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Frigidaire FFIC3026TB 30 Inch Induction Smoothtop Cooktop

36" models all seem to require at least 40 amps. This 30" induction requires only 30 amps.

Wait! Here's one: Thermador CIT36XWBB Masterpiece Series. Hope you're rich!

I agree a kitchen reno requires a lot of upgrading of electrical now and IMO best to do before choosing appliances

But Patricia, don't the appliance choices affect the cabinet layouts and hence the locations of electrical outlets as well as the feed ampacities? [Retorical question: Of course they do.] And the cabinet and counter layouts affect what appliances are feasible. A full reno requires recursive design to assure that appliances, cabinets, electrical outlets, plumbing functions, lighting and wiring thereto, switches, HVAC, etc. are all accommodated without conflict and in conformance to codes.

I agree that household power may need to be upgraded and breaker panel space may need to be expanded, and that this may be started early once the rough electrical needs plus margin for growth are known.

I just finished a remodel of my kitchen and it makes far more sense to upgrade electricity for current needs than attempt to find appliances enabling your electrical sources to scrape by.

It might also be out of your hands in terms of getting electricity up to Code. At least in my jurisdiction, if you remodel you are required to bring everything up to Code.

Once your walls are open, it makes far more sense to have any electrical work done than to attempt to work around obsolescent electricity. My remodel required a new electrical panel to support the appliance selections because Code in my jurisdiction requires that all appliances be on a separate breaker - e.g. oven, microwave, hood, refrigerator, cooktop and dishwasher.

Well, I’m a little embarrassed to say, but our kitchen Reno is completely done. We didn’t move any electrical or water, or take down any walls, and just kept the configuration the same, so I figured just use the existing lines. I was in the process of changing all our light switches and noticed the breaker labeled cooktop was said 30 amps. I looked at the manual for our Samsung induction and said it required 45.

so, it’s either run new lines, and risk tearing up my new floors and cabinets, or just get a new 36” cooktop.

I believe the Thermador Freedom 36" Induction cooktop is 30 Amps. I've looked at a number of induction cooktops and this is one of the top 3 I am considering buying. Also the Wolf and the Monogram, however the Monogram is 50 Amps; not sure about the Wolf. I would never buy a simple electric cooktop. They are inefficient and they generate a lot of heat, which bakes spills onto the surface, which makes them very difficult to clean.

Can you please provide a link to the thermador?

Thermador CIT36XWBB Masterpiece "Freedom" 36 Inch Induction Cooktop ($5300!)

Holy cow. I guess I’ll have to see if it’s even possible to run new wire

Keep in mind that the power consumption of 45 AMPS is maximum draw. Every HOB operating on Maximum. Technically you can use your cook top on the current circuit provided you don't over draw on power. Assuming all is in working order your breaker will trip before you melt any wires and burn down your home. After all that is the point of the breakers. At a minimum I would put in a new 30 AMP breaker just to make sure it is in good working order and use your cook top smartly until such time you can upgrade the electrical or buy a cook top that uses 30 AMPS. Obviously doing one or the other would be the smartest thing to do, however just pointing out you are not dead in the water until you do one or the other.

Sorry, Kuyaariel, that you met this "gotcha."

Running a new cable or new conductors in an existing wireway is often feasible, but this depends on your house construction. For example, a basement or crawlspace is easier to work with than a slab. An attic may provide a means of house traversal whereas exposed and finished rafters would tend to preclude that path. Outside underground could also be possible depending on what had to be dug up.

As noted by kevinande, operating on your present wiring, assuming it meets code, is feasible depending on your cooking style. Rarely does my 36-inch induction cooktop operate more than three hobs, and not at full power at once. (This is not to imply that an inspection might lead a Code Enforcement Officer to fail you for not complying with your installation manual.)

I would recommend getting from your user manual the power levels of your various hobs at different settings. Your 30A circuit should not be operated under the NEC at higher than 80% ampacity for any long duration, so at 240 Vac, you would have available 5760W for continuous cooking, and 7200W for brief periods when using power boost on one hob. (If you are on a 208 Vac circuit, then proportionately less.) Bringing three pasta pots to boil using power boost on the three hobs that would likely allow simultaneous power boost should be expected to actuate the breaker. Note that breakers have a time-current release function, so very brief excursions slightly above their rating might not trip them, but this is not a gambit for planned excess. We also don't know whether your conductors are in a marginal run already, such as in insulation.

Most electricians are good at finding a way around these problems. Call one.

Thanks guys. I got. a quote from the electrician of about a grand to put in new wire, and 2 grand from my kitchen contractors of 2 grand to remove tile, cut a 2x4 trench in my concrete slab, then fill in after my electrician places the wire and retile. So, about 3 grand total.

Looks like you have a particularly difficult architecture. Good luck with your upgrade.

Is really it worth $3K to go from a 30" cooktop to a 36" one that requires only a 30 amp circuit?

Well, our current situation is, the 36” is already hooked up. The hole in our quartz is cut for the 36” cooktop. So our options are, pay the 3 grand to upgrade to #6 wire, which includes tearing up my newly constructed kitchen, or getting the $5,200 cooktop described above. we are past being able to return the 36” cooktop we already have

IMPORTANT: Cooktops of the same size require different cutout dimensions! Compare these, for example. Neither side-to-side nor front-to-back dimensions are the same or even overlap.

• GE PHP9036DJBB
• Thermador CIT36XWBB

If you already have a cooktop for which the cutout was made, you may have to use it (and fix the wiring), or get a 30" (and redo the countertop).

Correct. Which is why we are going to keep the existing cooktop and fix the wiring

Here is where the wire will go. Approx. 10’. Quote to remove tile, cut a 4”x2” trench, fill in, retile, and fix all drywall is $2500. Does not include the cost from the electrician to install the wire. Does that sound high?

Can the tile be removed intact, or does the contractor have to have a set of matching tile for re-installation? While the cost seems high, there may be a lot of risk and/or time involved, and also the contractor has to show up at least two times. Removing the tile and cutting the hole may require a lot of masking to keep dust out of the house and (I hope) out of the drawer slides and refrigerator guts.

Thanks. I’m not to concerned about saving the tile, they were like $1.99 sq/ft, so 10 tiles is like $40

Patricia was correct - should have fixed the wiring first. Lesson learned

Curious - was there no way to run the electrical in the wall vs in the slab?

We have had several homes on slab and while plumbing was in a couple of them, electrical was always above grade (with the notable exception of the kitchen island and LR floor outlet).

Also curious why the wire can't run through the wall, or at least through the back of the cabinetry? Running through the cabinetry itself is very common for retrofitting cabinet lighting. I believe it just needs to be in a steel conduit to meet code.

Maybe another possible option, dependent on size of base cabinet., TWO of these pull a total of under 30 amps. So, cost of new countertop (material+fabrication+removal+install) and the electrician charge to "pull" TWO new lines. The current 30 amp breaker replaced by two "mini" 15 amp breakers.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GIUPYQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001GIUPYQ&linkCode=as2&tag=magneticcooky-20&linkId=B2JB4BP34RAG3JYX

specs say this one is 30 amps. https://www.appliancesconnection.com/frigidaire-fgic3666tb.html

thanks for the responses. The cooktop is in an island, and my house is on a slab, which is typical of Florida, which is why we have to run it in the concrete.

Design Girl - Thanks. I looked at that, but when I downloaded the manual, the specs says the 36" cooktop needs a 40 amp breaker.

http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Memphis/A01705203.pdf

If your 30amp wire is ran in concrete, it is ran through conduit. Why can't they pull new wire through the conduit?

Great question, and I wondered the same. According to the electrician, the original wire is 10 gauge. We will have to run 6 gauge. The conduit is too small to accomodate the jump in size. He also implied that it wasn't done correctly to begin with

Three or four 6 AWG THHN/THWN wires will need at least 3/4 trade size conduit. You might be able to use three 8 AWG (nominally 40A capacity) in 1/2 trade size if the particular cooktop doesn't require a neutral. There are so many factors that affect ampacity that you need to rely on your electrician.

yeah. Seems like it would be easier if I could just find a 36" cooktop that would be compatible with my existing 30 amp circuit. Other than that Thermador for $5,400

The Thermador is a nice looking induction cooktop. Beautiful dark gray glass which would look great with your quartz. However, make sure you see how it operates. I didn't like how you had to scroll through settings to adjust the temperature. Others may not have an issue. It also seems to gave good reliability.

Yeah. Currently we have the new 36" Samdung Induction. The window to return it has passed, so we are stuck with it.

Do you have a picture of your current electric wiring at the breaker box and at the appliance? I am not sure why you need 6 AWG wire in conduit unless the conduit just jumps from the wall to the island. Which seems a bit silly unless the island cooktop was added later.

I need 6 wire because the new cooktop I have installed requires 45 amps. Currently there is 10 gauge wire

Just FYI, it wouldn't be simply finding a cooktop that requires 30 amp max, you would also need to find one that would not cause you to need a new counter - as was mentioned early in the topic, cutouts vary considerably even for "same size" units. Openings can be enlarged if done carefully, but not made smaller.

I need 6 wire because the new cooktop I have installed requires 45 amps.

In conduit you use the 75°C tables rather than the 60°C tables and 8 AWG wires are rated to 50 amps on the 75°C tables. This will not apply if your wire is ran through the wall and and only runs through conduit to your cooktop, which would be common if the cooktop was moved to the island at some point after the house was built. However, if your conduit runs from the panel to the cooktop then you can use 8 AWG wire.

ETA: If my understanding is correct, and it may not be, you could stay under the 40% fill limit in 1/2" conduit using three 8 AWG and one 10 AWG bare grounding wire.

This is why I had the wiring for the whole house upgraded when they ripped my kitchen out .. I needed heavy duty for the double oven and I had to move the fuse box ..I thought I would get it all done in one go ! sorry you have all the extra expense.

So what was the outcome of all this? What kind of company did you hire to dig under the tiles to switch out the lines? We are having a similar issue... have a 36" gas cooktop on an island, had a gas leak and it wound up being under the island. We have quotes for getting the gas line redone, as well as for changing the amperage to be able to handle a 36" induction cooktop, but nobody seems to want to do the excavation part, or know anyone who would. I'd really like to know how much that's going to be, as we like the thought of getting rid of the gas line. Sorry to add on to the thread, I'll start another one if need be, but I'm hoping Kuyaariel will reply...