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electric dolt · Oct 3, 2008, 11:54 AM

Hi,

The electrician left last month and when I went to turn on the baseboard heating, I noticed the tstat was mounted upside down. Not a good sign, I'm thinking. I couldn't figure out why the living room was always so warm.. .
Two of the three electric baseboard heaters won't shut off unless I throw the breaker switch and the third won't come on at all.
Everything is 240 and I'm kind of thinking that somehow each of the two heaters that won't shut off are getting 125V each all the time while the third gets none. Could I be right?

Tstat is single pole, which I don't think is right but I'm scared of the old electrician and don't want him back in my house.

So anyway, I have done a little rewiring in my time but I have never installed a double pole tstat so I am writing for help. I have attached photos to show what is there.
If you could tell me how to do it, I will leave you all my do it yourself home repair books in my will ( so if this goes wrong, you could be getting them sooner than anticipated)

Thanks a bunch

Electric dolt

KISS · Oct 3, 2008, 01:01 PM

Yep, should be two pole. What I'm worried about is the thermostat not being able to handle 3 heaters.

What is the wattage of the heaters?
What is the wattage of the suggested stat?

I'm slightly worried that the feed wire is too small. Do you know the wire gauge used?

Two pole line stats are odd critters. They only open both legs when off.

hedlok · Oct 4, 2008, 01:14 PM

Go out and get yourself a 2 pole t stat... figure out which set of wires is the feed... tie both the black and white to the 2 on the line side of the stat then splice the loads to the load side wires... while you have the stat out you should seal up the gaps around the box (I saw the pix) the gap is not only a fire hazard, it also allows cold air from outside the room to cause inaccurate temperature control by cooling off the back of the stat. I hope this helps... last thing... be careful!!