If it is 6 inches away your job is very easy. Just push romex out the bottom of the box and grab it through a hole with some needle nose, connect the romex to the hood. Pigtail the new line in with the outlet. If it is too hard for you to fish from the box to the hole, cut the box out, stick you hand in and grab the wire, and fit a remodel box. The outlet does not have to go away. This would only be difficult if the power to the hood was in another stud space to the space the outlet occupies.

The welder most likely has the two hots wires and a ground. The range receptacle has two hot wires, a ground, and a neutral. You just don't connect anything to the neutral, it doesn't need or care about it.

I'm actually in Canada, this machine is both CSA and UL listed and the manufacturer, although attaching a 4-wire plug does not have the neutral connected in the machine. In fact the wiring diagram provided inside doesn't even mention the neutral and at the attachment point inside the machine there is no place for the neutral to attach. So, I want to be perfectly clear, no matter what plug is attached to this machine, it will only EVER use Hot, Hot, & Ground--end of story. This is perfectly safe and government certified. The Hots are at 180 deg. to each other negating the need for the Neutral. So, again my question is: because the previous stove receptacle was also a 4-wire configuration and I'm just changing one pin really (an L-shaped one from a straight one) if for some reason there is actually no ground (or it doesn't go anywhere) can I swap the neutral and Ground pins so the the washer would use the Neutral as a Ground instead of the Ground, or is this not safe (and why)? Although I do like the above debate, I would really like some help with my specific question. Thank you.

This is long, but has a lot of detail. I hope it helps-- Importing big stuff isn't for the faint at heart. If I was buying Gaggenau (or pushing my comfort zone) I'd probably use a group like Importappliances.com or buy from someplace in the UK, with no language barrier and an American-ish idea of customer service. If you have basic (and I mean VERY basic) German skills, my favorite site is… wait for it… Amazon… I've imported many things from them, from trash cans to appliances. Just type "Amazon.de" instead of .com in your browser. Your login is the same as your US login. Expedited 2 day shipping is a manageable up charge on accessories/parts. German Amazon has better kitchen stuff than British Amazon, by the way. I will say that the German site has weird "typos," so you want to make sure the item number matches the picture/discription before finalizing an order. For example, on Amazon.de, the Bosch Domino Lava-Grill (PKU375N14E) is listed. If you search for the grill, you'll get a picture of a 12" induction cooktop, and the product title-- Bosch "Warmeschublade." Unless you have good enough language skills to figure out which one is being sold, you might end up with something unexpected. I always double-check item numbers w the manufacturer. The only problems I have ever had is with packaging coming open in transit. Clearly, this is a bigger problem with a cooktop than a trash-can. UPS is pretty good, but inspect the item before accepting. I've never had to deal with a big return, but the process is the same as in the US. If you use Google Chrome, it can automatically translate the pages. The format is so similar that you can generally navigate, even without translation. The basic keywords to search w/o translation are "Induktions Kochfeld" (Induction Cooktop). Usually, searching in English works. 60cm = 24 inches… figure up or down from there. On the right side of the Amazon.de website, where you do filters like Prime, click the button for "AmazonGlobal Bestellbar" this means it is available to ship internationally, with minimal fuss. If you are lucky, you'll find something sold directly by Amazon, as they will subtract VAT, calculate reasonable shipping (including 2-3 day for a minimal up-charge!), and "pre-charge" duties. Basically, if you can get something from them, it is as easy as buying from them in the US. You can also filter by brand. Personally, I agree with Pillog that if you stick to brands sold in the US, you minimize potential issues… Some brands like AEG (Electrolux) have so many options for a low price that it is tempting. That said, a lot of brands (like Bosch) won't let Amazon sell to the US for obvious reasons. If Amazon doesn't ship to the US, under the product description, it says: Leider kann dieser Artikel nicht in die Vereinigten Staaten versendet werden However, under that, you can choose other Marketplace sellers besides Amazon. If there are other sellers, below the Amazon pricing, it usually says something like: "16 neu ab EUR 659,85" just like on the American site where it says "16 new from $659." If you click that, you'll get a list of several sellers. If the individual Marketplace retailers ship internationally (some do, some don't), it says: "Internationale und Inlandsversandkosten." If they only sell in Germany, it just says "Inlandsversandkosten." Add the item to your cart and go through the checkout process (without finalizing) to see shipping costs. If buying from Marketplace sellers, I look at feedback and go to their "normal" online store before buying through Amazon. You can always ask questions. If you write in English, 99% of the time, they can translate and reply. Thank them for that! Many Germans speak some English, and are happy to do so, but are annoyed that Americans ASSUME they speak English. If you thank them for the effort, they soften up. Make sure to figure out customs duties-- only Amazon (direct) calculates that in checkout. Also, you shouldn't have to pay the VAT (which is usually included in list prices) if the item is leaving the EU, but some sellers don't deduct it (or give you the paperwork for a refund.) I consider that a "red-flag" for shifty (or unsophisticated) sellers since they won't have to pay the VAT on their end. Depending on the country, the VAT can be over 20% so its a significant amount, often covering a good bit of shipping and customs costs. Another option for purchases is http://www.importappliances.com. I've never used them, but they look legit. Their prices are higher, but still MUCH less than USA and they can provide the kind of hand-holding that is reassuring. Most induction cooktops seem to be under 1000 EUR (about $1100 USD) My guess is that their business model is to buy appliances in Brussels (where they are based) for normal retail, then simply forward to customers in the North America and Australia. Their site is a good place for research, as they have downloads of product specs, etc. You can also get specs, installation guides, manuals, etc in English on the manufacturers European websites. Just go to the regular website and change your country. I know Bosch allows you to choose English as a default language, even on their German site, which is nice. Again, Google Chrome will translate… Generally, the European economies are hurting, so they are happy to "go the extra kilometer" to close an international sale. Still, be aware that Continental Europe has a different attitude about customer service than what we are used to in the US… Its a running joke that in Germany, "customer satisfaction" means that you should be satisfied that they allow you to be a customer… They are wonderful before a sale and will answer all sorts of questions, but if you are asking questions, it is assumed you are a serious buyer, not just "kicking tires." After the sale, they are polite & helpful, but the American expectation that they can return things "no questions asked" for cash refunds isn't the norm. Anyhoo, hope this helps.