big maxx 45k thermostat question

[ktmridertony]

Hi everybody,
total noob here with first post. I searched but couldn't find my answer. Does the Big Maxx 45K heater HAVE to have a thermostat to operate? I got it all hooked up and I get a slow green blink which tells me there is no call for heat. I'm guessing that the only thing that will make the call for heat is a thermostat. I guess it just doesn't make sense (to me) that there wouldn't be an internal thermostat factory installed already.

 

[britcar]

You must have a thermostat to CALL FOR HEAT.

 

[Lambo nut]

The true answer would be no, you don't NEED one for the heater to operate, but you will want one.
You could just put a jumper across two terminals where thermostat is suposed to hook to, and it will run until you run out of propane/gas. You could also put a switch between the two terminals on the board, and turn it on and of as you like but it will not be thermostatically controlled.

Trut me you want a thermostat. A $20 dollar one will run it, may even find one a little cheaper. Two wire thermostat wire is all you need to hook it up. Three wire if you want to have control of the main blower fan too.

Kevin

 

[rickairmedic]

KTM you need enough 18/2 ( 2 wire thermostat wire ) to go from the heater to your thermostat location aaaaaand a heat only thermostat to properly operate your unit . Both items should be available at your closest Box store ( Homie desperat or Lowered expectations ) . Make sure the Thermostat if pretty level wherever you install it as some heat only thermostats actually still have mercury switches in them .


Rick

 

[Lambo nut]

KTM you need enough 18/2 ( 2 wire thermostat wire ) to go from the heater to your thermostat location aaaaaand a heat only thermostat to properly operate your unit . Both items should be available at your closest Box store ( Homie desperat or Lowered expectations ) . Make sure the Thermostat if pretty level wherever you install it as some heat only thermostats actually still have mercury switches in them .


Rick

A thermostat that runs both heat and A/C will work also. Does not have to be a heat only stat. I say that because if you are in a rural area and this is your only choice locally it will "work", it will just be switched to heat all the time of course.

And as noted before, if you want manual control over the fan when the heat is not on you will need 18/3 and a stat that has a fan control switch on it. Not all of them do.

Kevin

 

[ktmridertony]

I bought a NON PROGRAMMABLE Honeywell thermostat. It's the round one that just has a dial that turns. Anyone familiar with this that can hold my hand thru it?

 

[rickairmedic]

Ok a round Honeywell is going to be a version of the T57 most likely . They use a baseplate that the thermostat wires come in through the back of . Fish the wires in through the back of the baseplate and mount the plate to the wall . Depending on wether you are running 18/2 or 18/3 . With 18/2 put the white wire on W and the red wire on R ( with 18/3 you would put the third wire on G ). Then simply hook up the other end of the wires to the unit on the same places white to W red to R and lets assume green to G .


Rick

 

[ktmridertony]

Sounds easy enough. Thanks for the instruction. I appreciate it. I may or may not get to it tomorrow, just bought a snowmobile so that with the superbowl, the heater may take a back seat. We'll see. Thanks again.

 

[sideways]

Not trying to steel your thread but, I'm also looking at a 45K hanging LP heater. Not sure which brand as yet; Big Maxx, Reznor or Hot Dawg. But, my question is, would a 45K heater be sufficient to heat my work shop in the winter - its a 30x50 with 10' ceilings. It will have R19 in the walls covered with 5/8 OSB and R30 up top with a metal ceiling. It's a metal pole barn with 4" concrete flloor and 2 garage doors. I don't know if 1 heater will do the trick or if I should hang 2 in each back corner....what do you think?

 

[ktmridertony]

That's cool, I think this thread ran it's course anyway. Personally, with all the reading I've done< I would say it isn't enough. With a shop that big, I'd go with the 75K or something bigger than the 45K big maxx anyway.

 

[ktmridertony]

One last question, What size wire do I use to wire up the thermostat. Can I just peel off some yellow romex and seperate the wires and use that or is it going to be too thick?

 

[rickairmedic]

Tony you want 18/2 if your just running the heat or 18/3 if you plan to use the fan by itself at times. You can either buy it by the foot at Home Depot or Lowes or you can actually buy spools of it . Thats 18 Guage by the way . Yellow romex is 12 guage wire and way to heavy for this aplication.

Rick

 

[ktmridertony]

Hey rick, thanks alot for your input, it was a piece of cake. I was thinking it to death. I got it wired up and it kicked on just as it was suppoed to and blows great heat. I've got the t stat set to 45 and the temp rose to 50 as indicated by the t stat but it isn't turning its self off. Do I need to wire it to do that? I unplugged it for now to turn it off.

 

[rickairmedic]

Tony how did you wire it up was it a heat only thermostat or a Heat /AC thermostat . 2 wires or 3 . The unit may still be running to cool off the heat exchanger . The reason I ask how many wires is if you did the 3 wire on a Heat and AC thermostat make sure the fan switch on the thermostat is set to AUTO and not ON . This would keep the fan running full time if it is set to on .


Rick

 

[rickairmedic]

Tony I just looked at the manual for your Heater and it is just like a regular house furnace , The red wire should be hooked to R on both ends . The white wire should be hooked to W on both ends and if you used a Green wire for the fan then it should be hooked to G on both ends . One other quick note which I have forgoten to point out through all of this is you want to turn the power off to the unit while hooking up the T-stat wires DOH on my part . This is second nature to me so I forget to tell new guys from time to time to do this .


Rick

 

[ktmridertony]

I ran two wires, w to w and r to r. I for sure had it turned off while hooking up the wires. I'm curious why it didn't shut off when it reached the temp I had it set to.

 

[rickairmedic]

Well Tony that one I am not real sure about without actually reading the manual for it but I would imagine that the burners may have already turned off and the fan was still running till the heat exchanger shut off . I am still wondering the Thermostat you got was it a heat only one or was it Heat and AC . The reason I asked is I see alot of the newer digital one size fits all thermostats with switches in side of them that need to be switched . Depending on wether you are running them with a natural gas appliance or an electric one .

Rick