This is THE best video I've seen on this topic and explaining things both physically and on paper really helped me to understand what's going on. Thanks a lot Alex.
You’re the man! You’re literally the only one I could find on UA-cam to actually explain how the working diagram works for something like this. Thanks!
I ran into an issue at our new house with thermostat wiring as I am not an electrician and don’t know a whole lot about wiring. This video helped tremendously! Kudos to you sir for putting this information out there for us dummy’s 😂
So helpful! After 4 hours trying to figure it out, this video helped me understand what I needed to do. I could've saved so much time had I searched for this upfront. Thanks Alex!
If you're running a 30A breaker, you need 10 AWG wire from the panel - but this looks to be 12 AWG (20A). In your case 20A*240V = 4800W @ 80% = 3840W (derated). If that's 12AWG wire, drop the breaker to 20A and you'll still be under the 3840W max.
Hello Bruce, You are absolutely right!! Those are all 12 AWG. I recommended to bring it back to 20 amp breaker. Management doesn't want to spend more money$$$. We are replacing those panels as we rehab the apts. Thanks for your input.
Hey Jonny. I do and that video. If one breaker serves different heaters, you have to take the 240 volts coming from the breakers box before they go ta a wall thermostat and splice them and connect with a wire nut in parallel . you have to send 240 to each heaters thermostat.
Hello Steeve. It is ok. It is not people friendly, I installed a few in a Bldg I have and tenants dont get use to it. It is kind of weird to operate them. I prefer this one that is not programmable but you can get it programmable. www.amazon.com/dp/B000GGPMZ6?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
Hello How to it Dude. Thank so much for your comment. They are not . They are in parallel. The power source that comes from the thermostat, when it reaches the two heaters first junction box, the 2 wires from heater one go the the power source and the second heater two wires attach to the same power source, so there are a total of 3 and 3 totaling six wires . It would be series if the power source goes to the first heater on the left side, and then the right side of heater one connects to the left side of second heater. I hope I word it right. LOL Greetings !!
This helped me understand a lot. BUT I'm still stumped. Could you help me out in some way? All I'm trying to do is change my thermostat and the way the old one was wired is confusing the craw out of me. If you reply and are willing to let me with your brain with my problem, then ill explain everything.
What up Austin. Lets fix it!!!! 1. What kind of heaters 120 or 220? 2. How many heaters? 3 what kind of thermostat. How many wires does your old thermostat has? 4. take pictures.
Hello, I just posted the link for the thermostat on the description. I have another video called "how to troubleshoot 240 volt electric heaters". I don't know if I explain there the parallel installation. Parallel means you connect each heater to the power source. If you have 2 heaters installed side by side the most common mistake is to install the power to the first heater and then from that heater you piggy back connect the other one. THAT IS WRONG. Connect the 240 to the first heater. From the second heater you have to run 2 more wires to the 240. and hide the wires through the first heater . I hope that helps. Let me know how you do.
Hello friend, I need your experiences, right now I have 4 3-foot 240v heaters, what gauge of cable can I use and what type of bracket to use, your answer would be good for my project.
Hello my friend. Sooooo Based on the rule of thumb of 250 watts per lineal foot. You have 4 heaters 3 feet each. that's 12 x 250 that's 3000 a 20 amp double pole breaker with number 12 gauge wire will cover 3840 watts. so the answer is 20 amp double pole 12 wire
Hello Joel. We have 14 ft of baseboard at 250 watt per foot. that's 3500 watts. The 20 amp allows 20 x 240 =4800 - 20%= 3840 watts. A 20 amp breaker would be sufficient? yes It would be very close to the 80%. So 20 amp (as a minimum allowable).Yes!! But it has a 30 amp breaker with 10 gauge wire. Which is totally fine. You still have another 2200 watts available . So can you put one 60 watt light bulb on a 30 amp circuit? Yes of course!! It is safe? Yes! " So the question is not : shouldnt be a 20 But is the 20 ok?. yes it its. Thank you so much for your question. I hope I made sense.
My baseboard heaters are from the 1980's. The wall thermostat is a dial at the bottom that you turn to temp. It does not turn of when I have it at whatever temp I want and the thermometer shows what temp I want. Can this type be replaced to be able to automatically shut off? To me it is not safe to leave the apartment with not having the thermostat shutting off and turning on when it should.
Hello Connie that thermostat is probably shut and needs to be replaced. Wall thermostats and thermostat by the heater work the same way. Test it yourself of have some one test it, If it fails the test buy one online. They are usually cheaper on line that on a electric parts store. Send me some pictures to look at the heaters and the wiring. Good luck!
@@alexthehandyman3494 this is an apartment and they have to do whatever work is required. Trouble is getting them to do anything!! I just wanted to know for sure that a different thermostat would shut off. They had replaced them in the apartment I was in first amd they did not shut off when setting the temperature. I have digital thermometers in each room.
@@conniewood7587 Hi connie. Some thermost don't shut off by design. They have high and low settings but not off. if that thermostat is like that, is not going to shut off. They do that so tenants don turn it off when they go on vacation or away for some days and pipes might freeze.
@@alexthehandyman3494 great so I paying for constant heat that I don't need instead of it being regulated by a thermostat.That seems like a fire hazard to me and doesn't makee feel comfortable leaving.
Agreed, love em. Also, get rid of that federal pacific! I just swapped my FP sub panel out and working on the main swap out now. Multiple issues with these old panels
Hello Bourque, It is not a dumb question. In most cities of the midwest you are required to have all your wiring inside a metal raceway or conduit. This pipe is connected to the electric box and to the electric box is connected to the breaker box (through the metal conduit) . Inside the breaker box is tied with the ground that goes to the "ground " See my video. "25 things you should know about a receptacle". at the minute 2:00. I explained this more in depth and with images. Thanks so much
Hello Karl you have to make sure the two power wires from the electric box are connected to the L1 and L2 the other two heater wires to the load. Make sure the thermostat doesn't have a ON Off switch. When you call for heat ( The set temp should be higher than the room temperature . Make sure all wires nuts are well fastened with the wire nuts.
Hello Kiri Yes you can. it will be best if you install it on the window wall. I think an 72 in will be sufficient. 10x13x10= 1300watts. a 72 in will cover 1400Watts. if the windows are old maybe I ll go with the 86 inches A 240 will save you money in then long run. But if you don't have ready 240 in that bedroom it can be expensive to run it. Good luck Let me know how it goes.
Hi Alex, thanks. I may try run 240. I’d have to run new wire it’s about 30ft to the breaker box. I hope it has capacity. I’ll need to learn adding the double pole
This is THE best video I've seen on this topic and explaining things both physically and on paper really helped me to understand what's going on. Thanks a lot Alex.
Thank you so much. See you around!!
You’re the man! You’re literally the only one I could find on UA-cam to actually explain how the working diagram works for something like this. Thanks!
Thank you so much!! Don't forget to like and subscribe.
I ran into an issue at our new house with thermostat wiring as I am not an electrician and don’t know a whole lot about wiring. This video helped tremendously! Kudos to you sir for putting this information out there for us dummy’s 😂
Amazing video! Thank you! I love your explanations, and drawings. Easy to understand.
Thank you so much. Dont forget to like the video.
So helpful! After 4 hours trying to figure it out, this video helped me understand what I needed to do. I could've saved so much time had I searched for this upfront. Thanks Alex!
My pleasure!! (A little bit late)
Thank you. You saved me a few hundred dollars. My heaters are working great and we are set for winter. 👍🔌
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video! It helped me tremendously!
Im so glad for you Randy. Have a great day!
the paper drawing/ diagram was very helpful!!
Good explanation, theres always incoming power and outgoing, think of it like a switch thats all it is.
Best video and best learning way
Glad you think so!
Four 1500W heaters would be too much for the circuit and thermostat in this video, correct?
Okay I had to stop not much information to be had here I was more confused halfway through before I even started.. too much 😂
great video thanks
So you connected the heaters that do not have built in thermostats in parallel correct?
Very helpful thank you
If you're running a 30A breaker, you need 10 AWG wire from the panel - but this looks to be 12 AWG (20A). In your case 20A*240V = 4800W @ 80% = 3840W (derated). If that's 12AWG wire, drop the breaker to 20A and you'll still be under the 3840W max.
Hello Bruce, You are absolutely right!! Those are all 12 AWG. I recommended to bring it back to 20 amp breaker. Management doesn't want to spend more money$$$.
We are replacing those panels as we rehab the apts. Thanks for your input.
So what about if you’re wiring multiple heaters that have built in thermostats? Can you do a video on that?
Hey Jonny. I do and that video.
If one breaker serves different heaters, you have to take the 240 volts coming from the breakers box before they go ta a wall thermostat and splice them and connect with a wire nut in parallel . you have to send 240 to each heaters thermostat.
Great video. Many thanks. Any thoughts on why a baseboard heater would be getting very hot when thermostat set to low setting?
Hello More than likely thermostat is faulty allowing more heat than it should.
@@alexthehandyman3494 Thanks Alex!
How good are those thermostat? I want to replace the dial type thermostat to a digital one like the one in the video?
Hello Steeve. It is ok. It is not people friendly, I installed a few in a Bldg I have and tenants dont get use to it. It is kind of weird to operate them. I prefer this one that is not programmable but you can get it programmable. www.amazon.com/dp/B000GGPMZ6?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
Let me know which one you end up getting.
I believe the two heaters that are together are in series, not parallel. Thanks for sharing.
Hello How to it Dude. Thank so much for your comment. They are not . They are in parallel. The power source that comes from the thermostat, when it reaches the two heaters first junction box, the 2 wires from heater one go the the power source and the second heater two wires attach to the same power source, so there are a total of 3 and 3 totaling six wires .
It would be series if the power source goes to the first heater on the left side, and then the right side of heater one connects to the left side of second heater. I hope I word it right. LOL Greetings !!
@@alexthehandyman3494 how can I conect 5 heater on serial?
Can the load be labeled as T1 and T2 on the thermostats?
This helped me understand a lot. BUT I'm still stumped. Could you help me out in some way? All I'm trying to do is change my thermostat and the way the old one was wired is confusing the craw out of me.
If you reply and are willing to let me with your brain with my problem, then ill explain everything.
What up Austin. Lets fix it!!!!
1. What kind of heaters 120 or 220?
2. How many heaters?
3 what kind of thermostat. How many wires does your old thermostat has?
4. take pictures.
Can you share the link to the thermostat you installed? Also I’m trying to find your video on how to connect the heater parallel.
Hello,
I just posted the link for the thermostat on the description.
I have another video called "how to troubleshoot 240 volt electric heaters". I don't know if I explain there the parallel installation.
Parallel means you connect each heater to the power source. If you have 2 heaters installed side by side the most common mistake is to install the power to the first heater and then from that heater you piggy back connect the other one. THAT IS WRONG.
Connect the 240 to the first heater. From the second heater you have to run 2 more wires to the 240. and hide the wires through the first heater .
I hope that helps. Let me know how you do.
Hello friend, I need your experiences, right now I have 4 3-foot 240v heaters, what gauge of cable can I use and what type of bracket to use, your answer would be good for my project.
Hello my friend. Sooooo
Based on the rule of thumb of 250 watts per lineal foot. You have 4 heaters 3 feet each.
that's 12 x 250 that's 3000
a 20 amp double pole breaker with number 12 gauge wire will cover 3840 watts.
so the answer is 20 amp double pole 12 wire
Dont forget to like and subscribe please.
@@alexthehandyman3494 I have 4 heaters of 240v and 750w each, so he told me that I can use a 20 amp double breaker with 12 gauge wires, is that so?
little sticker on back of thermostat is the opposite of the instructions in the box, also opposite of what's under sticker
Shouldnt that be a 20 amp braker ?
Hello Joel. We have 14 ft of baseboard at 250 watt per foot. that's 3500 watts. The 20 amp allows 20 x 240 =4800 - 20%= 3840 watts. A 20 amp breaker would be sufficient? yes It would be very close to the 80%. So 20 amp (as a minimum allowable).Yes!! But it has a 30 amp breaker with 10 gauge wire. Which is totally fine. You still have another 2200 watts available . So can you put one 60 watt light bulb on a 30 amp circuit? Yes of course!! It is safe? Yes! "
So the question is not : shouldnt be a 20
But is the 20 ok?. yes it its.
Thank you so much for your question. I hope I made sense.
My baseboard heaters are from the 1980's. The wall thermostat is a dial at the bottom that you turn to temp. It does not turn of when I have it at whatever temp I want and the thermometer shows what temp I want. Can this type be replaced to be able to automatically shut off? To me it is not safe to leave the apartment with not having the thermostat shutting off and turning on when it should.
Hello Connie
that thermostat is probably shut and needs to be replaced. Wall thermostats and thermostat by the heater work the same way. Test it yourself of have some one test it, If it fails the test buy one online. They are usually cheaper on line that on a electric parts store. Send me some pictures to look at the heaters and the wiring. Good luck!
@@alexthehandyman3494 this is an apartment and they have to do whatever work is required. Trouble is getting them to do anything!! I just wanted to know for sure that a different thermostat would shut off. They had replaced them in the apartment I was in first amd they did not shut off when setting the temperature. I have digital thermometers in each room.
@@conniewood7587
Hi connie. Some thermost don't shut off by design. They have high and low settings but not off. if that thermostat is like that, is not going to shut off. They do that so tenants don turn it off when they go on vacation or away for some days and pipes might freeze.
@@alexthehandyman3494 great so I paying for constant heat that I don't need instead of it being regulated by a thermostat.That seems like a fire hazard to me and doesn't makee feel comfortable leaving.
Use wago lever nuts instead of wite nuts. No twisting!
Agreed, love em. Also, get rid of that federal pacific! I just swapped my FP sub panel out and working on the main swap out now. Multiple issues with these old panels
@@timreigrut4061 I replaced mine in the house but the garage still needs it. It's detached thankfully
Maybe a dumb question but why is there no ground wire in any of this?
Hello Bourque,
It is not a dumb question.
In most cities of the midwest you are required to have all your wiring inside a metal raceway or conduit. This pipe is connected to the electric box and to the electric box is connected to the breaker box (through the metal conduit) . Inside the breaker box is tied with the ground that goes to the "ground "
See my video. "25 things you should know about a receptacle". at the minute 2:00. I explained this more in depth and with images. Thanks so much
How do you turn it on? My thermostat isn’t powering on.
Hello Karl
you have to make sure the two power wires from the electric box are connected to the L1 and L2
the other two heater wires to the load.
Make sure the thermostat doesn't have a ON Off switch.
When you call for heat (
The set temp should be higher than the room temperature .
Make sure all wires nuts are well fastened with the wire nuts.
Y these electrician don’t work with the power on
I need to install baseboard heater in a small room 10x13 - can I do 120v?
Hello Kiri Yes you can. it will be best if you install it on the window wall. I think an 72 in will be sufficient. 10x13x10= 1300watts. a 72 in will cover 1400Watts. if the windows are old maybe I ll go with the 86 inches A 240 will save you money in then long run.
But if you don't have ready 240 in that bedroom it can be expensive to run it. Good luck Let me know how it goes.
Hi Alex, thanks. I may try run 240. I’d have to run new wire it’s about 30ft to the breaker box. I hope it has capacity. I’ll need to learn adding the double pole
Wow... Your wiring system, their colors, and mere numbers make me dizzy.
Please get rid of that panel. That a FPE very dangerous
Yes thank you. We are replacing them as go rehab each apt.
Omg change that panel sir
Done!!! That was replaced!!! Thank so much for your comment.