Induction cooktop

[Donald]

I am about to install an induction cooktop to replace an electric cooktop (black glass with coils under it.)

I see the induction cooktop has a baffle I need to screw to the bottom of the cooktop to direct cooling air.

It looks like the baffle would interfere with the two drawers that are right under the current electric cooktop.

I might need to loose those two drawers.

Do the induction cooktops put out that much heat under the cooktop that I really need the baffle?

Oddly the instructions say the baffle is not needed if the induction cooktop is installed over a wall oven. I would think that you would need the baffle even more if it was installed over an wall oven. My situation is the wall oven is several feet away from the induction cooktop.

Anyone with an induction cooktop? If you put your hand under it is there a lot of hot air flowing?

 

[GrumpyCat]

The heat doesn’t originate in the range so much as the heat is sitting on top in your pan.

There is heat generated in the electrical switchgear driving the inductors.

 

[Donald]

There is heat generated in the electrical switchgear driving the inductors.

So the question is how much heat is generated by the electric switchgear? Is the area under the cooktop going to get warm or hot?

 

[SureshR]

The heat doesn’t originate in the range so much as the heat is sitting on top in your pan.

There is heat generated in the electrical switchgear driving the inductors.

It is also a strong magnetic field, so if you have steel utensils (tableware and such) anywhere under the cooktop, not sure what else gets heated up.

 

[Hohn]

The heat doesn’t originate in the range so much as the heat is sitting on top in your pan.

There is heat generated in the electrical switchgear driving the inductors.

MOSFETs in particular.

 

[DCDG]

So the question is how much heat is generated by the electric switchgear? Is the area under the cooktop going to get warm or hot?

Do you have cabinetry to the left or right of where the stove top is going? You handy with a jigsaw? Get a small register grille something like a 6x8 and install it in side the cabinet. I did this for an under the counter ice machine that would run hot and never had an issue afterwards. Natural convection heat the warmer air will be pushed towards the cooler side of the opposite cabinet.

 

[skyactiv]

I have a 36” Cafe’ induction cooktop. I’ll look when I get home this evening

 

[Hohn]

I am about to install an induction cooktop to replace an electric cooktop (black glass with coils under it.)

I see the induction cooktop has a baffle I need to screw to the bottom of the cooktop to direct cooling air.

It looks like the baffle would interfere with the two drawers that are right under the current electric cooktop.

I might need to loose those two drawers.

Do the induction cooktops put out that much heat under the cooktop that I really need the baffle?

Oddly the instructions say the baffle is not needed if the induction cooktop is installed over a wall oven. I would think that you would need the baffle even more if it was installed over an wall oven. My situation is the wall oven is several feet away from the induction cooktop.

Anyone with an induction cooktop? If you put your hand under it is there a lot of hot air flowing?

Sounds to me like the "baffle" is a magnetic shield, not a thermal one.

If you mount it over an oven, perhaps there's no risk of having any magnetic items close enough to the field to worry about.
Does a magnet stick to the baffle? If so, it's probably magnetic and not as much thermal. It's acting like a "grounding rod" for the magnetic field that leaks out the bottom.

Generally, induction should have pretty tight focus on the field and direct it upward to the cookware that's the intended target. But UL rules and such force a bit of "belt and suspenders" for things like this.

 

[AZjeff]

Here are some question/answers about the baffle that don't appear to be AI. All say it's necessary for proper cooling of electrical components with no mention of concern about magnetism. Feel free to install contrary to mfg requirements on the guesses of the internet.

https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-support-search-content?contentId=37029

https://www.justanswer.com/applianc...-cooktop-php960sm1ss-currently-installed.html

 

[mk378]

Portable (countertop) induction cookers have a fan with vents but the bottom is plastic, there is no magnetic shield needed.

 

[Donald]

I have a 36” Cafe’ induction cooktop. I’ll look when I get home this evening

Thanks

 

[Donald]

Here are some question/answers about the baffle that don't appear to be AI. All say it's necessary for proper cooling of electrical components with no mention of concern about magnetism. Feel free to install contrary to mfg requirements on the guesses of the internet.

https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-support-search-content?contentId=37029

https://www.justanswer.com/applianc...-cooktop-php960sm1ss-currently-installed.html

There is no mention of adding any vents to the cabinet. So how much hot air or heat can it really generate?

 

[JohnnyG]

There is no mention of adding any vents to the cabinet. So how much hot air or heat can it really generate?

Even though the surface of the cooktop does get too hot to hold your hand on, almost all of the heat is generated in the cooking pot. You can cook with a towel or parchment paper directly under the pot and it won't burn.
I'm sure the fan is for cooling electrical components, but mine does not have a fan or any vents, except for a few small slots in the oven door.
Mine is a slide in range as well, and we run the oven and the cooktop both at the same time without any issue.

 

[skyactiv]

There's a deflector underneath the cooktop for the fans in the unit. The top of the drawer face is about 6" from the top of the countertop. The fans are quiet and only come on as needed and don't put out much heat. You couldn't use the drawer as a towel warmer.

 

[Donald]

I asked Lowe's if I could return the induction cooktop but they said no, it's been too long.

Wife is not anxious to loose the two drawers.

Not sure what I will do.