

Answer 5

If you wanted to use a 110V outlet with the existing wiring you would need to change the breaker to a 20A single pole breaker. I am not sure you will be able to attach 50A wire to a 20A outlet, it is very thick. But in theory as long as you change the breaker and outlet you would not need to change the wire.