Mike Dolt Enterprises
Mike Dolt Enterprises
User: curt swartz, Location: San Jose, CA
Asked on: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 11:56 pm EDT
Answered on: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 4:43 am EDT
Question: I just looked up the circuit size required for a new Bosch oven. This unit has a single oven on the bottom and a microwave on the top. The spec sheet says the total wattage is 10.2 KW and requires a 50 amp circuit.Here are the detailed specs:Bake Element Wattages cavity 1 (W): 0 kWBroil Element Wattages cavity 1 (W): 0 WConvection Element Wattages cavity 1 (W): 0 kWMicrowave Wattages (W): 1,200 WBake Element Wattages cavity 2 (W): 2,000 kWBroil Element Wattages cavity 2 (W): 3,600 WConvection Element Wattages cavity 2 (W): 2,000 kWAs far as I know you can only have 1 element on at a time in the lower oven. The largest of the 3 is 3,600 watts. The microwave is shown at 1200 watt which is probably the output of the magnetron so the input is slightly higher. How do they come up with 10.2 KW? Even if all elements were on at the same time including the microwave the load would not be that high but I don't think that is even possible. It just seem crazy to run a 50 amp circuit to when the load when the maximum load is probably around 5KW.Without having the appliance onsite to verify the nameplate I guess we are stuck running the 50.
The total wattage of 10.2 kW is likely calculated based on the potential maximum power draw of the appliance, even if it is unlikely that all elements and the microwave will be operating simultaneously. This is done for safety reasons to ensure that the circuit can handle the maximum possible load.Here's a breakdown of the wattage calculations: Microwave: 1,200 W (input power would be slightly higher) Lower oven elements: 2,000 kW (bake) + 3,600 W (broil) + 2,000 kW (convection) = 7,600 WAdding the microwave and the maximum potential draw from the lower oven elements gives us:* 1,200 W (microwave) + 7,600 W (lower oven) = 8,800 WThe remaining wattage (10.2 kW - 8.8 kW) may be allocated to account for potential losses in the appliance or to meet safety margins.While the maximum load during normal operation may be around 5 kW, it is important to consider the potential for transient loads or sudden increases in power draw. Running a 50 amp circuit ensures that the appliance has sufficient capacity to handle these potential scenarios and prevents the circuit from overloading.It is also worth noting that electrical codes often require using a circuit breaker or fuse that is rated for 25% above the maximum load of the appliance. For a 10.2 kW load, this would require a 50 amp circuit breaker or fuse.Therefore, while it may seem excessive to run a 50 amp circuit for an appliance with a maximum load of around 5 kW, it is justified for safety reasons and to meet electrical code requirements. Flag for review