Have had the same set up for the past three years with no changes or issues.
240 v unit, 30 amp breaker. Twice in three days the heater has sparked and tripped the breaker. Open the cover and everything is hooked up but one connection, supply side of the thermostat, has evidence of arching. Cut the burned wire nut off, stripped the wires and reconnected. Two days later it happens again. Still a loose connection or other possibilities?
I bet the bottom element is covered in sediment and burned out. Disconnect it to verify. (both sides) Wirenut the bare wires before you power back on. If so, it is water heater time.,
He said baseboard heater, not water heater. Can't diagnose from here, but the terminal could be going bad, poor connection = heat and it burns up.
I guess I just have water heaters on my mind. I did 2 last week. Sorry for the confusion If you have a friend with a clamp on ammeter, that would be the place to start. A loose connection will get hot but I doubt it is tripping the breaker unless the insulation is damaged and shorting to the frame.
Probably time to trash it if not sure of the problem. Cost $30 or so not to burn the house down.
Still arcing? or just tripping the breaker? I'd change the breaker if you do not have evidence or arcing and replace the heater (or the thermostat) if there is.
I thought he said "baseboard heater" - didn't he???
I've seen breakers tripped by arcing - and NOT arc-fault breakers either - if they are close to the load limit.
He posted:
" Twice in three days the heater has sparked and tripped the breaker. Open the cover and everything is hooked up but one connection, supply side of the thermostat, has evidence of arching. Cut the burned wire nut off, stripped the wires and reconnected. Two days later it happens again."
A bad breaker doesn't produce arcing in connections. I missed the wire nut part, I thought he was talking about a screw terminal. If they get loose, overheat, they burn and even if you reconnect, it may have enough resistance that it happens again, ie the terminal is shot. But since he says wire nut, the next question is, did he use a new wire nut or reuse the old one. Same issue there, if it's been arcing, gets toasted it could have resistance, but seems less likely, because the wires should really be twisted together and have enough contact so just the mechanical action of the wire nut is enough. And next question is if he's correctly applying the wire nut. With a new wire nut, wire stripped and it looks clean not burned, with the nut correctly applied, there can't be arcing, heating, etc.
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