What's the correct connection for an electric cooktop?

To know if you have the correct connection for an electric cooktop, it's important to follow the 7 steps below.

• Step 1: check which socket you have in your kitchen
• Step 2: measure the number of phases with a multimeter
• Step 3: check the fuse box to see if you have a double-pole breaker
• Step 4: check the fuse box to see if you have high-voltage power
• Step 5: have the Perilex connector installed
• Step 6: adjust the connector in the fuse box
• Step 7: choose an electric cooktop on 1 phase

Do you have a Perilex socket in your kitchen? Then you'll need to know what power phase it is. It's easiest to determine the phase with a multimeter. Read how to do that in the following article. After this, you can skip steps 3 and 4. Don't have a multimeter? No problem. We'll determine the phase based on your fuse box. You can read how to do that in steps 3 and 4.

If you want to determine the phase based on the fuse box, you look for a double-pole breaker in the fuse box. A double-pole breaker is 1 breaker that consists of 2 connected breakers. To clarify, these are 2 blocks that are connected and share a single lever. Check your fuse box. Do you see a double-pole breaker? Then the Perilex socket provides 2-phase power. Choose an electric cooktop suitable for 2-phase power. If you don't have a double-pole breaker, continue to step 4.

If you don't have a double-pole breaker, but you do have a Perilex socket in your kitchen, then you have high-voltage power. You can recognize high-voltage power by the large cooker circuit that consists of 4 connected breakers. The multi-pole breaker has a single shared handle. Check your fuse box. Does it have a large cooker circuit that seems to consist of 4 breakers, but with just 1 long handle? Then you have high-voltage power. You can purchase both a 2 and 3-phase electric cooktop.

You don't just need a different socket for a 2 or 3-phase cooktop. Your fuse box also needs to be suitable. Don't have the right connection? Call an electrician to make your fuse box suitable for a 2 or 3-phase cooktop. How much this costs will depend on your situation. You can have your socket converted to a Perilex connection at the same time.

Don't you want to rebuild your fuse box, but still want to cook on electricity? Choose a 1-phase induction cooktop. That's suitable for a regular 2-pin socket, so it's a good choice when you switch from gas to electricity. Keep in mind that the cooktop is less powerful than electric cooktops for 2 or 3 phases. This way, you can't use the boost function for all cooking zones at the same time. These models also don't have flexible cooking zones or large cooking zones.