1

Recently, my electric range shorted out and caused the stove to malfunction. For some reason both the range and the oven are connected in one breaker(40 Amps). Because our house is very old all the wiring is messed up and definitely needs to be rewired, however that option is quite impossible in the moment.

The stove now killed one circuit of both lights and receptacles which will instantly die when you try to turn on the switch; no breakers ever tripped even when the range shorted.

The most confusing part is that when you turn on the stove or oven both the lights and receptacles would work normally, but not the stove or the oven, while being in two different circuit.

Improve this question
6
  • So you have a dead circuit separate from the the oven circuit?
    – Machavity
    Commented Sep 18, 2018 at 1:56
  • yes, the lights and the receptacles
    – edey
    Commented Sep 18, 2018 at 1:58
  • Is the breaker for the culprit circuit of lights&receptacles on or off when you turn the stove or oven on and have the culprit circuit work?
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Commented Sep 18, 2018 at 2:27
  • When only the lights&receptacles circuit is on, some lights are flickering, some lights are instantly turning off, and one light is just dimmed, however when the both the oven&range circuit and lights&receptacles circuit is on nothing will work unless either the oven or the stove is turned on
    – edey
    Commented Sep 18, 2018 at 2:37
  • It seems that whenever we try to test the voltages of the receptacles there would be an initial spike of around 150-190 V followed by an instant drop of 1 V(we also tried it with 300V range on the multi-meter and we got the same results).
    – edey
    Commented Sep 18, 2018 at 2:52

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

From what you are describing, you have all of the symptoms that you have lost a phase and it may not be the range circuit. It could be the main breaker or service conductors.

I would start by disconnecting the range and the oven then I would carefully open the panel covers and check to see if you are reading a nominal 240V across the output of the range breaker and checking the buses in the panel to see if you are getting a 240V reading above and below the main breaker in the panel. If you are getting a nominal 240V reading at all of these locations. Then check the circuit to the range and ovens and see if they match the panel or have dropped a phase. This might not fix the problem but you are trying to isolate the location of the problem.

There are a few comments I would also like to make about your circuit to the range.

First it is allowed by the NEC to split your range circuit to feed both a range and an oven.

Second a 40A breaker that feeds the circuit is not common in a residence. It is usually a 50A or minimum 45A breaker being fed by a #8 or #6 conductors. The size of the conductors are critical to the correct operation of the circuit and this may have even had something to do with the range shorting out. More imortant it may shorten the life of your new equipment due to voltage drop and improper voltage at the equipment.

Third and the really bad news. Your statement:

wiring is messed up and definitely needs to be rewired, however that option is quite impossible in the moment.

That may have been true yesterday but may not be true today. The time to begin correcting the wiring may have already started or you could be facing more problems including possible burn and shock hazards. You may be able to phase in certain corrections first, but you need to consider permanent repairs instead of trying to bandage your system until later.

Hope this helps, stay safe and good luck.

Improve this answer
2
  • Turns out that one of the fuse got busted, and replacing it did the job.
    – edey
    Commented Sep 18, 2018 at 23:19
  • 1
    @edey, please take the tour so you know what's expected of you as an asker. You'll need to either accept an answer or provide and accept one of your own.
    – isherwood
    Commented Oct 31, 2018 at 14:08

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.