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    mjherman's Avatar
    mjherman Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Sep 6, 2009, 02:35 PM
    No power to baseboard heaters
    Hi I am having trouble with my panel, I have installed two 240v/2000w base board heaters and a thermostat. In my panel I have a 2pole 20amp breaker, the black and red wires are connected to the breaker and the ground to the ground bar, the wire runs to the thermostat which is a 240v double pole, they attach to the thermostat to the line in red on red and black on black, grounds to the box. From there they go out to the first heater and again red on red and black on black. From the first heater to the second and connected to the same wires coming from the thermostat. I cannot get any power, I checked the power at the breaker and get no reading on the meter. I tried a 40amp double pole breaker in place of the 20 amp and the same thing no reading. I checked all the other breakers in the panel and they all have power going out. Can you help as I am stumped.

    Thank you
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
    		  
    #2

    Sep 6, 2009, 02:48 PM
    What brand of panel is it?
    Are you in the US? I assume you are in Canada since you are using black, red and ground cable.
    mjherman's Avatar
    mjherman Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Sep 6, 2009, 03:00 PM

    Yes I am in Canada and the box is a federal and uses stablok breakers
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
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    #4

    Sep 6, 2009, 03:21 PM
    You probably have the breaker installed wrong. It is possible to install an FPE two-pole breaker so that it is contacting the same buss. A two-pole MUST contact both busses/stabs.
    mjherman's Avatar
    mjherman Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Sep 6, 2009, 03:38 PM

    I went out and tried that and it is working thank you very much, I am a happy man!!
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
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    #6

    Sep 6, 2009, 03:50 PM
    I love an easy fix. :cool:
    mjherman's Avatar
    mjherman Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #7

    Sep 6, 2009, 04:29 PM
    Yes me too, while I have your attention, Does a welder require the same outlet as a drier or a stove?
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
    		  
    #8

    Sep 6, 2009, 06:00 PM
    Typically no.

    A dryer is a 120/240v-30a line.
    A range is a 120/240v-50a line.

    A typical stick welder requires a straight 240v-50a line. Although it could be wired to work on a range receptacle if you change the plug and just wire the two hots and the ground.
    Tev's Avatar
    Tev Posts: 232, Reputation: 20
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    #9

    Sep 7, 2009, 05:36 PM

    One small problem that may or may not apply to Canada.

    Fixed electric space heating equipment is considered a continuous load. 4000W at 240V is 16.67 amps. The max continuous load allowed on a 20 amp circuit is 16 amps. Although it should be fine with the small amount that it is over it should have been installed with 10AWG wire and either a 25 or 30 amp breaker.
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