On Sep 17, 1:12*am, Tony Hwang wrote:
hdivr wrote:
On Sep 16, 1:41 pm, Bob wrote:
hdivr wrote:
O.K. *Heres my problem. *Previously, I had a 240 volt hot tub with a
50 amp Double pole GFCI. *Recently replaced hottub with a 240v sauna.
Now, according to the wiring schematic. *I need one 240v line hooked
up to power the three heating elements.
In simple terms, the 240 volt circuit is two 120 volt circuits with
respect to the white neutral wire. *Connect the breakers as they were
originally and measure between the red and black leads. *You should get
240 volts.

Unless you want to risk electrocution in your new sauna, you should
entrust the installation to someone more familiar with 240 volt wiring,
or study references more thorough and trustworthy than Usenet.

This marginal advice is presented without any warranty, expressed or
implied.

Yes, if I test between the black and red they will show 240v.
However, doesn't that mean that each element is only being powered by
110v? * The schematic on the heater is different than the instruction
manual. *On the heater, it shows a single L1 line (240v) that powers
the entire heater and that all three elements are "jumpered" with a
metal clip. *However in the manual, they show both a L1 and L2 wire
hooked up seperately to different elements and the *third element
doesn't appear to be hooked up. * (I can jumper the third element to
the second, but when checking with my multimeter, it only shows 110v
being directed to each element (with the end of the tester being held
to ground.

Am I reading this wrong? *Should I only be reading the multimeter and
tester across the two terminals to get 240v and not reading each Line
against grounding to bare metal?

Hi,
If the heater element is for 240V, they should be parallel connected
between L1 and L2 where your 240V goes.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Tony: This guy/gal doesn't understand enough to parallel or series
connect the heater elements as required.
It's one of these "The red goes here and the black goes there ........
" situations without the person really understanding what's going on.

Recommend being careful about giving advice such cases.

For example; the heaters elements MAY be for 230 volts 'each'. On
other hand each element may be for 115 volt and it may be 'possible'
to connected them for 230 volts by wiring them in series.

Even if the OP was to quote the model number or scan the connection
diagram and post it somewhere we are still, by replying, assuming the
info is correct.

If it's only small sauna unit a 50 amp beaker may be too big? Fifty
amps at 230 is 11.5 kilowatts. However if it did consume the full 50
amps, which is doubtful, at full blast that could be an electricity
cost of $1.50 per hour?

One last point; the OP's mention of a third, possibly unconnected
element may raise the possibility of three phase? That makes it sound
like a fairly 'heavy' unit. It doesn't necessarily mean he has to
connect up the third element but does raise yet another question. A
competent electrician would probably sort it out (previously sight
unseen) in less than hour! The OP has already bought a seemingly
incorrect 'Single-pole' circuit breaker and is liable to do something
else wrong?