Low Wattage Electric Heater?

reubenray

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Joined
Jan 28, 2023
Messages
769
Location
Bella Vista, Arkansas
This morning I had my small electric heater working along with my furnace. When the coffee pot was turned on the GFI breaker tripped. Apparently all of my outlets are on this single 15 amp GFI breaker. When it tripped the TV, coffee pot, heater and my Starlink router/power brick all went out. Do I have any options to keep this from happening except for not running the coffee pot and heater at the same time? I hate running the propane furnace being it affects my sinuses. Are there better heaters out there that uses less power?
 
You could run an extension cord through the slide seal and plug it in at the power pole. I've done that in the past for the same reasons. Or run the extension cord to another outlet that's not on that circuit.
Also does the heater have a HI-Lo setting?
 
You have a 50 amp unit. At least I think you do; if not then all of this that follows doesn't apply. So half of your 120v electric appliances are on one side of that 50 amps and the other half on the other side of the 50 amp circuit.

You need to find a way to split you electric usage between the to side so you share all your loads equally. Like - coffee put on one circuit, heater on another.

It is likely that ALL 120 outlets are on one leg of the 50 amps, but I'll guess that isn't the case. You need to figure out what circuit is on which leg.

That floor plan also offers washer/dryer prep. So each of the outlets for those appliances are on separate circuits. Or are in my case. So you can plug into one of those outlets so your heater isn't on the same circuit as your coffee pot, electric skillet, etc. Your furnaces is 12v so that doesn't enter into the equation here at all.

Again, figure out what each circuit (circuit breaker) powers and share the load.

As for a smaller powered heater. I'm not sure. Most of them seem to be 1400 watts (a full single circuit worth of electricity). It's how they can keep up with your heating load. If you get a small heater you will probably only wish you had 2.
 
You have a 50 amp unit. At least I think you do; if not then all of this that follows doesn't apply. So half of your 120v electric appliances are on one side of that 50 amps and the other half on the other side of the 50 amp circuit.

You need to find a way to split you electric usage between the to side so you share all your loads equally. Like - coffee put on one circuit, heater on another.

It is likely that ALL 120 outlets are on one leg of the 50 amps, but I'll guess that isn't the case. You need to figure out what circuit is on which leg.

That floor plan also offers washer/dryer prep. So each of the outlets for those appliances are on separate circuits. Or are in my case. So you can plug into one of those outlets so your heater isn't on the same circuit as your coffee pot, electric skillet, etc. Your furnaces is 12v so that doesn't enter into the equation here at all.

Again, figure out what each circuit (circuit breaker) powers and share the load.

As for a smaller powered heater. I'm not sure. Most of them seem to be 1400 watts (a full single circuit worth of electricity). It's how they can keep up with your heating load. If you get a small heater you will probably only wish you had 2.
Thanks, I will look at putting the coffee pot on the washer outlet when it gets cold enough for the heater. It will only get down to 40 tonight. I did not know if the oil filled heaters were better or not.
 
I have it figured out. The coffee pot and the heater were both plugged into GFI outlets in the kitchen. The TV, Dish Wally and external hard drive were plugged in behind the TV which is on the GFI outlet also along with the Starlink router/power brick which is in the front compartment. There is a non-GFI outlet under the dining room table that I have the heater plugged into now.
 
I have it figured out. The coffee pot and the heater were both plugged into GFI outlets in the kitchen. The TV, Dish Wally and external hard drive were plugged in behind the TV which is on the GFI outlet also along with the Starlink router/power brick which is in the front compartment. There is a non-GFI outlet under the dining room table that I have the heater plugged into now.
Good to hear it worked out for you.
 

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