# European voltage--Cooktop problem



## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

I have an Electrolux gas cooktop that is not working in a kitchen we are just wrapping up. I have a suspicion that is was built for European voltage and I'm curious about what to look for to verify this. (The kitchen was a floor model from a high end Euro cabinet showroom in Chicago).

The leads are brown, blue, and green with yellow stripe.

When connected to 110v, the burner igniters are dead as a doornail.

Any thoughts?


----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Odd are, it's not listed for use in the US. The colors of the leads make me believe it's for 220v 50hz


----------



## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

I thought as much from doing a little more research.

A voltage converter?


----------



## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

find a UL tag on it or forget it.


----------



## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

ChrWright said:


> I thought as much from doing a little more research.
> 
> A voltage converter?



That's not likely to do you any well either because the frequency (Hertz) is different.


----------



## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

Magnettica said:


> That's not likely to do you any well either because the frequency (Hertz) is different.


Would that really matter since it's not a motorized appliance and just an igniter?


----------



## S Winklepleck (Jul 31, 2009)

I wouldn't think a gas range would take 220v, even if it's got 6 burners... also since there's only 3 wires, it's very unlikely to be 220. You've got one hot, one neutral, and one ground. I'm assuming the green with the yellow stripe is the ground, but obviously you don't want to hook it up wrong and overload something . The voltage converter seems logical to me since all you're doing is trying to get a spark. Honestly, though, I'm not all that familiar with the inner workings of range igniters. Just offering my 2 cents


----------



## Winchester (Jun 29, 2008)

S Winklepleck said:


> I wouldn't think a gas range would take 220v, even if it's got 6 burners... also since there's only 3 wires, it's very unlikely to be 220. You've got one hot, one neutral, and one ground. I'm assuming the green with the yellow stripe is the ground, but obviously you don't want to hook it up wrong and overload something . The voltage converter seems logical to me since all you're doing is trying to get a spark. Honestly, though, I'm not all that familiar with the inner workings of range igniters. Just offering my 2 cents


You're not understanding something.

If it's from europe they are standard @ 220V, so it's built to work for 220V.


----------



## Bubbles (Sep 27, 2007)

*Stove*

I think it's 220 as well. We had a fancy smancy contractor who always suprised us with european stuff (Stoves,Lights,etc..) like that. We knew that in beginning so we always ran dedicated circuits to those areas and just made them 110 or 220 depending on what showed up. In our case the fans, lights etc.. would burn a little brighter but burners and sparks I would think wouldnt matter? Hopefully, you have a dedicated circuit there you can make 220V . Good Luck


----------



## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

Bubbles said:


> I think it's 220 as well. We had a fancy smancy contractor who always suprised us with european stuff (Stoves,Lights,etc..) like that. We knew that in beginning so we always ran dedicated circuits to those areas and just made them 110 or 220 depending on what showed up. In our case the fans, lights etc.. would burn a little brighter but burners and sparks I would think wouldnt matter? Hopefully, you have a dedicated circuit there you can make 220V . Good Luck


How would that work? I thought Europe was single phase 220v... You're talking about using Dual phase us 220v to power it? 

I would think you'd still need a step up voltage converter.


----------



## Anti-wingnut (Mar 12, 2009)

ChrWright said:


> How would that work? I thought Europe was single phase 220v... You're talking about using Dual phase us 220v to power it?


North America uses single-phase 220v also. What is done here, is that we "tap into" the single phase at the half-way point to get 110v.


----------



## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

If there are no transformers in the circuitry then just put it on a 220vac circuit. If there are transformers they will likely overheat because of the Hz difference. And I almost guaranty there needs to be a transformer to boost the voltage up to 4Kv to get the sparker to work.


----------



## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

ChrWright said:


> Would that really matter since it's not a motorized appliance and just an igniter?


I don't have an definitive answer for that other than it is not rated the same as American products.


----------



## Bubbles (Sep 27, 2007)

*Europe*

Can't really remember too much. It was a couple years ago. I know they suprised us with 220v lights for vanity. So, we ended up just putting really high wattage bulbs in and got half the light. Maybe there is a european/us voltage adaption guru lurking on here that can fill us all in on this one...


----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Bubbles said:


> Can't really remember too much. It was a couple years ago. I know they suprised us with 220v lights for vanity. So, we ended up just putting really high wattage bulbs in and got half the light. Maybe there is a european/us voltage adaption guru lurking on here that can fill us all in on this one...


Technically, you'd get ¼ the light.


----------



## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Check the specs of the ignitor most ignitors will read 220-240V 50/60Hz and work with both. I believe its split phase induction motors and such that don't like the difference in freequency. I've worked in a few houses where the client had european plugs (first time I realized they don't use decora, they use a big square bastard) and they hooked em up right up to the 240 in the pannel, no freequancy converter, I recall the electrician saying most motorless devices are safe to use.

I've got a voltage converter somewhere (unless I tossed it) I used to test european electronics, if your in ottawa and can find it in my junk heap its yours lol.:laughing:


----------



## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

I've got a sewing machine and some funky hair remover (these are the wife's) and a grinder and circular saw. I just cut off the cords and wire them to a US male.

Then I got a Euro multi recepticle and just cut the end off it and put on a US male and I wire this to a 220 circuit. Works just fine. When relatives come, they charge their cell phones with it.

Brown is the color of earth=ground.


----------



## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

cleveman said:


> Brown is the color of earth=ground.


I don't think that's right. According to every wiring chart for Europe I've found:

Brown is hot (220v)
Blue neutral
green/yellow stripe ground


It's not going to do me any good to wire in US 220 (2 wire), as I need 220 on a single wire.

It looks to me like I either need to get a step up transformer or swap out the 220v spark module for a 110v. Some modules I've found are dual voltage so there's a chance it's just a bad one. This kitchen was on display for several years without the cooktop being wired or plumbed.

I'm taking it apart tomorrow to find the serial & model #s. It's actually molded into the stainless steel counters.


----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

ChrWright said:


> ....It's not going to do me any good to wire in US 220 (2 wire), as I need 220 on a single wire........


Um, how do you expect anything to work with just one wire? You MUST have two to complete a circuit.


----------



## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Um, how do you expect anything to work with just one wire? You MUST have two to complete a circuit.


I meant one hot...

I need a single 220v line in, plus neutral and ground.


----------



## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

That'll give your taste buds a buzz.




Mmmmmmmm


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Yes, bacon!!!


----------



## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

ChrWright said:


> I'm happy to say the patient is alive and sparking... I picked up a Step Up Voltage Converter at the local Fry's Electronics today and that did the trick.
> 
> Now, where's the bacon...:shifty:


 
I will have mine with some hp sauce. :thumbsup:


----------

