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enter image description hereWe have an old dual fuel range - electric oven / propane cooktop - that we'd like to transform into a propane cooktop only. The range is old and outdated and we want something new for the kitchen, but I'd like to keep the old thing as a propane cooktop only and use it in the garage/outdoor for canning garden goodies in the fall.

Now the range obviously uses a 240V outlet cause of the electric oven, but I'm wondering if it's possible to convert/rewire to be able to plug it into 120V (in the garage outdoor) as we'd only need electricity to light the cooktop. Who has a 240V outlet in the garage?!? :)

It's not really a big deal cause we still can use a lighter to light them up, but if we could plug it in 120V it would be nice to be able to use the clock/timer on the cooktop. We still have the electric wiring plan, but we're not sure where and how to wire it into 110 V for the lighter and clock/timer front plate.

Would that be doable?

Edit: Added electrical wiring schema

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  • You mention an electric wiring plan -- is that the wiring schematic of the range? If so, can you add that into your post? (The button that looks like a mountain lets you add pictures).
    – Nate S.
    Commented Aug 7, 2020 at 19:55
  • Any chance there's a sub-panel in the garage? If so, a 240V outlet might be easer than you think.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Aug 7, 2020 at 20:28
  • Sorry it took so long, but just added the wiring plan in the question. I would greatly appreciate if someone could help me figure this out.
    – Anny Guillemette
    Commented Aug 20, 2020 at 13:07

4 Answers 4

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Many people have one or more 240V outlet in the garage (shop tools, welder, etc.,) and many more will as electric vehicles (and associated chargers) permeate the marketplace more.

Anyway, if you don't, certainly the simplest option is to light with a lighter.

If the igniter circuit works from 120V (which you appear to assume, but I don't), and both the clock (where that assumption is more valid, IME) and igniter circuit are on the same leg of the 240V line, it should be possible (with care) to determine which leg of the 240V feed that is, and to wire a 120V plug to the line, Neutral, and Ground for that purpose - whether that's going to be a technical code violation or not, I don't know. If the current range cord is a 3-wire, you'll need to separate the neutral and ground, for sure.

You will need to take care that the other side of the stove's line connection is well-isolated, as that will be energized when someone unfamiliar with your modification tries to use the oven, unless you make more internal modifications to disable that.

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  • Anyway, if you don't, certainly the simplest option is to light with a lighter. I'd say 98% but not universal any more. When I got my first Kitchenaid gas cooktop ~ 20 years ago, I did some research and found the top-of-the-line actually was designed with valves such that if there was no power then there was no gas. I got one step down where it worked the "old fashioned way" - if there is no power you don't have electronic ignition but still get gas and can light with a match.
    – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
    Commented Aug 7, 2020 at 20:08
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The vast majority of dryers and ranges are wired with all of the 120V crud wired between one of the 240V legs and neutral.

The other 120V leg is used only for the 240V large heating elements.

So... if you confirm that is actually so by reviewing the wiring diagram... then it’s easy. Simply hook up your 120V cord to ground, neutral (remember to remove any neutral-ground bonding strap that may exist), and connect your one 120V hot to one of the phase legs. This will either work, or it won’t. If it doesn’t work, unplug and move the 120V hot to the other phase leg.

Now, on your first try, you may reach an interesting state: the 120V parts of the oven power up, but only if the oven is switched on. If that happens, you are on the wrong leg. Switch it.

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Yes, you can do this by connecting 120 volts to L1, neutral to N, and ground to chassis ground.

The ignition section is the entire left half of the diagram. You will see it is connected to the right half at the bottom middle where it says "POWER CORD". From there, the wiring goes to L1 and N. It does not get involved with or interrupted by any of the other electronics in the oven.

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  • Alright Thanks! I'll see what I can do tonight and let you know.
    – Anny Guillemette
    Commented Aug 20, 2020 at 15:18
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Basically anything is possible given enough time and money. But I suspect you are looking for a practical solution.

One thing that may work to power the non-heating parts of the range is a 120V-240V step-up transformer. That would allow you to keep using it unmodified but still have 240V to power its electronics.

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    Depending on the range, there's a pretty good chance this would not work with an off-the-shelf travel transformer. Often the ignition and control circuitry use only 120V, and thus require a neutral, which most step-up transformers do not supply. You'd need a transformer with a center-tapped 240V output, and then bond the center tap to ground.
    – Nate S.
    Commented Aug 7, 2020 at 19:58

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