I am wiring 220 baseboard heaters using 110 line. The wire is 10-2 and was run before we purchased the house. Each heater has its own line to the main electrical box downstairs. As I was instructed I connected the black and white wire to the breaker copper wire to ground bar. At the heater I connected black to black, white to red and copper to ground. When I turn on the heater the breaker trips. Where did I go wrong? I did every thing as instructed by the man at our local big name hardware store. Any help would be greatly appreciated.:confused: The breaker is a 220/30amp. The heater is off when I turn the breaker on, then I turn on the heater and the breaker trips. Each line has its own private line to the main Breaker box downstairs.

Iam using 22/30amp breakers.
The heater is off when I turn the breaker on.
Each heater has its own private line to the main Breaker box down stairs.

What type of breaker are you using, a 220 with what amp?

Is the heater turned off when you try and throw the breaker.

Is this wire ran to anything else ?

VCRZO : #1- 10-2/ground, is 220 wire . 12-2/ground is 110 wire ,O.K.. You said that you connected both black & white wires to the breaker, and ground (copper) ground in panel.// Was this a double 30amp or 60 amp breaker?? ( Don't HOOK BOTH BLACK AND WHITE WIRES TO SAME SET SCREW OF BREAKER>.::: ALL you really need is one DOUBLE 30 amp breaker , you have 2 set screws on the breaker put ONE wire on each screw . IF This not the cause then you have a bad short someplace. Check your connections in heater wireing box ,it is easy to make a shorted wire inside the boxes. NOT MUCH ROOM TO WORK . CHeck where the wire is pulled into the panel box , sometimes the wire gets cut and shorts out when pulling wire into box. The heater itself may have a short in it. . ::: Hope I have helped :::

First please try and not start a new thread to give an answer, just add it as part of this post ( answer this question)

I would disconnect the wires from the heater, and turn the breaker on, does it trip then ? If so, you have some short in the wiring, if not, check the lines with your electrical tester to be sure you are getting proper current.

If everything is fine that way, the problem is in the heater.

Hey chuck that's also a good answer:::

I don't do it for a living, but I am actually a electrician and plumber ( got license in MO many years ago) I work for a living repairing electric wheel chairs. ( I used to be an engineer in industrial sewing and weaving plants, so I used to oversee the 3 phase 220 all the time.

Not up on most of it any more, but try and look for some simple tests someone not trained can do.

But yes, I would have bet money it was a 110 breaker, if you look at their question, I merged their answer ( new thread) it is a 220 breaker, 30 amp, so unless this is one big heater, it should not trip as soon as its turned on.

VCRZO,

Let me back up and explain something to you.

The way to obtain 220/240 VAC from your panel box is to use two 110/120 breaker slots. To do that you need a Single arm, double breaker rated for the correct voltage and amperage. You want a single arm so the both breakers trip at the same time if there is a problem. I believe you should multiply the amperage by 1.5 and then purchase breaker at the nearest value above the product. For example 19 amps * 1.5 = 28.5 amps. So that would place you at a 30 amp line. A #10/2 cable is rated for 30 amps of current.

So now we know that the two 110/120 lines come out of the breakers. 110/120 is supplied from each breaker the additive being 220/240 volts. A number 10 /2 wire is going to carry the "line In" voltage and current to the load. The breakers will be wired by black in one, white in the second and ground to the ground bus bar at the panel. Make sure you wrap the white wire with either black or red electrical tape at both ends to designate that the white wire is no longer a Neutral wire. It now carries load voltage. Ground wire to ground wire at the load end.

Never, never connect two load carrying wires to the same breaker, unless the breaker is specifically designed and NEC Code approved. You are asking for an immediate code violation as well setting yourself up for a fire to happen. :D

Use 220 to invoke the 110 X 2 limitation of the measurement. Be careful not to expand the parameter--then put the black and white wires on the "hot" side... and green or "bare" wire to the neutral consolidation.

''To do that you need a Single arm, double breaker '' I think most brands of double pole breakers have 2 arms linked together. Maybe Donf sees that as a single arm, but I don't and I am not sure you would.

If you don't find the problem following Chuck's tests, post back.

Do you have a thermostat in the circuit? If you do, it should 2 pole with 240 volts.

As for that last post, the only place a ground and neutral ever should be connected is the terminal bars in the main panel. 240 volt baseboard heaters don't use a neutral.

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As for that last post, the only place a ground and neutral ever should be connected is the terminal bars in the main panel.

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I agree

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240 volt baseboard heaters don't use a neutral.

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Unless it has a clock. :)

Joke!

I always get caught with an exception every time I say never or always.

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Originally Posted by DBAutisun

Use 220 to invoke the 110 X 2 limitation of the measurement. Be careful not to expand the parameter--then put the black and white wires on the "hot" side...and green or "bare" wire to the neutral consolidation.

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What the hell does this mean?

And, FBE , everything is not a crisis. Calm down, and explain calmly what your solution is, all the caps are not necessary, makes your answers hard to read, and can be confusing.

Labman,

Since most DPST breakers are joined on the levers by caps, yes, I see that as one breaker. Both breakers are controlled by one throw of the lever.

Washington1, Not to long ago we were all taken to the woodshed for using 110 and 220. According to TK, only 120 and 240 exist now.

Also, when using 10/2, the bare wire functions as neutral. Again as previously mentioned by TK, while we were still bleeding was the fact the Neutral carries remaining electrical charges from the load back to the service disconnect panel where both Neutral and Ground meet up.

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Washington1, Not to long ago we were all taken to the woodshed for using 110 and 220. According to TK, only 120 and 240 exist now.

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Yeah!

My post was just a joke! I wasn't really involved in this discussion. I got lost after

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the 110 X 2 limitation of the measurement. Be careful not to expand the parameter

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This ones on you guys! LOL :)