Baseboard heat

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GerryB said:
I just looked at the specs for one brand (Dayton) 240v t-stat and it's highest rating was 22 amps. I think I was thinking along those lines.
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The circuit can still be 30 amps but the load on any one T-Stat can't be more than 22 amps.... Normally you wouldn't have all the heaters on one stat-- if so then a contactor would work.
 
GerryB said:
I just looked at the specs for one brand (Dayton) 240v t-stat and it's highest rating was 22 amps. I think I was thinking along those lines.
Click to expand...

Thermostats are a switch. They are rated for the load. I would assume 22A is for a continuous load... 5kW worth of heaters

3 8' heaters would normally be 6kw/240V = 25A. Maybe use 3 6' or a second thermostat. You can only load a 30a breaker with 24A of heating load.

eta: 3 8' baseboard heaters on at once is a lot of heat for a smaller house. generally, you want to zone the heaters as much as possible, to avoid heating spaces that may not be used, or overload the circuit. line voltage thermostats are pretty cheap; I'd use more than try to run one at its limit.

seta: is your system voltage 240V or 208v?
 
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JFletcher said:
Thermostats are a switch. They are rated for the load. I would assume 22A is for a continuous load... 5kW worth of heaters

3 8' heaters would normally be 6kw/240V = 25A. Maybe use 3 6' or a second thermostat. You can only load a 30a breaker with 24A of heating load.

eta: 3 8' baseboard heaters on at once is a lot of heat for a smaller house. generally, you want to zone the heaters as much as possible, to avoid heating spaces that may not be used, or overload the circuit. line voltage thermostats are pretty cheap; I'd use more than try to run one at its limit.

seta: is your system voltage 240V or 208v?
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240 volt, basement remodel. Actually 3 6 footers HO wants on one stat. I figure it 4500watts x1.25 continuouse =5625watts at 240v is 23.44 amps. Maybe 2-pole 25 amp breaker? Although it's a little over on the t-stat. I have used a relay and a lv t-stat once or twice in the past.
 
GerryB said:
240 volt, basement remodel. Actually 3 6 footers HO wants on one stat. I figure it 4500watts x1.25 continuouse =5625watts at 240v is 23.44 amps. Maybe 2-pole 25 amp breaker? Although it's a little over on the t-stat. I have used a relay and a lv t-stat once or twice in the past.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure a thermostat rated for 22A can handle a 4500W (18.75A) load. The thermostat is already rated for continuous duty; you do not need to multiply by 1.25 to size it.

25 or 30A breaker, you're already stuck with running #10 for this if all on one circuit.
 
10 AWG NM cable more difficult to handle and fills boxes faster then 12 AWG. Just something to consider. Need 22.5 cubic inch switch box for in/out cables plus "load" cable and device.

Listing/instructions possibly limit you to 20 amp circuits - IDK for certain.

210.23 does not prohibit multiple utilization equipment on a 30 amp multioutlet circuit.
 
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