I have a 240v 1500w 6.5a electric baseboard heater with a wall mounted thermostat. What I found out is that the the thermostat and all the outlets in the room are on the same 20a breaker with this heater, it never gets really hot, only warm, I'm thinking someone wired it to 110 because of the outlets. How can I remedy this to get more heat? If I just hook the wires to a double pole 20a breaker for 240 it would make the proper heat but the outlets?? Humm, if I run a separate line for the heater for 220, I'll lose the thermostat, how would I control it? I'm not busting the wall apart to find where the thermostat wiring is. I did have the cover off the thermostat and its 12/2 wired. I can provide pictures of the info plates on both the heater and thermostat.
Wiring – Electric baseboard wiring
baseboardheaterthermostatwiring
Related Solutions
If you remove one, the other may not be able to handle the heating demand. This could lead to a cold room, and/or a shortened life of the heater.
If you still want to proceed. Shut off the breaker, and disconnect the second heater as close to the breaker as you can. Don't just cut the wires, disconnect them at a splice point inside a junction box. Cap all the wires with twist on connectors, and label them so future owners know what they are.
If you have another source of heat, and would like to remove both heaters. Simply shut off the breaker, and remove the circuit wires from the panel. Coil the extra wire up and wrap it with tape, then label it so future owners know what it is. Remove the breaker from the panel, and fill the hole in the cover with a proper filler plate.
As usual, if you are not comfortable with electrical work. Please contact a licensed Electrician.
In most thermostat installation guides, it's recommended to install the thermostat on an interior wall across from the heater. If you trace the existing wires, it's possible the thermostat will end up above the heater. This is not ideal, and could lead to a poorly heated room. You might get lucky, but in most cases there are a couple more appropriate options.
Use the heater as junction point
There should be an area of the heater used to make electrical connections. If this area is large enough, you can use it to extend the supply conductors out to the thermostat and back.
To do this...
- Turn off the power to the circuit at the breaker/fuse box, and insure it's off using a non-contact voltage tester.
- Run 2 new cables (4 wires, 6 if the circuit has grounding conductors) from the heater to the thermostat location.
- Disconnect the supply conductors from the heater.
- Using twist-on wire connectors (or any approved means), connect the supply conductors to one set of conductors leading to the thermostat.
- Connect the other set of conductors from the thermostat to the heater.
- Make the connections at the thermostat.
- Turn the power back on, and enjoy.
Pull all new cable
The other option is to pull all new cable.
To do this...
- Turn off the power to the circuit at the breaker/fuse box, and insure it's off using a non-contact voltage tester.
- Pull a cable from the breaker/fuse panel to the thermostat location.
- Pull a cable from the thermostat location to the heater.
- Disconnect the existing cable from the heater, and remove the cable.
- Connect the new cable to the heater.
- Make the connections at the thermostat.
- Connect the new cable in the breaker/fuse panel to the breaker/fuse used previously.
- Turn the power back on, and enjoy.
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Best Answer
Sorry, the ONLY way to do this properly is to get the heater on a properly sized 240V circuit. This can be a 15A or 20A depending on what is shared on the circuit and what the distance is (less than a 150' or so circuit run this is not an issue).
If you don't want to do it right and find how the t-stat is wired you may be able to put an integral thermostat right on the unit and un-wire the wall t-stat. This depends on the age and brand of the heater if a t-stat is available for it. It's worth investigating thought. You may find the t-stat is wired right to the unit and has nothing to do with the receptacles.