BUT, making some big assumptions you probably need 6mm².

Is that assuming 2-phase cable?

MikeAqua:

 

If I know the cable rating I need I can get a rough idea whether it's feasible to run.  If I think yes or maybe, I'll engage a professional.  If it looks like a no, I'll get a new gas hob instead.

 

It's funny, even though induction is a superior technology (much faster, very efficient, excellent control of heat output) I've stuck with gas. I like it that I can be as rough as anything with my cast iron cookware and I won't break anything, and that it will still work during a power outage, which was great when we didn't have power for 6 weeks after the Christchurch earthquakes.

zenourn:

 

It's funny, even though induction is a superior technology (much faster, very efficient, excellent control of heat output) I've stuck with gas. I like it that I can be as rough as anything with my cast iron cookware and I won't break anything, and that it will still work during a power outage, which was great when we didn't have power for 6 weeks after the Christchurch earthquakes.

 

I'm not convinced that induction is superior.  However, it is easier to clean, which is my main motivation.  I do a lot of messy cooking and I get really sick of cleaning our gas hob.  If I could find a tempered glass gas hob in the right size I'd probably buy that.

zenourn:

 

It's funny, even though induction is a superior technology (much faster, very efficient, excellent control of heat output) I've stuck with gas. I like it that I can be as rough as anything with my cast iron cookware and I won't break anything, and that it will still work during a power outage, which was great when we didn't have power for 6 weeks after the Christchurch earthquakes.

 

And I made the opposite decision.

When I moved house, the stove in the new house needed replacement, and the house already has gas hot water & heating, so a gas stove would be no problem.
And then I thought "How much bigger do I want to make my carbon footprint?", and bought an electric stove with an induction cooktop.

YMMV

MikeAqua:

 

BUT, making some big assumptions you probably need 6mm².

 

Is that assuming 2-phase cable?

 

Unlikely to be 2 phase available for the house as most houses are single phase only, the only exception are those older rural houses and those very few people that have specifically ensured they have a multi phase supply

MikeAqua:

BUT, making some big assumptions you probably need 6mm².

Is that assuming 2-phase cable?

Following with interest.

Looking to do the same (Ceramic > Induction) and yes will get a sparky to do the job but keen to understand what the limitations are / what might impact costs etc.

phrozenpenguin:

 

Following with interest.

 

Looking to do the same (Ceramic > Induction) and yes will get a sparky to do the job but keen to understand what the limitations are / what might impact costs etc.

 

Generally swapping out a ceramic for induction should be a easy task UNLESS you get one of those super powerful induction ovens.

The problem the OP was having (as it seems to me) is that they have a gas oven that just needs a standard 10A socket to run the electronics and igniters and they want to put in a electric oven, this means a cable upgrade which will be a mission in an existing installation.

gregmcc:

 

phrozenpenguin:

 

Following with interest.

 

Looking to do the same (Ceramic > Induction) and yes will get a sparky to do the job but keen to understand what the limitations are / what might impact costs etc.

 

 

Generally swapping out a ceramic for induction should be a easy task UNLESS you get one of those super powerful induction ovens.

 

 

 

The problem the OP was having (as it seems to me) is that they have a gas oven that just needs a standard 10A socket to run the electronics and igniters and they want to put in a electric oven, this means a cable upgrade which will be a mission in an existing installation.

 

 

 

Interesting - I guess I meant similar. The sparky I spoke to immediately suggested I would want a new cable run, otherwise I was likely to blow a circuit if I had everything on). Although looking, my existing ceramic is rated to 6kW and the induction I am looking at is rated to "7.4 KW total connected load". I'm not sure the rating on the oven (which I am not planning on changing). Oven and ceramic are connected to a 32A circuit breaker. I'm not sure on the wiring dimension but it is a short run and I assume up to 32A, given the circuit breaker.

What other information is pertinent / should I lookup? If the "extra" 1.4kW didn't take us over the limit, I assume the install would be much easier and hence cheaper.

phrozenpenguin:

 

Interesting - I guess I meant similar. The sparky I spoke to immediately suggested I would want a new cable run, otherwise I was likely to blow a circuit if I had everything on). Although looking, my existing ceramic is rated to 6kW and the induction I am looking at is rated to "7.4 KW total connected load". I'm not sure the rating on the oven (which I am not planning on changing). Oven and ceramic are connected to a 32A circuit breaker. I'm not sure on the wiring dimension but it is a short run and I assume up to 32A, given the circuit breaker.

 

What other information is pertinent / should I lookup? If the "extra" 1.4kW didn't take us over the limit, I assume the install would be much easier and hence cheaper.

 

My house had a similar install (Both Oven & Ceramic cook-top sharing a 32A breaker). Went for induction in the new cook-top in the new kitchen, capable of using 32A on it's own. That ended getting put on the old circuit, and the oven (16A) got a new wire run for it. I had (wrongly it seems) assumed that the old cooktop's draw would have been around half of the new one. Walls in the kitchen were open, and while the wire had to take a indirect route, it was a pritty easy run.

One thing to be aware of with induction cook-top's is that there is already some load limiting - you can't put every element on max at the same time to keep power and internal cooling requirements reasonable. This means you are more likely to hit or get near max rated max draw than with a ceramic cook-top.

Other thing to be aware of is induction cook-tops & thicker and have required ventilation clearances under the cook-top. Make sure you can comply with those of your cooktop may have a shortened life.

What are you cooking that needs so much power? I have to be working pretty hard to cook and use all the elements on my stove (4 elements). They initially draw about 8A each then drop down to around 4A when they are hot. I literally couldn't organise stirring more pots than that all at max temperatures! Does the cooktop come with a sous chef or something?!

Zeon:

 

What are you cooking that needs so much power? I have to be working pretty hard to cook and use all the elements on my stove (4 elements). They initially draw about 8A each then drop down to around 4A when they are hot. I literally couldn't organise stirring more pots than that all at max temperatures! Does the cooktop come with a sous chef or something?!

 

Most induction hobs have a single 'big' element that's around 3-3.5kW, and smaller ones around 2kW. This is (part of) why they're a lot faster than conventional electric. There's also no thermal mass in the cooktop which helps. There's losses in the power electronics and power factor, so the input 7.4kVA is more than the actual output you can get at any one time, which is more like 6 point something kW.

Each half (or third for 900mm models) shares power electronics, so using e.g. the top element steals power from the lower one, so you can hit full power without using all the elements. You can do that with two or maybe three pans on most four-element models.

But yeah, you're unlikely to run both sides against the limiter simultaneously for more than a minute or two, especially when you look at what the oven's doing. You're probably fine to put a 7.4kVA unit and a basic oven on the same 32A feed; worst case you trip a breaker.

MadEngineer: Employ an electrician end of story.

With the price you’ll pay for the cable you’ll be paying more than labour and gear combined.

I absolutely will engage a electrician if installation looks at all feasible.

And BTW I can get cable cheaper than most electricians.

Zeon:

 

What are you cooking that needs so much power? I have to be working pretty hard to cook and use all the elements on my stove (4 elements). They initially draw about 8A each then drop down to around 4A when they are hot. I literally couldn't organise stirring more pots than that all at max temperatures! Does the cooktop come with a sous chef or something?!

 

Wiring has to be adequate for the hob to run at the max theoretical load the device will allow (they have internal control systems)

No sous chef!  Just a vaguely competent amateur chef, who holds largish dinner parties.  If the weather is rubbish, meaning I can't use the BBQ, and I have crowd to feed I will have the gas hob fully loaded and cranking.