Electric home heat system?

[Butter]

A guy I work with kept complaining that his breakers were tripping. I
went over and put an amp meter each of the two circuits providing
power to his electric heat in his house. I had first measured the OHms
in ea circuit. When first turned on the amp value in ea was where I
expected it to be about 3 amps. After a few minutes each had jumped to
about 20 and then a few minutes to 40 and finally to 65 which tripped
the breakers.
He didn't want to take some wall down to get at the heating unit then
so I'm wondering what is involved in a home electric heating system.
Breakers, wire, switch, thermostate and resistence wire. Is there any
more to it?
I rarely have internet acess and then only limited time and didn't
find anything useful on the internet.Any ideas?
Rosco

 

[Bob Eld]

A guy I work with kept complaining that his breakers were tripping. I
went over and put an amp meter each of the two circuits providing
power to his electric heat in his house. I had first measured the OHms
in ea circuit. When first turned on the amp value in ea was where I
expected it to be about 3 amps. After a few minutes each had jumped to
about 20 and then a few minutes to 40 and finally to 65 which tripped
the breakers.
He didn't want to take some wall down to get at the heating unit then
so I'm wondering what is involved in a home electric heating system.
Breakers, wire, switch, thermostate and resistence wire. Is there any
more to it?
I rarely have internet acess and then only limited time and didn't
find anything useful on the internet.Any ideas?
Rosco

He needs to get a licensed electrician on it before he burns down his house.
Don't even try to fix it, you'll negate his insurance if there is a
fire....Stay Away!

There has to be some kind of physical short in the system that comes into
play as it heats up. Normal resistance wire increases in resistance (lower
current) when hot which is the opposite of what you describe.

 

[sparky]

 A guy I work with kept complaining that his breakers were tripping. I
went over and put an amp meter each of the two circuits providing
power to his electric heat in his house. I had first measured the OHms
in ea circuit. When first turned on the amp value in ea was where I
expected it to be about 3 amps. After a few minutes each had jumped to
about 20 and then a few minutes to 40 and finally to 65 which tripped
the breakers.
 He didn't want to take some wall down to get at the heating unit then
so I'm wondering what is involved in a home electric heating system.
Breakers, wire, switch, thermostate and resistence wire. Is there any
more to it?
 I rarely have internet acess and then only limited time and didn't
find anything useful on the internet.Any ideas?
Rosco

Is this an electric forced air system? What size is the breaker that
is tripping?

What you are describing is normal for a forced air system with the
current
increasing in steps as the sequencer operates.

 

[Butter]

Is this an electric forced air system?   What size is the breaker that
is tripping?

What you are describing is normal for a forced air system with the
current
increasing in steps as the sequencer operates.

Yes its forced air. The breakers were I think 20 amp or maybe 30. It
was going in steps but the last step was around 65 I think. He has it
off now and seems to be in no hurry since its warm down here. I never
heard of a sequencer for these things. I just assumed it cycled on and
off.
Thanks --I don't get on here to often to check things

 

[sparky]

Yes its forced air. The breakers were I think 20 amp or maybe 30. It
was going in steps but the last step was around 65 I think. He has it
off now and seems to be in no hurry since its warm down here.  I never
heard of a sequencer for these things. I just assumed it cycled on and
off.
Thanks --I don't get on here to often to check things- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

My home is heated with a 15 KW electric forced air system. it has a
100 amp
feed to the heating system and a sequencer that turns the elements on
in 5KW steps. If your unit is something similar 65 amps would be
about
right for the operating current.

 

[terryS]

My home is heated with a 15 KW electric forced air system. it has a
100 amp
feed to the heating system and a sequencer that turns the elements on
in 5KW steps.    If your unit is something similar 65 amps would be
about
right for the operating current.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It certainly sound as though it is an underwired electric furnace!
Perhaps at some point in time somebody replaced a regular oil furnace
that required electricity for the burner, oil blower and air
circulating fan, for which a 20 to 30 amp circuit might be normal?
But perhaps did not replace the circuit with the 'much heavier'
wiring required for an electric furnace?
Also don't understand why the heating unit is 'hidden' behind a
wall!!!!!
Just joking; ................ it's not a grow op. is it?????
Just by way of comment a residence must often have a minimum 200 amp
to the home and would estimate that the circuit for the heating unit
would need a 100 amp breaker and wiring.
Even if one is a qualified electrcian and even if the 'friend' is
willing to fully pay for the proper job, which might require a new
house service it would be wise to declare that the job is too large
and will/may require electrical permits etc.
If above is correct be very careful indeed. Liability for invalidating
someones insurance could be a bad outcome!

 

[terryS]

Yes its forced air. The breakers were I think 20 amp or maybe 30. It
was going in steps but the last step was around 65 I think. He has it
off now and seems to be in no hurry since its warm down here.  I never
heard of a sequencer for these things. I just assumed it cycled on and
off.
Thanks --I don't get on here to often to check things- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Also 65 amps (minus a little bit for air blowers) is 230 x 65 = 14,000
watts = roughly 46,000 BTUs, about typical for a medium sized
residential furnace in a climate that doesn't get too cold?????

 

[Butter]

Just by way of comment a residence must often have a minimum 200 amp
to the home and would estimate that the circuit for the heating unit
would need a 100 amp breaker and wiring.
Even if one is a qualified electrcian and even if the 'friend' is
willing to fully pay for the proper job, which might require a new
house service it would be wise to declare that the job is too large
and will/may require electrical permits etc.
If above is correct be very careful indeed. Liability for invalidating
someones insurance could be a bad outcome!- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

thanks for the input. It does seem like its needing a bigger breaker
but he says it had worked fine
till late this winter. From what I had found it did seem he needed a
much bigger breaker.
I am not in any way going to do anything but look at it. I told him
to talk with the elctrician who does work at our job and since he had
turned off the heat in the house 2 months ago he''s not in any hurry.
My interest now is just in understanding it. I tell everyone who asks
I am n ot qualified to do anything for them. I'm not wanting the
responsibility although I'm not worried about doing anything at m own
house.
thanks Rosco

 

[sparky]

 thanks for the input. It does seem like its needing a bigger breaker
but he says it had worked fine
till late this winter. From what I had found it did seem he needed a
much bigger breaker.
 I am not in any way going to do anything but look at it. I told him
to talk with the elctrician who does work at our job and since he had
turned off the heat in the house 2 months ago he''s not in any hurry.
My interest now is just in understanding it. I tell everyone who asks
I am n ot qualified to do anything for them. I'm not wanting the
responsibility although I'm not worried about doing anything at m own
house.
thanks Rosco

Having your elcetrician look at the unit is the right way to go. I
have installed
several of these units and if we are talking about the same type of
unit
it would need a 100 amp breaker and N0. 2 copper wire.
I am surprised that a wall needs to be removed to access the
heater unless
you are talking about a mobil home where some heating systems are
virtually
unreachable.