Tile Floor Heating Pad - 120V or 240V

[mmhouse]

Not exactly garage related but I'm not all that good with the electricity stuff and need help.

We're taking the carpet out of our master bath and installing tile on the floor. We are putting one of the floor heating pads under the tile to warm it up - aren't we weenies these days?

The question I have is about the floor heating pad? Should I go with 120V or 240V? What are the advantages/disadvantages of each? I'm not using the pad to heat the room, just to warm up the tile.

I've been told by some that the 240V might be more efficient and might heat up more quickly. Others have said that it really doesn't make any difference.

There will be no issue with wiring either one. I have plenty of room in my breaker box and am on the main floor with a crawlspace so getting either 120 or 240 to it should be no problem.

What to do?

 

[JamNut]

I'm no expert on underlayment tile heaters. I would go for the 220V as stated it's more efficient and less Amp draw, atleast it is on most 220V appliances. Be sure to install GFI breakers in your elec. panel, better safe than sorry if a short happens!

My tile / wood floors are already in place (bought house already built), been looking at hot water radiant tubing that goes in between the floor joists and heats from the subfloor up.

Good luck on your project!

K.

 

[jrsulo]

Depends on the square footage.

 

[ForceFed70]

It won't be more efficient. These types of heaters are 100% efficient regardless of the operating voltage.

If the 120V and 240V mats are the same wattage, they will both heat up, etc at the same speed.

There is 1 pro and 2 cons to going with a 240V circuit that I can think of.

Pro - Less amp draw means you could use a lighter guage wire (a little cheaper)

Cons - 240V breakers often cost 2x as much, wiping out the savings from lighter guage wire.
- 240V breakers take up twice as much room in the fuse panel.

 

[ddawg16]

This must be the week for electrical questions.....

No real difference in efficiency in regards to 120 vs 240.

Yes, the amps will be about half (assuming same wattage), but the total $$ will be the same to operate it.

You pay for the amount of watts you use....watts is Voltage x Current.
If something pulls 10A at 120V, that is 1200 W.
The same item will pull 5A at 240 assuming it is designed for 240...240x5=1200W.

Same power....

Heat up rate will be the same....

The only thing you save on is wire size....the wire you use depends on the highest current....but that difference is minor for this projet.

So....given the fact that you can go either way...I would go 240....and the only reason being that it will put a balanced load on your home service....if you go with 120V...and it's pulling about 15A....then if you turn on something else with a good 15A draw and it's on the same 120V ph....you 'might' see a slight light flicker due to the loading on that phase.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Or, you could just put on some slippers to keep your feet warm.

 

[Torque1st]

Is this ceramic tile or some sort of plastic tile?

I have had ceramic tile in my bath for 30 years and the stuff feels warm. Good ceramic tile is an insulator and will not conduct heat away from your feet. My uncle has a house in Tacoma and has ceramic floors in the bath with the same warm feeling without heaters.

Vinyl tile, on the other hand, will freeze your tootsies off.

 

[mmhouse]

Is this ceramic tile or some sort of plastic tile?

I have had ceramic tile in my bath for 30 years and the stuff feels warm. Good ceramic tile is an insulator and will not conduct heat away from your feet. My uncle has a house in Tacoma and has ceramic floors in the bath with the same warm feeling without heaters.

Vinyl tile, on the other hand, will freeze your tootsies off.

Hey, my wife says she wants the floor heated...What more can I say!

 

[mmhouse]

Thanks all for the replies.

For anyone who is interested I also Googled and came up with a floor tile forum (no real surprise) with a discussion on the subject....

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=83607&highlight=240v

Thanks again.