stephen19690_2
Jan 8, 2009, 09:47 PM
I want to put another 2000 watt/240v baseboard heater in my living room now I have one 2000 watt/240v heater in the room now can I just join on the same thermostate on do I have to run a new line from the panel can I use a 20amp breaker for the 2 of them or would I have to upgrade to a larger size breker is 2/12 wire big enough or not
Hope some one can help me here
Thank you
21boat
Jan 8, 2009, 10:36 PM
They way the wattage works is your only supposed to use 80% of the available wattage in the lines for the safety margin/breaker
So a single 20mp is 120x20 = 2400 watts. The usable is 19200 watts x two 3,840 usable watts on 240 volt
Basically a baseboard heater is 250 watts per lineal foot.
To add 2,00000 to the 2,000 watts there is over the 80% rule. Its over by 160 watts buy code of 80%
Another line should be added or get a heater a tad smaller
If you up grade your breaker the wire has to be upgraded also as table shows below.
No more than 15 feet of heat can be put on a standard 20 amp circuit.
Based on 250 watts per foot of baseboard heater
Actual usable amps on your line is 16 amps x 240 = 3,840 and your old and new heater combined is 4,000
14 gauge / 15 amp = 11 feet heat
12 gauge / 20 amp = 15 feet heat
10 gauge / 30 amp = 23 feet heat
Signed 21 Boat
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