I have a electric baseboard heater and the thermostat is missing on the wall. the wires are there.?
Question by jim l: I have a electric baseboard heater and the thermostat is missing on the wall. the wires are there.?
So will any thermostat work in its place?What wires go where or will the directions tell me?Thank you for your help.
Best answer:
Answer by Michael S
Electric base board heaters use a thermostat specifically made for them. They are usually 240vt and the stat acts like a switch with that much voltage going to them. You can buy them at electrical supply houses not hardware stores. First you have to determine what type you will need. Read the following:
Thermostats
You can install a thermostat in each heater or install a wall-mounted thermostat to control heat in the entire room. Installing a thermostat for each heater is more efficient, since it allows you to turn on only the heaters in the room that you need, rather than having all the heaters turn on together, as they would if connected to a wall-mounted thermostat.
There are two types of thermostats:
Single-pole thermostat: A single-pole thermostat controls temperature by opening one leg of the 240 volt line that feeds the heater. This means that even if the temperature dial is turned all the way down, voltage is still going into the heater through one line. This may pose a hazard to anyone who might perform electrical work on the heater without realizing that the circuit was still on. Remember: A single-pole thermostat does not turn off all power to the heater, you’ll need to turn off the power at the circuit breaker before electrical repairs can be made safely.
Double-pole thermostat: A double-pole thermostat controls temperature by breaking (opening) both sides of the 240-volt feeder line when the dial is turned down. This acts as a safeguard for people performing electrical work on the heater. However, to be on the safe side, you should always turn off the power at the circuit breaker, not at the thermostat, before making any electrical repairs.
Since they are inherently safer, you should always use double-pole thermostats, if possible. Usually, you can tell the difference between a single pole and double-pole thermostat by looking at the dial. A double-pole normally has an “Off” position on the dial whereas a single-pole thermostat does not.
Don’t know if you have another thermostat in the house that maybe you could take with you to the store as an example. Hope this helps.
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