By KilowattKarl·0 replies
Switched from a gas range to a 36-inch induction cooktop and wall oven combo last year. The cooking upgrade is everything people say it is. The electrical work is where I see bad advice circulating, so here's what I actually learned.
What a residential induction range actually requires
A freestanding induction range (standard 30-inch) requires a 240V/50A dedicated circuit with a NEMA 14-50 receptacle or hardwired connection, terminated in a junction box behind the appliance. The breaker should be a 50A double-pole. Wire gauge: 6 AWG copper minimum (or 4 AWG aluminum for longer runs over ~30 feet — aluminum is code-legal for 240V appliance circuits with proper aluminum-rated connectors and anti-oxidant compound).
A cooktop-only induction unit (without the oven) typically draws less. Most 30-inch induction cooktops are rated 7,200–11,000W. At 11kW on a 240V circuit that's 45.8A, so a 50A breaker and 6 AWG wire covers it. However, some premium 36-inch or high-output cooktops (Wolf, Thermador, Gaggenau) are rated up to 14,400W — those require a dedicated 60A circuit and 4 AWG copper.
The gas line question
If you're removing a gas range entirely, the gas line needs to be properly capped at the appliance shutoff valve and ideally at the branch takeoff from the main gas line, not just left capped at the flexible connector. An improperly abandoned gas stub is a leak risk and will fail a home inspection. Have your gas utility or a licensed plumber cap it properly. In most jurisdictions this requires a permit and inspection.
NEMA 14-30 vs NEMA 14-50 — don't confuse them
Most existing 240V outlets in a kitchen (if any exist) are NEMA 14-30 (30A, for electric dryers sometimes wired in kitchen for older ranges). A NEMA 14-30 is NOT adequate for a modern induction range. You need 14-50. They look similar. Check the outlet face before buying appliances — a 14-30 has two angled slots, a 14-50 has one angled slot and one straight horizontal slot plus a ground.
The permit question
Adding a new 240V circuit requires a permit in virtually every US jurisdiction. The permit process for a simple appliance circuit is usually a one-page form, a modest fee ($50–150), and an inspection where the inspector looks at the breaker and outlet. If you do the work yourself, most jurisdictions allow homeowner electrical permits for work in your own residence. Pull the permit. The inspection adds two weeks of calendar time but zero hassle and gives you documentation that the work was done correctly for future insurance or resale purposes.
Magnetic cookware: test before you throw anything away
LFP and cast iron work on induction with no issues. Stainless varies — hold a magnet to the bottom of each pan before you commit to a full cookware replacement. Most stainless from the last decade is induction-compatible. The main casualties are aluminum pans and old copper-bottom cookware. I kept about 70% of my existing cookware.
The permit point can't be overstated. I know three people who skipped the permit on 240V appliance circuits and one of them had an insurance claim denied after a kitchen fire that was unrelated to the electrical work — the insurer found the unpermitted circuit during investigation and used it as a basis to dispute the claim. Permits for simple circuits are cheap and fast. Pull them.
One addition on wire sizing: NEC requires 6 AWG copper for a 50A circuit, but "6 AWG" is the minimum — upsizing to 4 AWG costs about $0.30/foot more and reduces voltage drop on longer runs. For any run over 20 feet I'd run 4 AWG copper regardless of code minimum. The appliance doesn't care, but your circuit is cooler-running and you have headroom if you ever replace the cooktop with a higher-draw model.
Also: use conduit in the wall cavity if you're fishing new wire in an existing wall. Running wire in conduit means you can pull a new wire later without opening walls. About 20% more work upfront, 80% less work if you ever need to change it.
I went through the magnetic cookware test and was surprised how much of my existing set was compatible. The only real loss was a set of vintage aluminum All-Clad (pre-2000 vintage, before they added the stainless base) and two non-stick pans with aluminum cores. Everything else worked. The test literally takes 10 minutes with a refrigerator magnet.
Anyone done a propane-to-induction switch in an off-grid context? I'm trying to figure out whether the peak draw of an induction cooktop causes issues for my inverter. A 7,200W cooktop at 240V is 30A, and my inverter is rated 6,000W continuous / 12,000W surge. In practice how often does induction actually hit its rated peak?
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