AboutMaster Bob Expertise Master Electrician / Owner RKO Electric (USA Only) - can answer most of the typical residential, commercial and industrial electrical questions regarding new installations, wiring additions, lighting, switches and receptacle outlets and electrical upgrades of any nature.I will make every effort to respond to your questions as soon as possible at the end of the work day...very busy electrical company - your patience is appreciated. Stop by and see us at: www.rkoelectric.com
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Question I have been upgrading the baseboard heaters in the house I just purchased, and so far have no troubles. In the past I have probably changed over ten, and in this place about five. In one of my spare bedrooms, the previous owners had (at some point in the last few years) installed a newer heater, but had the wires hanging out the back. In an attempt to put the wires into the box, there was a small surge, that caused the lights to slightly flicker. Of course, bad habit and all, I had not turned the breaker power off, but just turned the thermostat off. Having done this several times with no problem, and carefully re-wiring, I finished up. When I went to test the heater, the thermostat would click over, but the heater would not turn on. I thought I might have tripped the breaker, so I checked and it was fine. I reset the breaker just in case, and decided to check the heaters in the other rooms. Now, upstairs there are four bedrooms and one bathroom that has new heaters installed. All of them were tested and worked, but after this incident (whatever it was) only one heater in the room opposite, actually still worked. Now all of the thermostat's sound like they work, as they click over as if they are sending the heater the appropriate message. I have tried unplugging the "bum" heater all together, but it does not work. I don't think that the heater is the problem, as it worked before. I know with certainty that it is wired properly, and know that all of the other heaters worked as well. What do you think the problem is? Is it the thermostat? I have upgraded all of the thermostats in the upstairs except for that room, and will try that tonight. Is it possible that there is something wrong with the line? I know that there is power going to the heater line, as I deliberately made it spark. Have I somehow toasted all of my heaters, or can this be fixed. Please help!!!!
Answer Hi Lagadyn,
Based on your description...yes - you may have shorted out the thermostat...but it's hard to say for certain without testing. You didn't state which type of thermostats you have for these heaters...but it sounds like you are describing line voltage style units....either 240 volt or 120 volt systems.
Most thermostats - either the line voltage or low voltage style - as well as the heaters under their control - should ALWAYS be connected with power to the circuit turned off at the breaker. The micro-electronic circuits in both styles are very sensitive to shorts...and can easily be damaged.
What is strange to me...is that if that thermostat or wiring in that room suffered damage from this incident....why so many other rooms are also effected. Electric baseboard heaters draw substantial current...and only so many should be on one circuit to avoid overload. You state there are 4 bedrooms and a bath effected...which makes it sound to me this may be all one circuit...and IF so - that's way too much heat to be on one circuit.
Where we got back from the coast late today...you may have already changed the thermostat in this room...and found the problem (it could have been damaged or the wiring in the box - which MAY feed to other rooms - had been damaged or come loose from the heat of the short )
Clearly some testing (actual voltage testing...not by making a circuit "spark" - not only is this dangerous...it can also permenantly damage the equipment) needs to be done....IF you find the thermostat and wiring was not damaged. It's possible you may have lost just one leg of the circuit (if these are 240 volt units - most are) or have a bad breaker...so that also needs to be ruled out.
Please follow-up with the results of the thermostat change out and what you found if that does not correct the problem...and I'll do what I can to help you get these heaters all working again.
Hope this help Lagadyn...please follow-up with the results of the thermostat change out and what was found.
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