Sauna Heater Help! - What Cable

[Charlie_]

You think the Saunas are hot, try getting in a Steam room, they are harsh..
A few of my clients like to sit in them for a while and then jump into their ice cold plunge pools!... crackers

 

[Weezy]

Incase anyone else comes across this in my situation i thought i would share my result.

In the end Edmundson Electrical sorted me out, Although not the most helpful reply they managed to find some black rubber based cable that i believe was a type of butyl. It was rated to 160 degrees celsius. Sorry i dont know the exact code it’s been a while since i finished the job.

I do know however it had to come from abroad and costs £10 a meter and the minimum amount they will sell you is 100 meters...

Yea, now i just gotta use this stuff up somewhere.

 

[freddo]

Butyl rubber is nice cable, resistant to grease and oil too. Silicone insulated flex has a much higher maximum working temperature, I think the last stuff I used was rated 250C, but is quite easy to damage.

 

[Charlie_]

If you speak to your local eddies again, ask them to put it on their system and then if anyone else enquirers at any other branch they will see it on their system..

 

[Rpa07]

Within the sauna? Never knew that - seems a tad high.

I know it’s an old thread DPG but if you can’t stand the heat - get out of the sauna!
It takes 20 minutes in a sauna for your body’s pores to start to expel the toxins that lurk within so you need to build up to that. You definitely need litres of water in the sauna with you to replace what you loose and intermittent cool showers to help you out. I like them - just don’t wear a silver chain around your neck otherwise it becomes a silver scar!

 

[Wilko]

... they managed to find some black rubber based cable that i believe was a type of butyl. It was rated to 160 degrees celsius ... costs £10 a meter and the minimum amount they will sell you is 100 meters ... Yea, now i just gotta use this stuff up somewhere.

Hi - just wondering why you didn’t use @westward10 suggestion in post #2? ( it seems to be silicon 180C, less £ and available by the meter)

 

[Eric Krantz]

The manual for my heater states "wire from controller to heater needs to be UL62 approved to 105C". I found SJEEOW wire on McMaster Carr. Can buy a 10-foot piece for $22.

My question is: Does NEC allow SJEEOW to be placed in studs in wall (similar to Romex)?

 

[Pete999]

Megawatt??? help please

 

[Eric Krantz]

Megawatt??? help please

I'm not sure what you are asking here...

 

[westward10]

@Megawatt is a US member so he may see this now.

 

[Megawatt]

The manual for my heater states "wire from controller to heater needs to be UL62 approved to 105C". I found SJEEOW wire on McMaster Carr. Can buy a 10-foot piece for $22.

My question is: Does NEC allow SJEEOW to be placed in studs in wall (similar to Romex)?

The answer is no, you need to buy 6/3 with ground that’s approved for outdoor use. The insulation for SJEEOW and it’s not good for 60 amps.

 

[Eric Krantz]

The answer is no, you need to buy 6/3 with ground that’s approved for outdoor use. The insulation for SJEEOW and it’s not good for 60 amps.

I didn't specify... my heater is 6.5 kW (240VAC), so about ~27 amps.

 

[Megawatt]

I didn't specify... my heater is 6.5 kW (240VAC), so about ~27 amps.

All your wire needs to be # 6. Your manual actually states 60 amps. Do not use short cuts on cheap wire. Especially any kind of SO cable

 

[Eric Krantz]

All your wire needs to be # 6. Your manual actually states 60 amps. Do not use short cuts on cheap wire. Especially any kind of SO cable

No short cuts here. My manual states 10 Ga wire rated to 105C. The wire I bought is 10 Ga and rated to 105C.

My question is: Can I run SJEEOW in the wall? An electrician I called (before I got the SJEEOW), said "Only Romex in wall, has to be insulated".

 

[Megawatt]

No short cuts here. My manual states 10 Ga wire rated to 105C. The wire I bought is 10 Ga and rated to 105C.

My question is: Can I run SJEEOW in the wall? An electrician I called (before I got the SJEEOW), said "Only Romex in wall, has to be insulated".

Article 400.12 states it is not permitted to run through holes in walls. It will handle 30 amps and it’s not approved for wet locations

 

[Eric Krantz]

Great. Then I run it in metal conduit inside the wall? Not a wet location so I'm good there.

Can you explain why you were insistent on 6 GA?

 

[Megawatt]

Great. Then I run it in metal conduit inside the wall? Not a wet location so I'm good there.

Can you explain why you were insistent on 6 GA?

Every hot tub or SPA I’ve wired called for a 50 or 60 amp GFCI breaker and I usually go with #6 which I keep in stock in my truck

 

[Eric Krantz]

Every hot tub or SPA I’ve wired called for a 50 or 60 amp GFCI breaker and I usually go with #6 which I keep in stock in my truck

Thanks, that makes sense for that current load.

What about running SJEEOW in metal conduit through the studs? Will the inspector freak out?

 

[Megawatt]

Thanks, that makes sense for that current load.

What about running SJEEOW in metal conduit through the studs? Will the inspector freak out?

No he won’t flip out but why metal and not PVC conduit

 

[Eric Krantz]

No he won’t flip out but why metal and not PVC conduit

That's a good question... I bought flexible metal already! Can probably return that and go with cheaper PVC.... in fact I probably have a 3 foot chunk in the office that I can use. Looking for a deep feedthrough to go through the 5/8" cedar, will probably have to put a metal plate there?