I've got a friend with an old house with a NEMA 10-50 range plug. New range has a NEMA 14-50. Before I pull the old receptacle out of the wall, how was it supposed to be wired? Did they bootleg the neutral and ground together in the old days? Or is the just the neutral there? Or just the ground on the NEMA 10-50? I'd like to avoid running another wire if I can, but I want it done safely. I see short little adapter cords at the hardware store for just this purpose. What do those cords do? Just float the ground in the 14-50?
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Old Range Plug
- Thread starter Ironcrow
- Start date
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
There was a big discussion recently on the same topic: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=304342 It was mainly about dryer receptacles, but range receptacles were covered as well. In general, older receptacles are grandfathered in, although you should check to make sure that's the case in your area.
Thanks. I saw that thread and posted about my welder. I went back and read it closer and see the similarity with my question here. So, I guess I have two reasonable options: 1) Use an adapter or install a 14-50 receptacle with the ground not hooked up. Not to code but as safe as any other range before 1996, or 2) Run a ground (the wires on the existing 10-50 should be hot, hot, neutral) and hook up 14-50 properly.
I still wonder how those adapters I saw in the RV section at the hardware store are wired. Either with the ground floating on the 14-50 end (no connection) or the neutral and ground hooked together. If I remember I'll take my volt meter to the store next time and wring it out.
I still wonder how those adapters I saw in the RV section at the hardware store are wired. Either with the ground floating on the 14-50 end (no connection) or the neutral and ground hooked together. If I remember I'll take my volt meter to the store next time and wring it out.
Milton Shaw
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2011
- Messages
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Most stoves I have seen don't get shipped from factory with a cord. You buy the cord that fits the house. Most have the jumper bar on the ground/neutral to remove it you are going to use it on a 4 wire instead of the older 3 wire. Change the cord and put the jumper back on. Should also have wiring instructions on the back of stove or in the manual for wiring either way.
That's good to know. This stove has a 14-50 cord on it. I could swap it I would think as long as there is a way to un-bond the neutral and ground in the stove chassis. However, the old 10-50 is a surface mount receptacle and it is in the way of the stove sliding all the way in so when I relocate the receptacle anyway I can explore other options.
I think the entire receptacle wiring is under the house in crawl space and run about 10 feet and up to breaker box on external wall. So no fishing in walls to add wire, or pulling through conduit, just crawling under house. Don't know yet how bad that will be...
I think the entire receptacle wiring is under the house in crawl space and run about 10 feet and up to breaker box on external wall. So no fishing in walls to add wire, or pulling through conduit, just crawling under house. Don't know yet how bad that will be...
Last edited:
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
That's good to know. This stove has a 14-50 cord on it. I could swap it I would think as long as there is a way to un-bond the neutral and ground in the stove chassis.However, the old 10-50 is a surface mount receptacle and it is in the way of the stove sliding all the way in so when I relocate the receptacle anyway I can explore other options.
I think the entire receptacle wiring is under the house in crawl space and run about 10 feet and up to breaker box on external wall. So no fishing in walls to add wire, or pulling through conduit, just crawling under house. Don't know yet how bad that will be...
A range with a 14-50p should have the neutral and ground unbonded at the stove terminal.
When converting to a 10-50, the neutral terminal needs to be bonded to the chassis.
Prior to 1996, the neutral was allowed to be used as the grounding path.
It was discovered that this can be unsafe and create a shock potential if the neutral wire should develop a bad connection.
So 4-wire dryer and range circuits were required.
If u will be going to the trouble of moving the 10-50r why not just put in a new circuit and a 14-50r? U will need 6/3 NM-b....
sberry
Banned
If you are remotely capable and willing a new 4 wire is a super investment and the right way to do it.
Yeah, I said that backwards.A range with a 14-50p should have the neutral and ground unbonded at the stove terminal.
When converting to a 10-50, the neutral terminal needs to be bonded to the chassis.
I'm going to go in with that idea and see if I run into an insurmountable problem.If you are remotely capable and willing a new 4 wire is a super investment and the right way to do it.
OK, this is an old house. I took the dead front off the main (only) panel to get the lay of the land here. There is only one bus bar. It has all of the neutral and ground wires landed on it. I get the idea that neutral and ground bus are separate although bonded together in new houses, but now it seems like overkill as every ground pin in every last receptacle in this house is bootlegged to neutral. A previous remodel installed 3 hole 120 volt plugs throughout the house and they are all bootlegged at the receptacle. Rewiring the whole house is a bit much to do as a favor...