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View Full Version : Wiring Baseboard Heaters


skozub
Dec 19, 2007, 02:46 PM
I am wiring two Marley electric baseboard heaters (240v) to a Programmable Thermostat and want to confirm the layout.

BASEBOARDS
Both Baseboards are 8 feet long, 240 volt, 2000 watt, 8.3 amps

WIRE & Circuit BREAKER
I am using 12/2 wire and connected to a double pull 20 amp circuit breaker. The black wire is connected to the breaker, and the white wire (labeled with black tape) is connected also.

THERMOSTAT
Rite Temp model 8046 Programmable Thermostat

I ran the wire from the breaker to the thermostat then from the theromstat to the first heater on the left hand entry point. Connected ground to ground, black to black and white (hot) to red. Then out of the right hand side of the heater (other end) I exited the wire to a second heater and connected it the same way as described above (on the right hand side of the second heater).

Is this the proper layout? Can I really tie the electricity into one end of the heater then run the wire for the second heater out of the other end of the same heater?

tkrussell
Dec 19, 2007, 03:12 PM
Actually, yes, this is allowed. I can direct you to the actual code, but it it not that clear to laypeople as it is within several sections.

The short answer is yes, but only in residential installations.

Cobraguy
Dec 20, 2007, 07:08 AM
Tk.. maybe it's just his drawing, but did you notice he's hooking up the 2nd heater AFTER the element in the first heater? Won't that essentially put the heaters in series and cause a reduced heating problem? Wouldn't he be better off running his cable for his 2nd heater from his first splice at the first heater?

labman
Dec 20, 2007, 07:59 AM
I don't think the drawing shows it that way, but if the heaters have terminals at both ends, surely they are wired up to allow the far end to feed another heater.

Maybe Kevin read the text and skimmed over the misleading drawing knowing heaters are meant to be wired that way.

tkrussell
Dec 20, 2007, 08:10 AM
Good catch Cobra, I did not scroll down to see the two heaters are in series. I only looked at the stat connection.

Skozub, the second heater cannot connect to the first as shown in the diagram, it needs to connect to the wiring on the lfet end of the frisr heater.

madison18onion
Nov 28, 2009, 08:23 PM
I'm glad I got in on this one.I recently ran into the same problem,trying to hook up 2 heaters to one thermostat,all in one room.when I turned the power on,the heaters only got warm,and would not heat up.I called the company that makes the heaters and they told me to hook the second heater up to where I entered the first heater with the wire from the t.stat