? for Sean or others I need help installing a Gaggenau Induction top

[luvrbus]

Guys, I bought a Gaggenau Vario model VI-421 induction 2 burner top from the Great Indoors in Phoenix at a bargain I must say 250 bucks.
Here is my question the top is 220v and speaking with Gaggenau people they tell me the hobs are 110V each and I can put each hob on a separate 110v the only draw back is you can not use the booster function it has and that is not a problem to me and looking at jb it does have 220v then it splits into 110v to each hob is there anything special I need to do for this hookup.
I am trying to get away from a 220v cook top and she will probably never use but 1 hob at a time and she loves the induction cooking so you know where that leaves me  


thanks for any help you can provide AC electrical work I have problems with lol


www.gaggenau.com/us_en/home.do

[bevans6]

If each hob is separate, then you can just wire each one back to a separate breaker, and each one will operate independently.  The boost function probably depends on the 120 volt feeds being the opposite side of the phase the way normal 240 volt supply is, but as they say that shouldn't matter if you just want to be able to use the hobs separately.  You would need the rated amperage to each hob, probably either 15 amps or 20 amps depending on the wattage of each hob.  The web site doesn't handily say what the supply requirement is.

Brian

[Eric]

Ok if 2+2 still equals 4 then the big burner is 2200 watts meaning it requires 19 amps to function I would think a #10 would be more then sufficient you may even be able to go #12 the smaller burner could be ran from a #14 for sure as it's needs are only 16 amps ...Now it SPECIFICALLY states in the install manual NOT to wire them through any kind of switch so keep that in mind. i would think a single pole 20 amp for the small one and a single pole 25 amp for the larger. Now reading i see the "booster" with that in mind you may want to bump the wiring i have selected up a gauge...

Good Luck!
Eric

[Sean]

Clifford,

Gaggenau sure does not make it easy to get information.  Without a wiring diagram, I can't say for sure whether it is even possible to modify the unit to run on 120.

The installation manual shows it as a three-wire unit -- two hots, and a safety ground.  As a listed appliance, there should be no internal connection between the safety ground and the induction elements, so the ground should not be a "neutral" connection (although Gaggenau previously made electric ranges exactly this way -- I ripped one out of the bus when we redid it).

Any way you can open the unit up where the input wires go in and snap a photo for me?  better yet, it is possible that there is a wiring diagram stuck to the inside of the unit someplace, which would really help.  I can't find anything on line.

Once I can see how they've connected the induction units to the power supply, I can give you a proper answer.

Please note, everyone, that technically, modifying an appliance in this way invalidates its listing, which makes it against code to install it.  If you're going to go ahead and do it anyway, we should at least make sure it can be done safely.

Depending on how things are wired internally, you should be prepared for the possibility of having to use a double-pole breaker, even on 120.  That's because it may be unsafe or even damage the appliance to have only one hot input live.  The rating of this appliance will require 20-amp breakers, and wiring to support that amount of current -- I recommend #12 THHN.

Let me know if you can get me a photo or wiring diagram.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[luvrbus]

Thank you guys if the amp draw is going to be that large I am no better off than I would be with the one I have now.
Rewiring the unit was making me nervous anyway so that idea is shot because it is too nice of a top to destroy and put me and the wife in harms way.
I have a new Gaggenau 2 burner propane top I bought but the problem with it it uses 110v to light and then you have the humidity from a open flame.
I think I'll redo the cabinet and install her 1 pop out 1500 w induction hob , she doesn't like things sitting on the counter top (a woman thing)and keep the 220v Euro top, ah the collection grows   thanks guys 

good luck

[bevans6]

induction hobs are very nice new technology but watts is watts the whole world round.  We are planning to get a single burner portable for use when we are plugged in, to save propane, but with a 30 amp system we would be limited with things like AC when using an 1800 watt unit.  It's all a balancing act.  they use just as much electricity when they are on as most any other cooktop, but use less since the heat things up far faster, so you simply don't need to run them as long for some things.  Braising a stew for three hours, the fact that it came up to the braise a couple of minutes faster is kind of irrelevant...but they may take less energy to maintain the cooking temperature over the whole period as well.

Humidity from the open flame you can't do anything about but I honestly think that it is dwarfed by the humidity from the actual cooking process - boiling, searing, frying all release a ton of moisture into the air, far more than the flame.  Our cooktop now has a manual sparker, but we usually use a lighter anyway, not a big problem for us.  Lighting the pilot in the oven is a far bigger PITA, but this is the first time we have ever had a mobile oven, so Catherine is well thrilled with it so far!

Brian

[Jerry32]

I have a single burner portable and find high power not needed as it will do real well on low settings. The 2200 wats must be for large  stuff . Jerry

[johns4104s]

What is a good portable induction unit to buy? At what cost?

Thx

John

[Nusa]

No personal experience, but this is probably the cheapest one I've seen, and the reviews seem adequate. Includes a pan.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16896112056&cm_re=induction_cooker-_-96-112-056-_-Product

[Dreamscape]

John, We tried a Max Burton, but it failed. Here's the link to the information I posted on another thread.

http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=15444.msg166175#msg166175

I read the reviews and it looked good, might have just had a lemon. It cost about 125 bucks with the plate. Purchased from eBay. I will say the seller responded quickly, gave us back our money plus the cost of shipping it back to him.

Here's a link with various results.

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m38.l1313&_nkw=induction+cooktop&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Paul

[Len Silva]

Don't know if anyone might be interested. Vollrath is commercial quality, used by hotel chefs for buffets etc.
Very pricey.
http://www.acemart.com/equipment/cooking-baking-equipment/hot-plates/electric-hot-plates/vollrath-countertop-induction-range-vol59500/prod261808042.html