Range recepticle question ( stick house, not RV)

OK... got back from our trip and found the issue.....
The 2 hot wires ( aluminum) from the breakers shorted inside the wall.
As a result, one wire was feeding both terminals at the receptacle. The other one was fried in half. Luckily , the place didn't burn down and the run from the breaker to the range is only about 15 feet so the cooper wire that will replace the aluminum won't break the bank. Just another weird thing at this place !

Have never seen this on a range connector but here is the problem as you described it.

The transformer that feeds your house has a secondary that is 240 volt center tapped.

There are 3 wires between pole and house/apartment. (NOTE: Pole may be underground and so may the wires)

L-1, Neutral, L-2

The "Neutral" is the center tap of the transformer and is also bonded to ground at the pole.

Now.. Proper wiring for a Range, or Dryer or 240 volt appliance or 50 amp RV outlet (All are wired the same) is as follows. (Periods are space holders)

. Neutral
L 1 - - L 2
. Ground

NOTE that L 1 and L 2 are arbitrary and may be reversed safely In fact it does not matter if they are reversed.

Now, here is how yours is wired

. Neutral
L N - - L N
. Ground

N, means it's the same leg, both sides.. This is simply wrong and will not work.

NOTE: there is an option 2.... ALas, you eliminated it.

Generally all the indicators, lights, clock etc run off one leg.

IF the OTHER leg has a very high resistance, the elements will not get hot.. But you would also not see zero volts side to side.

So make sure your side to side measurements are in fact side to side and not neutral to ground (Which should be zero)

Ground is USUALLY the "Different" pin (L Shaped, U-Shaped whatever)

Alpenliter wrote:
Let us know what you finally find out Joe. If we don't see a post, I guess you grabbed the wrong wires!

All good info ! Unfortunately, ( or fortunately) we are leaving on a cruise early a.m. and won't get to look at it for another week. So don't think I grabbed the wrong wires... at least not yet.
The tenants had trashed the place... took us a several months to rip out the carpet, tear up the underlying flooring ( due to them having their cats and dogs use the entire house as a litter box) plus they had torn out the interior doors, knocked many holes in the dry wall,etc. The stove and the kitchen cabinets were in such bad shape, I just thrashed them.
Finally got everything done and am now ready for a break and the cruise will be good. BTW, just got our MH back from the dealer after 3 weeks of warranty repairs, so things are falling together.

Now, back to the core topic.. I know the receptacle hadn't been touched since I had to peel off crud and paint to get the cover off. So, when I get back , I'll check out the breakers a bit closer. Thanks for all the advise

Simple answer.
1. IF you get 120 on EACH Hot leg to ground or Neutral but NOT 240 between the 2 Hot legs----Either the breaker AT the main breaker box for 1 leg has been moved to the SAME PHASE of the breaker box and that is your problem. OR, like others have mentioned the 2 HOT legs have been jumped. So, easy way to check, is to KILL (turn OFF) the main breaker box breakers. IF you are positive which breakers feed the Oven receptacle turn those ON 1 at a time and read the voltage. If you are NOT positive, then turn on 1 breaker at a time until you get a voltage reading on 1 of the Hot legs. LABEL that breaker. Then turn it OFF. Continue the turning ON breakers until you get Voltage at one of the Hot legs. LABEL that breaker. Hopefully, once you identify the 2 breakers, EACH will power the other hot leg. IF SO, one of those breakers should be on the other phase of the breaker panel to produce 240 at the oven receptacle. Usually on a Main breaker panel on 1 side, every other breaker will be on the same phase.---Eg, breakers 1/3/5/7/9/11 will be on 1 phase and breakers 2/4/6/8/10 will be on the other phase, that is why you see 2 breakers side by side for a Oven/Dryer/AC unit. Even tho the breakers are side by side, they are connecting to the other phase. Doug

Let us know what you finally find out Joe. If we don't see a post, I guess you grabbed the wrong wires!

sparkydave wrote:

tvman44 wrote:
Sounds like the receptacle is not wired correctly. :)

Agreed. Sounds like somebody wired the two hots to one 120 volt leg. I wouldn't be surprised that the controls and the clock would only use one of the 120 volt legs, but the burners won't work.

Edit: missed your post. Check for one tripped breaker. Might have to cycle both of them if they are ganged.

Sparkydave is right on the first pass....the only thing I can think of is that something has been changed either at the receptacle or in the breaker box. If it's not a 2 pole breaker (the correct condition) then maybe one of the single pole breakers has been move to the same phase. In other words, if two single pole breakers have been used in lieu of a 2 pole breaker the two single pole breakers need to be installed right next to each other so they're both on different phases (a & b phases).

If the wiring appears to be correct at the receptacle this would be the only other option for the single phase condition you're reading at the receptacle unless the two hot legs have been landed on the same breaker.

You have the same hot lead to both hot legs!! If you have 120 on each side to neutral and 0 across the hot legs which do not touch since they are 120 volts each. You either have a problem at the receptacle which has a hot lead disconnected and jumped or someone was messing in the breaker box and both leads are not connected to the breaker properly!

Is this a 30A 240V service or a 50A 240V service??

30A......120V between hot lug and neutral, 120V between other hot lug and neutral, 240V between the two hots.

A 'fake' 50A 240V....120V between hot lug and ground or neutral, 120V between other hot and ground or neutral....but 0V between both hots (because only one hot is used to feed both hot legs)

30A...if you have 120V between hots and neutral but 0V between the two hots.....then you need to re-test and make sure you are getting good contact on lugs OR only one hot has been run just like the 'fake' 50A

Turn the two pole breaker off. Remove the faceplate and pull the connector out of the J-box for inspection. If the problem is not obvious then take a pic and post it up. Or pay $200 to have an electrician come out.

sparkydave wrote:

tvman44 wrote:
Sounds like the receptacle is not wired correctly. :)

Agreed. Sounds like somebody wired the two hots to one 120 volt leg. I wouldn't be surprised that the controls and the clock would only use one of the 120 volt legs, but the burners won't work.

Edit: missed your post. Check for one tripped breaker. Might have to cycle both of them if they are ganged.

I'll check that when I get up there next.. might be awhile as we are hoping to get the MH back from the shop tomorrow and take a trip.

Why would both hot legs have voltage (120v) if a breaker was tripped or bad. I would think one side would be 0v ... I had checked for tripped breakers and reset them all, but no change. trying to learn a bit here !