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Replaced daughters gas stove with Whirlpool glass cooktop with double oven. The electric outlet has not been used for 25 yrs. House was converted from fuses to circuit breakers since stove outlet was last used. The stove was delivered on a trailer lying on it's back about 1 1/2 hr drive. When turning on each cooktop burner they sparked and blew either the main fuse or something in the control panel. Both ovens work fine. Looking at the burners by lifting the cooktop. Would you suspect the problem was caused in transport or could something be wrong with the wiring at the circuit breaker box?

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    There's not enough information here to tell either way. But assuming the stove was new and packaged properly, I'd guess it's more likely there was a problem with the wiring that was modified 25 years ago and unused since than with a brand new cooktop. First step would be to get a voltage tester and make sure voltages at the outlet are as expected. If voltages were too high, then the cooktop may be damaged now too.
    – Shimon Rura
    Jul 26, 2016 at 20:44
  • You also may want to think about converting from NEMA 10 to NEMA 14 reeptacles if you're not already. With NEMA 10, they connect "neutral" to the chassis of the stove, which will energize the stove at 120V if there is any problem with the neutral wire. NEMA 14 requires the neutral wire be separate from the ground wire, which removes that hazard. Ground wires can be retrofit if need be.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Jul 27, 2016 at 3:48
  • Sparks? That's a problem with the stove. Bad wiring can only cause a breaker to trip. @Harper I'm not aware (in the USA) of any range that runs on 120 vs. 240 VAC. jjdenty: you didn't state whether new or used stove, and whether delivered in proper packaging or not.
    – Carl Witthoft
    Jul 27, 2016 at 15:31
  • @CarlWitthoft The primary loads in stoves and ovens work on 240V only. But they use 120V for auxiliary loads - principally the oven light, since 240V light bulbs are hard to find in North America.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Jul 27, 2016 at 15:40
  • @Harper good point. Tho' that "shouldn't" explain the burners sparking.
    – Carl Witthoft
    Jul 27, 2016 at 15:57

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I would carefully disassemble the stove, particularly in the sparking areas, and positively find the reason why. It is not enough to say "Gee, it seems to have stopped sparking now".

People die from electric stoves with problems - and the last line of defense is a proper grounding system. That's why I would beware of 3-prong NEMA 10 connections: If the stove requires NEMA 10 or 14 (as most do), convert the receptacle to NEMA 14 by adding a ground wire, and change the appliance cord to NEMA 14 as the manufacturer instructs.

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