On Oct 28, 4:48*am, "Roger Shoaf" wrote:
"gwandsh" wrote in message

...





This weekend I had planned to add a 1000 watt electric heater to an
existing circuit with three similar heaters on it. *The other heaters
are 750 watt, wired 240, and draw 2.7 amps each. *The circuit is 30
amps, so I expected to pony the new heater (4.5 amps @ 240V) off the
wire to one of the existing heaters, and still not challenge the
breaker.

I was surprised to find the wire to the circuit I planned to pony from
was a 14/2. *I traced it back to the junction box, and found each of
the heaters was serviced by a 14 gauge wire. *Then I was horrified to
find that the wire from the panel to the main junction box for all
circuits was also a 14 gauge. *Even at low amperage, I would expect at
least a 12 gauge, maybe 10?

So, I have shut off the circuit pending some advice on how to wire it
safely. *I expect my options are :

1 - Panel-Junction box 10 gauge. *Junction box to each heater 12
gauge.
2 - Panel-junction box 12 gauge. *Junction box to each heater 12
gauge.
3 - Panel- junction box 12 gauge. *Junction box to each heater 14
gauge.

The final load on the circuit at 240V will be about (if all was on at
full blast) 13.5 amps. *We have never turned on any more than two of
the heaters, but I am pretty sure the proper calculation would require
the worst case scenario.

Can anybody tell me what the best wiring combination is? *I will ask
my electrician to do the final connection of the panel to the junction
box, but I would like to have the wiring from the junction box to the
heaters in place to save some bucks.

tnx in advance

A 15 amp load is OK on a 14 gage wire. *If you were running the same heaters
on 120v you would be in trouble.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thought I would finish the story here. We decided to keep the 1000
watt/ 240V heater unit since there would be no load issues with the
new circuit.

I ran a new circuit with 14/2 Romex to the heater location, leaving
six feet of wire hanging beside the panel. I bought and wired the
(internal) thermostat for the heater according to the supplied
diagram, and bought the compatible 2 pole 15 amp circuit breaker.

My electrician friend visited - he verified my thermostat wiring,
checked the wire routing, wired and installed the new circuit breaker
all in about 10 minutes. Works like a champ.

The whole thing took a while to figure out, but little time to
implement. We now have warm floors when needed in the kitchen. Tnx
to everybody who helped out.