Convert Gas Hob to Electric?

pc00379

Hi all,

I am thinking about changing the Gas Hob of a dual fuel cooker to an Electric Hob.
Can this be done easily? What are the steps? And what would be the costs? Any advice / things to think about beforehand?

Below is the background and additional information:
We have just bought a house and it comes with a dual fuel cooker (Hotpoint).
It has a Gas Hob and Electric oven. The Gas hob is connected to a Gas 'bottle' outside the house.
To set expectations - I'm very limited in my electrical/tech/appliance knowledge (i.e. I know how to use them, nothing more).
Secondly - I don't have any experience with Gas.

My initial feeling with the cooker was to change it to an Electric Hob - as Electric is what I've used before.
On moving in to the house, over the past 2 weeks, I used the gas rings 2 or 3 times in total. Each time I started the ring - (as a non-gas user with no experience) I found myself nervous and backing away as the gas & then click came on with the flame appearing (i.e. quite nervous about the ignition for some reason!)
This weekend the gas went - and I got a new bottle. I connected the new bottle - however the Gas hob still doesn't work. Now I'm wondering, did I connect the new bottle correctly? Are there different bottles that work with different connections? etc..
My feeling now is def. to change to an Electric Hob due to my nervousness of igniting; I'm used to Electric; I wouldn't have to think about being in middle of cooking when the Gas might go; the 'extra' 'job' of going to the shop, purchasing & connecting a new bottle; etc... And I am wondering about the above Qs (i.e. how difficult a job is it; costly; advice)

I appreciate any thoughts/guidance to the above Qs and also to any of the context to these Qs

aido79

pc00379 wrote: »

Hi all,

I am thinking about changing the Gas Hob of a dual fuel cooker to an Electric Hob.
Can this be done easily? What are the steps? And what would be the costs? Any advice / things to think about beforehand?

Below is the background and additional information:
We have just bought a house and it comes with a dual fuel cooker (Hotpoint).
It has a Gas Hob and Electric oven. The Gas hob is connected to a Gas 'bottle' outside the house.
To set expectations - I'm very limited in my electrical/tech/appliance knowledge (i.e. I know how to use them, nothing more).
Secondly - I don't have any experience with Gas.

My initial feeling with the cooker was to change it to an Electric Hob - as Electric is what I've used before.
On moving in to the house, over the past 2 weeks, I used the gas rings 2 or 3 times in total. Each time I started the ring - (as a non-gas user with no experience) I found myself nervous and backing away as the gas & then click came on with the flame appearing (i.e. quite nervous about the ignition for some reason!)
This weekend the gas went - and I got a new bottle. I connected the new bottle - however the Gas hob still doesn't work. Now I'm wondering, did I connect the new bottle correctly? Are there different bottles that work with different connections? etc..
My feeling now is def. to change to an Electric Hob due to my nervousness of igniting; I'm used to Electric; I wouldn't have to think about being in middle of cooking when the Gas might go; the 'extra' 'job' of going to the shop, purchasing & connecting a new bottle; etc... And I am wondering about the above Qs (i.e. how difficult a job is it; costly; advice)

I appreciate any thoughts/guidance to the above Qs and also to any of the context to these Qs

It is difficult to estimate the cost involved without seeing the house. A new cable will have to be run from the board to the cooker. I'm guessing the wall the cooker is on is a brick wall as most kitchen walls are so it will more than likely have to be chased. Try to imagine how difficult(or easy) it might be to run a new cable to the cooker and you will have a better idea of the extent of the job.

I would imagine you have connected the gas bottle up wrong so maybe try to look up a video on youtube about how to connect it up. Gas cookers are perfectly safe and you shouldn't be worried about using it. It seems like a big expense to go to considering you would have to buy a new hob as well as pay someone to install the cable and switch and mcb. At a very rough guess I would imagine you are looking at spending €600+ including the hob.

Buona Fortuna

Aido, I disagree with that.

She already has a 30amp supply for the oven.

A quick search on Amazon (of all places) gives a price of £200 for a combined electric oven and hob http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russell-Hobbs-Stainless-Electric-Cooker/dp/B0099PE5VC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436185154&sr=8-1&keywords=electric+cooker.

I'd suggest that replacing the whole unit would be an awful lot simpler and cost effective. The place you go to, should be able to install the new and take away your old one.

Someone "handy" will take away the gas bottle and fill the hole for the pipe.

brightspark

Personally I'd keep the gas hob.

The main reason for me would be to be able to use it in the event of a power failure (rare but they do occur), at least you could boil a pot of water!

The other reason is I believe most cooks prefer to use a gas hob, as the control is usually better, however newer electric induction hobs might be just as responsive.

maybe you could ask a friend who uses gas to advise you on changing the bottle (probably only once every few months) and to give you the confidence in lighting it.

aido79

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

Aido, I disagree with that.

She already has a 30amp supply for the oven.

A quick search on Amazon (of all places) gives a price of £200 for a combined electric oven and hob http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russell-Hobbs-Stainless-Electric-Cooker/dp/B0099PE5VC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436185154&sr=8-1&keywords=electric+cooker.

I'd suggest that replacing the whole unit would be an awful lot simpler and cost effective. The place you go to, should be able to install the new and take away your old one.

Someone "handy" will take away the gas bottle and fill the hole for the pipe.

I don't see anywhere in the original post where it says there is a 30 amp supply and I have no idea why there would be a 30 amp supply for an oven since they don't draw anything close to 30 amps.

Buona Fortuna

aido79 wrote: »

I don't see anywhere in the original post where it says there is a 30 amp supply and I have no idea why there would be a 30 amp supply for an oven since they don't draw anything close to 30 amps.

You're absolutely right. It does not. I just looked at my own cooker supply which is labelled 30amps.

That's pretty much by the by though, as the OP already has the electrical supply for the cooker.

aido79

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

You're absolutely right. It does not. I just looked at my own cooker supply which is labelled 30amps.

That's pretty much by the by though, as the OP already has the electrical supply for the cooker.

I'm guessing your cooker is a combined oven and hob? It would be very unusual for an electrician to install a 30 amp, or rather a 32 amp, supply for an oven on its own as the oven would probably be on fire before it trips a 32 mcb.

2011

aido79 wrote: »

I'm guessing your cooker is a combined oven and hob? It would be very unusual for an electrician to install a 30 amp, or rather a 32 amp, supply for an oven on its own as the oven would probably be on fire before it trips a 32 mcb.

I agree. Many ovens could be fed from a 20A supply or even less.
It is impossible to know for sure without checking it.

I'm with brightspark on this one, keep what you have OP.

Cerco

From the point of view of diversity I would keep the gas hob. From a practical point of view , changing a gas bottle every couple of weeks would be a pain.
You could opt for a large gas cylinder and have one in reserve ( if you don't have this already)
Gais is more cost effective than electric although propane less so than natural gas.

brightspark

Cerco wrote: »

From the point of view of diversity I would keep the gas hob. From a practical point of view , changing a gas bottle every couple of weeks would be a pain.
You could opt for a large gas cylinder and have one in reserve ( if you don't have this already)
Gais is more cost effective than electric although propane less so than natural gas.

Admittedly we don't do a huge amount of cooking, but our bottles last months not weeks and that would include using the oven. I imagine with just a hob it should last a few months.

Bruthal

Yea they last a fair while alright.

Electric hob would be very hard to go back to after using gas for a while. Induction electric hobs would be closer to the control response of gas than standard electric hob.

There is little danger in using gas. Some people are terrified, they think the slight whiff of it means a demolished house if its lit, or if it does not instantly light on the first attempt but the gas is still flowing. That doesn't happen. There is plenty of time to light it.