I am installing a 5500kw hot tub heater in a Very Old hot tub

[SIRFREEBIRD]

This hot tub is from back in the 70' and has no control panel. The manufacture of the VERSA Therm BX5950AT told me I could hook it up 120V 0r 240V, and it is hooked up exactly the same. This unit only has 2 connection points to the heating elements directly and 2 frame ground anchore bolts. 120V hookup: Black wire to heating elements White wire (Green) common ground side of element and insulated copper for safety ground. Right? Ok, to do as they say, do you combine Red lead to Black lead, and the rest the same? I know in DC this keeps voltage the same but increases Amps, is this still true for AC? Please advise me so I don't regret any hook up.

 

[DonL]

This hot tub is from back in the 70' and has no control panel. The manufacture of the VERSA Therm BX5950AT told me I could hook it up 120V 0r 240V, and it is hooked up exactly the same. This unit only has 2 connection points to the heating elements directly and 2 frame ground anchore bolts. 120V hookup: Black wire to heating elements White wire (Green) common ground side of element and insulated copper for safety ground. Right? Ok, to do as they say, do you combine Red lead to Black lead, and the rest the same? I know in DC this keeps voltage the same but increases Amps, is this still true for AC? Please advise me so I don't regret any hook up.

Are you sure it is 5500kw ? That is super sized.

Green should not be connected to white. White is neutral.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jadnashua]

I assume (dangerous, I know) that you're changing things from 120vac to 240vac? If so, and you run a 240vac circuit, if you combine the black and red, then turn on the circuit breaker, it will, or should immediately trip - it might be quite dramatic!

Neutral is a current carrying conductor. You don't want ground carrying current. It's only there for a fault. So, assuming it is a 240vac circuit, and you're running a cable with red/black/white/ground, you do NOT need the white lead at all and it should be capped off at both ends UNLESS, there's something in the tub that needs 120vac, then, you'd need to find where the neutral would be, and then, you'd have 120vac available as well. You'd connect red to one side of the heating element, and black to the other, and current would run from one to the other, just like it would or did when you had the black on one and white on the other. Ground should go to the ground point. Note, if ground and neutral are currently connected to the same point, and, the neutral is now connected to one side of the heating element, you MUST isolate neutral from the heating element if you're going to feed it with 240vac.

This does not mean that your cabling or circuit breaker are properly sized for this application. 5500W at 240vac 5500/240=22.9A. and for the required margin, you'd need a 30A circuit to power it (code wants no more than 80% of the max on a circuit like this that could be on for a long time).

The safer thing to do if you're not comfortable with this, is to hire someone, or find someone who actually knows what they are doing...electricity can kill you. If this isn't protected via a GFCI, you should consider incorporating one into it. Be safe.

 

[Gary Swart]

Hell yeah, just hook them wire together and see what happens. NOT. You are into something that is way, way over your head. Screw up a plumbing job and you might have a leak. Screw up on gas or electric you may have a funeral. This is the time to hire an electrical contractor, not a DIY job for the inexperienced. FWIW, funerals are a heck of a lot more expensive than a electrician.

 

[DonL]

This is the time to hire an electrical contractor, not a DIY job for the inexperienced.

I agree.

At least wire with power off and stand way back when you turn power back on.

Always use the proper PPE and a GFCI.

Do not cook yourself or anyone else in the tub.

 

[SIRFREEBIRD]

I assume (dangerous, I know) that you're changing things from 120vac to 240vac? If so, and you run a 240vac circuit, if you combine the black and red, then turn on the circuit breaker, it will, or should immediately trip - it might be quite dramatic!

Neutral is a current carrying conductor. You don't want ground carrying current. It's only there for a fault. So, assuming it is a 240vac circuit, and you're running a cable with red/black/white/ground, you do NOT need the white lead at all and it should be capped off at both ends UNLESS, there's something in the tub that needs 120vac, then, you'd need to find where the neutral would be, and then, you'd have 120vac available as well. You'd connect red to one side of the heating element, and black to the other, and current would run from one to the other, just like it would or did when you had the black on one and white on the other. Ground should go to the ground point. Note, if ground and neutral are currently connected to the same point, and, the neutral is now connected to one side of the heating element, you MUST isolate neutral from the heating element if you're going to feed it with 240vac.

This does not mean that your cabling or circuit breaker are properly sized for this application. 5500W at 240vac 5500/240=22.9A. and for the required margin, you'd need a 30A circuit to power it (code wants no more than 80% of the max on a circuit like this that could be on for a long time).

The safer thing to do if you're not comfortable with this, is to hire someone, or find someone who actually knows what they are doing...electricity can kill you. If this isn't protected via a GFCI, you should consider incorporating one into it. Be safe.

Thank you for your conformation of my suspicions that the customer service rep. Was off base. There is no need for the white common ground and the wiring is connected to a twine 50 amp breaker assembly. Thanks

 

[Jadnashua]

It is not uncommon for some things to use both 120vac and 240vac. But, if you are only powering a heating element, you would not need neutral to get 240vac. Something like an electric stove or dryer often will use 120vac bulbs and may use 120vac timer, or even have 120vac receptacles incorporated on the front panel...while the heating is done with 240vac, it would need neutral to get 120vac as well.

 

[DonL]

Thank you for your conformation of my suspicions that the customer service rep. Was off base. There is no need for the white common ground and the wiring is connected to a twine 50 amp breaker assembly. Thanks

White is not ground.

 

[Jadnashua]

We've told you more than once...in a typical system, white is a CURRENT carrying conductor. The ground wire is NEVER supposed to carry current and is there as a safety wire. IN a properly installed system, the white wire is bonded to ground, BUT, it should typically often only be done in the power panel...not on an appliance. There are exceptions. You need the operating instructions for the device you're wiring to be sure. But, for a 240vac circuit, neutral is NOT used. Neutral IS required ONLY if it also needs 120vac internally.

 

[Onokai]

this is spot on
)I assume (dangerous, I know) that you're changing things from 120vac to 240vac? If so, and you run a 240vac circuit, if you combine the black and red, then turn on the circuit breaker, it will, or should immediately trip - it might be quite dramatic!

Neutral is a current carrying conductor. You don't want ground carrying current. It's only there for a fault. So, assuming it is a 240vac circuit, and you're running a cable with red/black/white/ground, you do NOT need the white lead at all and it should be capped off at both ends UNLESS, there's something in the tub that needs 120vac, then, you'd need to find where the neutral would be, and then, you'd have 120vac available as well. You'd connect red to one side of the heating element, and black to the other, and current would run from one to the other, just like it would or did when you had the black on one and white on the other. Ground should go to the ground point. Note, if ground and neutral are currently connected to the same point, and, the neutral is now connected to one side of the heating element, you MUST isolate neutral from the heating element if you're going to feed it with 240vac.

This does not mean that your cabling or circuit breaker are properly sized for this application. 5500W at 240vac 5500/240=22.9A. and for the required margin, you'd need a 30A circuit to power it (code wants no more than 80% of the max on a circuit like this that could be on for a long time).

The safer thing to do if you're not comfortable with this, is to hire someone, or find someone who actually knows what they are doing...electricity can kill you. If this isn't protected via a GFCI, you should consider incorporating one into it. Be safe.)



Red and black are the current leads -green is ground-white is neutral and not used in many 240 v applications -you nED a wiring diagram to do it right .
error on the safe side here .