Replacing my grandmas range and the old one was a 4 prong plug. New on is 3 prong. I found a new box but Not sure how I should do the neutral/ground. Should they be put together in the new box or just at the main panel on the common bus? picture is the new box
Odd to see the new range be a 3 prong, I'd transfer the 4 prong whip off the old range to the new and if there's a neutral wire in the J box in the new range make the connection, if not just put a wire nut on the end and leave.
yeah I fucked that up. There are 3 wires in the box (2 hots and a ground?) and 4 on the new range/whip. Can I jump the neutral and ground together in the new 4 prong box?
Does your wire going to the receptacle only have 2 leads + ground? Is there only the one receptacle on that circuit and is the circuit breaker panel a service entrance or sub panel?
Tie the neutral and ground together then. They are both at the same potential back at your service entrance.
How old is here house? Could it be grounded via Greenfield(sp?) and the 3rd wire is actually the neutral? where is the 3rd wire terminated in the breaker panel?
Did the range come with a cord already on it or did the appliance store put it on? Check the user manual to see if it can be used with a 3-wire cord. Some foolish manufacturers put single pole circuits inside the units so a neutral is required, and you can’t by code carry current over a ground wire.
it came with the cord loose in the box from the distributer. The manual has instructions for 4 wire and 3 wire installation.
Goes to the neutral bus with the rest of the neutrals but it is stranded aluminum and it is split between two terminals.
If the instructions include how to use the range wtih a 3-wire cord, get the 3-wire cord from Lowes/HD/or wherever, and install it on the range according to the instructions. Then plug it into the 3-wire outlet. (Turn off the breaker / pull the fuses before plugging it in.) Generally, any range/dryer wiring installation installed after 1987 requires a 4-prong plug, but there is still a lot of old crap out there.
In the range, where the cord terminates there is usually a copper bonding jumper that goes between the neutral and grounding studs. It is used in a three wire application, and removed in a four wire application. Make sure it's in place, you've got three wires in the wall, and should be rocking the three wire cord.
