240v heater to older main+range+4 fuse box

9 years ago

Hello everyone,

I've searched for more exact help for my project but was unable to feel comfortable enough to go ahead with wiring my project. I have bought a heater for my garage here is a link to the manual w/ wiring diagram

http://www.northerntool.com/images/downloads/manuals/43603.pdf

My heater model is the EKB2450 for the wire and breaker sizing chart.

I did not realize when I bought it that it had to be hard wired...should have been more aware. I went to the Home Depot and got me 50 feet of some romex 12-2 w/ ground. As the man with the orange apron suggested.

My fuse box is a bit before my time and I'm at a loss on where to begin. I'll upload a picture of the wiring diagram from inside the box (looks like circa 1950s). Please if you could help me out and make this super easy for me (in the Army we call it "Barney style"). I would appreciate it. I have to know where the 3 wires go on each side (fuse box and heater). If you require any further information please let me know I'll do my best with pictures and I seriously appreciate your responses and knowledge.

There is nothing hooked up to the "top" of the range portion of the fuse box. and very little load for the box (just lights and a radio).

(click picture to have it go right side up.)
-Omghouseonfire

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Comments (3)

Ron Natalie
9 years ago
Never trust the man with the orange apron.
I've had to correct these guys giving bogus information to people more times (I just can't stand it). They were telling a guy to GROUND the interconnect wire for the smoke detectors when I was in there yesterday.

The instructions are obvious enough. Your 2450 requires 10-2 and a 30Amp Breaker. Make those fraudsters at HD take back the stuff you can't legally use. You need 10-2

If the "range" connector is unused, then get some 30A fuses that fit the pullout for the range.

You will need two type NM fittings (can be plastic or metal) that allow you to safely run the nm wire into the box and the heater.

The 10-2 will have three conductors inside it. One will be bare copper. You need to find a terminal in the fusebox for ground (there should be some other bare (or green) wires running to such). The other two insulated wires get connected to the screws on the top of the RANGE block just as it says RANGE on your decomposing label.

On the heater side there are terminals marked L1 and L2. The two insulated wires from the cable get connected to these. There is a green wire in the heater that gets connected to the bare one.

If you were sold cable where one of the wires is WHITE, you need to remark (wrap with electrical tape) the exposed white stuff so it is obvious that it is not white on both ends.

Be very careful working on this. Even with the fuse blocks pulled, there are live things in the panel. If this is fed from your house panel, you may be better shutting off the breaker on that side to completely kill he power to the building.

Frankly, if I intended to do a lot of work in the garage, I'd get rid of this antique panel and put one with circuit breakers in. It will be more convenient in the long run especially if you're going to run tools out there.
omghouseonfire
Original Author
9 years ago
ronnatalie thank you for your informative, quick, and easy to follow response. The label is indeed decomposing.

I will head back to the depot and wrap up the apron dude with the 12-2 and make him get me the 10-2. I am only using the garage as a gym so here in michigan in the winter a heater is needed.

The garage has a breaker in the house which I wouldn't think of keeping on while working but sound advice for sure.
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omghouseonfire
Original Author
9 years ago
Just got back from home depot and installed it per ronnatalie 's instructions.. works fine garage heating up as we speak. thank you very much!