I was wondering what size of wire is required to hook up a 1500 w baseboard heater.

Hello there
It sound alright but You should draw out a wiring diagram on paper first before you tackle the job that way you know you're doing it right.

Good luck Dickson

depends upon wattage of baseboard. I would guess about 20 -30 amps. Amps = Watts/Volts. Example, 1500 watts/220 volts = breaker size of 6.8 amps (add 25%) The only breaker available is a 15 amp breaker.

I am haveing the same problem.........., the first 10 i installed no problems....... now the last one i am ..............did you have any luck

12 gauge wire sounds under sized for the application. And 20 amp 240 v breakers might be sufficient if you where wiring the heaters separately. But be sure that your wiring is not romex - because romex is an insulator and is not permitted in conduit. I would suggest that you up size your wire to 10 guage and your breaker to 30 amp as well. Then double check your heater wiring connections to insure that they're wired the same throughout.

http://www.marleymep.com/en/fahrenheat/products/baseboard-heaters/electric/f2500-series.aspx
on the bottom is a pdf for wiring

i dont have a diagram but i just did mine,,,its real easy to do...write back if you didnt solve your answer yet...

I hope you are using a Line Voltage Thermostat!! First, make sure that the power feeding the thermostat is coming from a two pole breaker of the correct amperage (20 amp). If you are using 12-2 wire with ground then please mark the white wire with black tape at each end to identify it as a HOT power source and not a Neutral wire (which is a grounded lead). Do the same for the 12-2 wires feeding the baseboard heater from the Line Voltage Thermostat. The wires from the thermostat (One Black & one White w/black tape) will be wired to each one of the two wires (one Black & one Red or two Black wires) at the baseboard heater. It doesn't matter which wire from the thermostat is wired to which wire at the heater, just as long as there is one wire to one and one wire to the other.(eg. Black from stat to Black at heater/White w/blk. tape from stat to Red at heater OR Black from stat to Black at heater/White w/blk. tape from stat to OTHER Black at heater). I have seen baseboard heaters with two black wires or one black and one red wire. Hope this helps, but if you are confused then please have an experienced tech. do it for you.

Convert the watts to amps or get the amp rating off the device, this will tell you the minimal wire size, and then you will need to measure the distance from the breaker to the device, that will determine if the wire size needs to be increased for a long distance.

Example the 1500 uses 20 amps and 20 amps requires #12. 20 amps on a #12 is good for 100 feet anything further and you have to go up a wire size.

Take the amp rating and distance to the hardware store and they will have the chart and the correct wire for you to use. In the US 220 or 240 used to be three wire, 2 hots and a neutral through a double pole breaker, now the new NEC rules demand 4 wires for 220 volt devices, so you will need to check with whatever local code authority as to what they want on new installs versus replacement, if you are grandfathered in some way.

As to the four wires above, from the box, is that the heater box or circuit breaker box? In either case, the two hots go through their own breaker, called a double pole breaker, at the correct amperage rating. the white which is neutral and yes ground, is tied to the neutral bar in the breaker box, the bare or green, goes from the frame of the heater or the chassis, some common metal part, probably a green screw in the heater, and then in the breaker box, it will wire in with the rest of the bare grounds, this is a four wire 220 connection where they have quit using the white neutral as the only ground, and have insisted on adding this fourth bare chassis ground.

Once you have the correct wire size for the amperage, and the correct breaker size, and the wire size does not exceed the max limits for the size, you should be good to go.

However if you are concerned you can pull this off, pay a pro to do it, it is not worth a fire on a heater wiring job, for a few bucks on the install, it happens to often and not worth it, I have written on hear now several times, and have no responses, I have over thirty years in electrical devices including NEXRAD RADAR, motors above 5000 HP and understand all this, and the dangers.

Again [email protected], or allexperts.com

I am not sure about fees, if there are any they go through this system in all fairness.

Will

take a close look at the tubular element with a magnifying glass. the volts value should be stamped into the element. most baseboard heaters are 240 volt at low, high and medium density. wattage could be from 750 to 1500 watts

if the heater is 120 volt or 240 volt its really pretty easy. at either end is a cover. remove the cover and you'll see a wirenut or maybe just two wires. one side has an integral thermostat. connect your supply to the two wires on the thermostat. connect the other end in your breaker box with the appropriate sized circuit breaker. wire size feeding it will depend on its current draw. how many watts is the heater? 1500 watts will draw 6.25 amps at 240 volts so you can use 14 ga wire. 2000 watts will draw 8.3 at 240 volts - so 14 ga is still ok. 2500 watts at 240 draws 10.41 amps. 3000 watts draws 12.5 amps at this stage I'd use 12 gauge on a 20 amp breaker.