Replacing a Heater
Your electric wall heater is dead, dying or it’s just about time
to buy a new one. You can watch the “How To and D.I.Y shows” on
how to install a new electric wall heater but installing is one thing,
replacing it with the wrong voltage can be costly to wallet and your
time management. Please follow our easy steps below before you
start the shopping process to make sure you get the right electric wall
heater. If at any time you don’t feel comfortable with the steps below
please consult an electrician or handyman.
If you buy the wrong voltage the following will
happen:
If you wire a 240 volt heater to a
120 volt circuit, you will only get about ¼ or 25% of
the heat output /wattage the heater was designed to deliver.
If you wire a
120 volt heater to a 240 volt circuit
you will overheat the unit and it will be destroyed! The heater will try
to deliver four times its rated wattage, causing the element permanent
damage.
When we are doing a consult one of the first things
we ask is “Are you or have you ever been happy with the amount of
heat the old heater putout?”
Or was is oversized and overheating the room?
Or was it undersized and the room was cold in the dead of winter?
Now is your chance to fix this problem with an
appropriately sized heater. You'll want to contact an electrician.
An electrician will not only install one for you, but will be able to
determine what unit best meet your needs and if you have adequate power
to upgrade to a large size wall heater.
Identifying the heater voltage and wattage:
1. Turn off the power to the
heater in the circuit panel or fuse box. Start by shutting off the
circuit that services the heater and double check for power by using a
voltage meter. When you are sure that the power is in the off position:
2. Look at your panel: Is the
heater’s circuit breaker a single or double pole breaker? Look at
the picture below to tell the difference. You will also find
a number on the actual switch. This number tells you how many amps
the breaker can handle.
Single Pole Breaker (120v)
A single pole breaker works with 120 voltage products
Double Pole Breaker (240v)
A double pole breaker works with 240 volt products
3. Go back to where your wall heater is located and take the screws off the heater's grille (Do Not Skip Steps One and Two) Look for the name plate inside the unit for the voltage and wattage of your current heater - the name plate should like the picture below.
Voltage
FYI: over the years the power companies have been raising the
voltage to your home or office.
110 volts,
115 volts, 120 volts, 125 volts
(All
four voltages will work with the same heater)
220 volts, 230 volts, 240 volts, 250 volts
(All four voltages will work with the same heater)
** 208 volts is NOT the same as
240 volts - it’s a total different voltage**
If the name plate is warn off and you can’t read it, resort to step two which is the breaker size and if it’s a single or double pole, and the number on the switch, it should say, 15, 20, 30, 40 or 50 the number is about of amps it can handle. Feel free to call us or consult an electrician if you get stuck.
Once you know your voltage & wattage most likely you will want to find a new wall heater that is close in the same dimensions as your current wall heater. The secret is measure the hole in you wall and not the grille. The grille can but to two inches bigger then the whole size
If you have any questions feel free to call or email us.