Installation of 36" Bosch induction in 36" cab or straddle?

10 years ago

My Bosch 36" induction unit will be installed in an island that has a 36" and an 18" unit. I still have some wiggle room with placement of the unit with respect to positioning of the hood. I'm trying to decide whether the cooktop should be centered on the island and therefore straddling both cabinets, or installed in the 36" cabinet to the right side of the island. There will be a 5" overhang to the right, so I'm not concerned about pot handles sticking out over the edge. I am more concerned about installation issues.

The manual clearly states not to drop the unit into the cutout without support below. The mounting brackets to be screwed into the countertop below would not have enough clearance on each side of the unit in a 36" cabinet, right? But if support brackets were screwed into the sides of the cabinets, that should work as well, no?

If I straddle two cabinets, there's the issue of air space, so the top of the cabinets where the sides are joined together would have to be notched down a little. My countertop is very thick, so it's very little (3/8") that the unit goes below the counter. Placed above the cabinets will be a 5/8" plywood covered by a metal strip, and on top goes the actual 2 1/4" countertop.

If I don't straddle the cabinets, I'd be keeping spices in the top drawers of the 18" cabinet (shallow interior drawers inside a two-drawer front), but if heat is an issue, I'd store utensils there instead.

Any suggestions, feedback, etc is much appreciated. Thanks.

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Comments (3)

User
10 years ago
You're describing a HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. Even a 30" cooktop wouldn't have enough room to either side in the size island you describe. Do something else. Anything else.
sojay
Original Author
10 years ago
I have no idea why you think this would be a safety hazard. Maybe I didn't explain it correctly? Right now I have a 30" cooktop there, and the existing island is a little smaller than what the new one will be - with no problems whatsoever. It does not feel cramped. The island itself is over 4 foot deep, 5 foot wide. No codes are being violated.
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kaseki
10 years ago
I can't discern from the information so far what can or can't work, but will just add that so long as the unit is adequately supported, and has the manufacturer's required clearance from combustibles, and there is provision for adequate cooling air (from where depends on the design), and the service wiring is adequate for the current required, then the unit can be placed either way.

I have a 36-inch induction cooktop centered in a 42-inch cabinet. However, I reinforced the front and back area of the cabinet under the top for greater cooktop support and to minimize cooktop and leaning weight stresses on the soapstone. Some effort along this line, where applicable, may pay off (avoid a pay out) at some future time.

I should add that brackets are provided with these units to attach to the stone counter as a kind of backup support that, in my view, could have utility in only the most unlikely of circumstances. If your cooktop edges are over the plywood walls of a 36-inch cabinet, the cooktop is not going to fall down. However, you may not meet side clearance requirements for combustibles without some additional action, such as adding sheet metal to the cabinet sides. The combustible rules for under the cooktop relate to the remote possibility foreseen by UL of mass slagging of the induction electronics causing some abnormal heating. If you straddle a cabinet wall then the long unsupported zone over the 36-inch cabinet should be examined for the value of added strengthening. Your risk is someone sitting on a long expanse of unsupported stone counter trying to clean the hood.

In any case, download the installation manual and compare its demands to your options.

kas