X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: theem on October 10, 2009, 06:23:08 AM
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I am attempting to use a XPS2 to control my 240v 10~15 amp baseboard heater. I have removed the old thermostat, but have a bit of a problem--I only have access to one of the two hot lines (that is, one 120v line is always live and my thermostat controls the other line only). The XPS2 is designed to work in double pole mode, but will it work in single pole mode?
The instructions are at http://www.x10pro.com/pro/pdf/xps2.pdf.
I would just use a XPS3, but it requires a neutral wire, something that I don't have in the thermostat box.
Any help that you could provide would be greatly appreciated!
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I don't think it will work. It looks like it is powered by the 220 Volts from both Line wires. Then switches both to the load.
Do you have access to both of the heaters Line Wires? There maybe a way to make an XPS2 work if you have access to both Line Input wires.
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Try mounting a J box on or next to you panel and putting the x10 switch there you can leave the line volt stat alone. The heater most likely has it's own circuit.
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Mellowmark has made a very good point. If you did get it to work and had the thermostat removed. You could easily overheat the area being controlled. If there was a missed X10 command and YES it can happen.
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As a user of this method myself, I whole-heartedly agree with the esteemed Brian H. Leave the thermostat in. I use X10 on all aspects of my HVAC (baseboard emergency heat, my hydronic system, and my fan forced fuel oil furnace. I also have VERY reliable x10 signal propagation in the house. Twice in the last two years, I have awoken to a cold house, and once I can home to a very hot house.
I'm currently working on a series of hardwired over-rides to prevent this.
BTW, It was a stuck button on my Sears controller jamming the signal every time.
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Try mounting a J box on or next to you panel and putting the x10 switch there you can leave the line volt stat alone. The heater most likely has it's own circuit.
I see your point. I'm don't really want to deal with junction boxes, but would it work if I replaced the thermostat with the XPS2 and installed an emergency thermostat directly on the baseboard heater? Something like this (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270420137578).
EDIT: If I did use a junction box, how would I mount it on the thermostat panel?
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You still will need both of the line wires to get the XPS2 to operate. You indicated you only have one line in the thermostat's mounting place.
The thermostat your link is for is a Cadet baseboard heater. Do you have a Cadet?
I believe Mellowmark was pointing out a J box where the heater's power wiring enters it or near the breaker box where it is feed from.
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You still will need both of the line wires to get the XPS2 to operate. You indicated you only have one line in the thermostat's mounting place.
The thermostat your link is for is a Cadet baseboard heater. Do you have a Cadet?
I believe Mellowmark was pointing out a J box where the heater's power wiring enters it or near the breaker box where it is feed from.
I just used a voltmeter and discovered that my thermostat box has both phases in it... even though the other phase isn't marked. Therefore I believe that I should be able to use the XPS2 without any problems. I'd like to confirm one thing though. The XPS2 is rated for 20A and the breaker for my heater is two 15A breakers (one for each phase). Does that mean that the maximum amperage for my heater is 30A or 15A?
My link to the Cadet thermostat was just a quick example. I'll have to search around for one that I can use on my heater.
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NO you should be fine the circuit is 15amp and the switch is 20 you are looking good. :)%
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If the breakers are 15 Amps each. That would be 15 Amps at 220 Volts.
The heater should be using less than the breakers rating.
The XPS2 20 Amp 220 Volts should be fine.