Electric Baseboard Heat

[mkgrady]

I plan to install baseboard heat in an unheated beach cottage in Mass. The cottage is slab on grade and all walls are finished with wood paneling, making snaking wires pretty difficult. I can drop down from the panel to the first heater and put a baseboard t-stat in it. I assume I will have to stop at the first receptacle because I am unaware of a ebbh that can be run under a receptacle.

Next, I want to put another ebbh a few feet away and run for several more feet until I get to the next receptacle. I want to do this until I have enough footage to heat the room. It will take about three six footers. I want to run really attractive 1/2" emt between the units.

The heat will not be even throughout the room because it will all be on one side but the homeowner doesn't even care how it works. He is adding heat as a requirement of refinancing the mortgage. He plans to almost never use it.

The question is, is there a ebbh made that would allow for installing conductors through the unit to feed the next unit(s)?

 

[LarryFine]

The question is, is there a ebbh made that would allow for installing conductors through the unit to feed the next unit(s)?

Most BB heaters have empty space below the heat chamber, behind the "toe kick" portion of the heater, which the lower KO at each end opens into, in case the wiring comes in through the floor.

You should have no trouble passing a cable from end to end in that space, drill or punch a 1/2"-KO hole in the end panels, and use Wiremold or something similar, rather than EMT, between units.

 

[mkgrady]

Most BB heaters have empty space below the heat chamber, behind the "toe kick" portion of the heater, which the lower KO at each end opens into, in case the wiring comes in through the floor.

You should have no trouble passing a cable from end to end in that space, drill or punch a 1/2"-KO hole in the end panels, and use Wiremold or something similar, rather than EMT, between units.

Thanks Larry for the response. I have never seen field installed wires in that space and wondered if it would be code compliant.

 

[dclauria]

I've used hi-temp insulation wire pulled through the wire space on top of the heater. I don't have my code book next to me for the insulation type - I just ask for hi-temp wire at my supplier - approx. $1.00 per foot. - and junction to THHN in the end boxes.

 

[iwire]

The heat will not be even throughout the room because it will all be on one side but the homeowner doesn't even care how it works.

It should all be located on an exterior walls and definitely under windows.


Snake through the bottom of the units and use THHN. Wiremold would look better than EMT.

 

[boboelectric]

Whatis eebh?

 

[jumper]

Whatis eebh?

It is ebbh: electric base board heater.

 

[krisinjersey]

Heart set on baseboard?

Heart set on baseboard?

I had a customer turn me onto these. Check out the site. http://www.eheat.com/ I use these in rooms where Baseboard is impractical or would make for an unattractive install.

 

[mkgrady]

It should all be located on an exterior walls and definitely under windows.

Snake through the bottom of the units and use THHN. Wiremold would look better than EMT.

Yup I will use the bottom channel as it sure would be cooler there than the top. The place is such a dump the emt will spruce the place up.

I have suggested the owner have the heat installed so he can refinance the mortgage and once he gets the money he should gut the first floor and install the heat correctly and insulate the walls. Image using ebbh with no insulation in MA. I think he is considering my suggestion.

I had a customer turn me onto these. Check out the site. http://www.eheat.com/ I use these in rooms where Baseboard is impractical or would make for an unattractive install.

I'll check that out but the ebbh is attractive because I can use it as conduit to get to the heaters that are not right under the service panel.