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Electric baseboard heating problem Gm1234 12-31-2006
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Posted by dpb on December 31, 2006, 7:55 pm



Big Al wrote:
,,,
> > > This is what I would have thought, but the puzzle is that I get the 110v
> to
> > > ground, but not 220v across the hot conductors. ...
> >
> > That indicates both "hot" wires are connected to the same phase
> > somewhere -- either at the fuse box or at some other junction box,
> > somebody made a wiring mistake and got both of them on the same side.
>
> It indicates one leg is open. The 120 is passing thru the element.

Depends on where he's measuring, but possible, yes. Thought OP
indicated directly across feeds, but if not...


Posted by Gm1234 on December 31, 2006, 9:02 pm



>
> Big Al wrote:

> >
> > It indicates one leg is open. The 120 is passing thru the element.
>
> Depends on where he's measuring, but possible, yes. Thought OP
> indicated directly across feeds, but if not...
>

I measured zero volts across white/black hot wires at feed to wall
thermostat and also at feed to heater itself. At both places, I read 110v to
ground from either hot wire.

Graham



Posted by indago on December 31, 2006, 9:51 pm


061231 2102 - Gm1234 posted:

>
>>
>> Big Al wrote:
>
>>>
>>> It indicates one leg is open. The 120 is passing thru the element.
>>
>> Depends on where he's measuring, but possible, yes. Thought OP
>> indicated directly across feeds, but if not...
>>
>
> I measured zero volts across white/black hot wires at feed to wall
> thermostat and also at feed to heater itself. At both places, I read 110v to
> ground from either hot wire.
>
> Graham
>
>
Disconnect the power to the heater at the panel, and then disconnect the
wires at the heater. Then, reconnect the power to the circuit at the panel,
and turn the thermostat all the way up. Then, check, with your voltmeter,
across the two wires at the heater. Also, check each one to ground. The
one that shows 0 to ground is the one that is giving you the problem. If
the system was working before, it should work now, except maybe a fuse has
blown, or, when the remodel was taking place, the wire got cut somewhere
along the line.


Posted by RBM on December 31, 2006, 10:45 pm


He should first check to see that he has 240 volts on that circuit at the
panel



> 061231 2102 - Gm1234 posted:
>
>>
>>>
>>> Big Al wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>>> It indicates one leg is open. The 120 is passing thru the element.
>>>
>>> Depends on where he's measuring, but possible, yes. Thought OP
>>> indicated directly across feeds, but if not...
>>>
>>
>> I measured zero volts across white/black hot wires at feed to wall
>> thermostat and also at feed to heater itself. At both places, I read 110v
>> to
>> ground from either hot wire.
>>
>> Graham
>>
>>
> Disconnect the power to the heater at the panel, and then disconnect the
> wires at the heater. Then, reconnect the power to the circuit at the
> panel,
> and turn the thermostat all the way up. Then, check, with your voltmeter,
> across the two wires at the heater. Also, check each one to ground. The
> one that shows 0 to ground is the one that is giving you the problem. If
> the system was working before, it should work now, except maybe a fuse has
> blown, or, when the remodel was taking place, the wire got cut somewhere
> along the line.
>



Posted by Gm1234 on January 1, 2007, 11:17 am


> He should first check to see that he has 240 volts on that circuit at the
> panel

OK, thanks for input - Problem is resolved!

Because heating circuits are not clearly labeled on fuse panel, I did not
know which one the problem heater was on. Today I pulled all heater fuses
(They are in double-fuse holders with hinged cover to prevent removal of
individual fuses). I now did not have 110v to ground at the wall
thermostat. We then plugged the fuseholders in one at a time until the 110v
re-appeared. So we found which circuit the heater was on..

I tested problem circuit fuses by using resistance meter across the brass
forks of the fuse holder and it showed continuity for both pairs. But, when
I removed the fuses, one was bad! This despite it showing no sign of having
blown - fuse strip was still intact - problem must have been internal.

Anyway, a new fuse solved problem - I guess next time I should remove each
fuse from holder, but still don't understand why testing across the "prongs"
showed no problem!

Existing main panel is Amalgamated Electric Cat No 200-4240 combination
service entrance/panel 200A with 19 double fuses and one large fuse pair for
range. There are two small sub panels with 6 breakers each that serve areas
that were re-wired at one time. There is another breaker panel in the garage
also fed from the main panel.

Would it be worthwhile considering upgrading main panel to a breaker panel?
Rough cost?

Thanks for all the input guys!



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