220 v A/C unit

I recently moved into my first house - an early 70s "raised bungalow" with a 150-amp ITE Blueline Panel, connected to a Pony Panel. The 'lower-level' of the house is a self-contained 800-sq ft "in-law suite". Electric baseboards heat both levels (17,000 baseboards-only watts, in total).

I've hired a very capable and conscientious (IMO) licensed electrician to do a couple of smaller electrical installations, but we have a project coming up on which I don't feel we're communicating very well, and I feel uneasy: Electrical suppliers are telling me the materials my electrician has asked me to buy really aren't appropriate ... and that makes me wonder if they're safe. In the upper level (1200 sq ft - where I live), I'd like to install an older wall-mount 220-v air conditioner, which I'd been using in my previous apartment: "230/208 v, 60 HZ, 1 PH, 16,000-BTU, 11-amp,

2250-watt, wall-plug Tandem Blade 15 Amp (ie: two horizontal 'eyes'; and a vertical 'mouth'), 1989-model Electrohome - Model Number A1602A." The Owners' Manual for the unit specifies #14-gauge receptacle wiring.

A service-technician who recently "tuned up" the A/C unit told me: . the unit's built-in thermostat is "220-volt ... there's no step-down transformer"; and . he had no idea if the unit was a "single stage" or "two-stage".

The installation will involve a couple of minor wrinkles: . we intend to bypass the unit's built-in thermostat, and install a programmable wall-mount thermostat (preferably 7-day) some distance away from the unit; and . the unit will be wired to the Pony Panel, onto a circuit to which one (or two?) upper-level ONLY baseboard heaters are already connected.

The thinking is that, once "a/c season" arrives, the individual thermostat(s) of theses baseboard(s) will be turned to "zero" - and, regardless, there is no circumstance in which both the a/c unit and baseboard-heaters will both be 'on' - something I alone will be completely in control of. This idea does make sense to me - but then I have no "technical" basis on which to consider it.

The Installation My Electrician Proposes . my purchasing a wall-mount thermostat: "reverse-acting, double-pole, line-voltage for 220v air conditioner" . my buying 12-2 gauge wiring for: Run One: "connecting the thermostat directly to the A/C unit" (44 feet); and Run Two: "connecting the thermostat directly to the Pony Panel" (62 feet).

The Problem . Some electrical-supply places tell me they're "not even sure it's possible to bypass the unit's thermostat." My electrician says it's "a piece of cake" - though all he knows about the unit is that it's a wall-mount 220-volt with wall plug-in. . Every supplier I've spoken to about the thermostat recommends against what my electrician has specified: They all say he should be installing "a relay and step-down transformer, to be able to use a low-voltage AC thermostat". They also don't agree with the 12-2 wiring. My electrician's response to all this was: "Naw - we don't need a relay. Just get the thermostat I told you, and right amount of

12-2 wire".

And now, this morning, the electrician's let me know that he'll "pick up everything - save you the trouble".

I know this guy means well - and I do trust him. But no one seems to think his plan makes sense except him. If I can't figure all of this out, I've decided I'd rather forget the whole idea than install the unit without a wall-mount thermostat. (Unfortunately, the most informative Web sites from which I could learn something aren't really helpful - they assume I already know the difference between a volt and an ampere. I don't.)

If you're read this far, I thank you for your time ... any feedback would be really appreciated.

Thank you.

Reply to
Jacques
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Finding a 220v "reverse acting" (I suppose that means closes on temperature rise - the opposite of what a 220v heat thermostat would do) thermostat, wall-mountable will be a job and a half.

I would forgoe that plan and simply install a 220 wall switch, and let the actual A/C mounted thermostat continue cycling the compressor as needed.

Ideally, large loads like 220v a/c's homerun to the main panel, but if your subpanel has the capacity to handle the extra load of an a/c then there's no harm in it.

There was a time when A/C outlets and electric BB heat could share a circuit, but that allowance ended 2 or 3 revisions ago.

And finally, I don't know what your Kwh rate is, or how much you enjoy hearing a large window shaker rattle, but I'd consider a new, energy-saving model instead of reinstalling an older unit.

Reply to
HA HA Budys Here

temperature

How many do you want? I will have them by 8 AM my time! Greg

Reply to
Greg O

Thanks - your last point first:

- Surprisingly, the A/C Unit's "energy-rating" isn't that outrageous (not nearly as efficient as new ones - true ... but that, and noise, were key reasons I wanted to install the wall-mount therm: to "program" the Unit to run during daytime, while I'm away ...)

- Would you mind clarifying "that allowance ended 2 or 3 revisions ago"? I assume you're referring to an Electrical Code (I'm in Québec)

- but my real concern is this: Does this comment from you mean my electrician's proposal to have the Unit share a circuit with electric BB heater(s) is an arrangement that does not comply with the electrical code??? Thanks for your time.

Reply to
Jacques

Thanks Greg - hope you saw ALL the specs I need: "PROGRAMMABLE, line-voltage, double-pole, reverse-acting thermostat for 220v A/C Unit". (My preference is 7-day programming ... but 5+2-day would be fine too). Could you kindly send along details on the thermostat you have in mind? Thanks.

Reply to
Jacques

I don't know about Canada, but the NEC no longer allows both 220v baseboard heat and 220v A/C units on the same circuit.

Reply to
HA HA Budys Here

No kidding..its not like you cant get them...

Reply to
*CBHVAC*

Thanks to all who took the time to make thoughtful comment. Here's where I've ended up, based on advice of a well respected supplier:

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. Install a Relay With Built-In Transformer made by Aube Technologies
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Model Number

840T.

. This Relay will be installed directly inside the AC Unit.

. Will also install a new Programmable Heating/Cooling Thermostat by Aube

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Model Number TH-141-HC-28.

. This thermostat is NOT powered by low-voltage, but by two AA batteries.

. Will use #18 or #20 wire for connection between the Thermostat and the AC Unit (44 feet)

. Will use use #14-2 or #12-2 wire for connection between the AC Unit and the electrical Panel (16 feet)

. Operations: AC Unit will operate as before/as normal. Manual dials on the AC Unit will all be functional as before/normal (ie: temperature-level setting ... blower-fan settings) - with one possible/probable exception: May not be able to run "fan only" ... may be that fan will only function if/when compressor operates at the same time.

. Sounds good to me. I expect that means I'm missing something.

Reply to
Jacques

You did not mention what above items cost, if under $175.00 USD I will very surprised indeed.

For myself, I'd use 2 contactors, double pole, 24vac coil with auxillary switches so that only one contactor can be energized at once. A 24 volt transformer and a 7 day programmable thermostat.

Reply to
frytech

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