I just removed a drop in range that was hard wired and I now want to take the wires from the wall and connect them to an outlet for a new free standing. There is a black, white, and red wire that was previously connected to our drop in.

What do I need to know before I go to Lowe's and buy an outlet? I already bought the correct cord for the new range. It has three pronged, all slanted.

There should be an equipment ground in addition to the black,red, and white. It may be a bare or green conductor, or if you have metal clad cable, such as BX, the sheathing is the equipment ground.

In this case you need a four wire cord and male plug set, and a matching four wire receptacle.

The universal part number is NEMA 14-50P for the male plug, and NEMA 14-50R for the receptacle, see photo for the receptacle configuration.

I'm not seeing a ground or any metal in the sheathing, can you tell from the photo if I am missing something?

http://picasaweb.google.com/hologos/UntitledAlbum?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fFYOjQ_lNBI/S27f4Zv9AGE/AAAAAAAAABk/4YGDOY0WQKk/s160-c/UntitledAlbum.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/hologos/UntitledAlbum

http://picasaweb.google.com/hologos/UntitledAlbum?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fFYOjQ_lNBI/S27f4Zv9AGE/AAAAAAAAABk/4YGDOY0WQKk/s160-c/UntitledAlbum.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/hologos/UntitledAlbum?feat=embedwebsite

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fFYOjQ_lNBI/S27f8XSqzCI/AAAAAAAAABk/zUusKMq_4nM/3wires.gif

Thanks for the picture. Pictures always help greatly.

Looks like Romex, which should have a bare copper wire.

Any chance if you cut back the sheathing one would be found cut off?

If not, then you can use a three wire cord & plug set and a three wire receptacle NEMA #10-50R.

Be sure to connect the white of the cord to the frame of the appliance

Thanks. I peeled it back an inch and I don't see any bare wires, only 6 paper cords, two next to each wire, and a paper insert in the middle of the three wires.

House was built in the lat eighties, if that make any difference.

Thanks again.