[jessechenven]

I want to place a 240V electric base board heater in a room. In the adjacent room I have a conveniently placed electric wall oven by itself on a 50 Amp circuit with 8 gauge wire. The oven is only rated at 30 Amps and the heater at 4.5 amps. So, I want to run wire from the oven to where the heater is going to be (a very short distance). Running a new circuit from the heater to the box would be very long and involve a tremendous amount on drywall work, time and money (in which case I would abandon my plan for a heater).

So, here are my questions/concerns:
I would normally run 12/2 to the heater if it were on it's own circuit, but since it is on a 50 amp breaker, should I run 8 gauge the short distance to the heater location? OR could I run 12/2 without concern?

Or, should I place an inline 20 amp breaker at the oven location and run 12/2 to the heater?

The oven has a white nuetral wire because it also runs a 120V clock, etc. but the heater is straight 240V. Can I just ignore the nuetral?

What other problems/concerns am I obviously overlooking?

Thanks for all your expert time and advice.

[tkrussell]

What you are proposing is a bit unorthodox, but, I can understand why. As long as you use a 20 amp circuit breaker or fuse at the oven, then run #12 from this breaker/fuse to the heater,the heater will be protected properly.

Since the new heater is straight 240 volt, you do not need to connect anything to the neutral at the oven.

I do suggest that you install a separate circuit for the heater in the future once you can. But otherwise this method will work and is safe.

[jessechenven]

Thanks.
Do they sell small subpanels for one breaker?
Thanks. Jesse

[tkrussell]

Yes theysell 2 circuit panels , for two 1 pole circuit breakers.