Hi DIY'ers, my summer project is to build a tiny backyard sauna and I'd like to safely connect the heater. (Disclaimer: I am fully OK with abandoning the project if the electrical aspect is sketchy or unsafe- I'm in a rental (landlord is aware) and the top priority is that this thing is not dangerous to the property. I am also aware the best option would be to hire an electrician, but before I even get to that, I wanted to post this to get a general understanding of what I'm looking at).
The idea is to make a tiny 2-person sauna for the backyard, and although I don't plan on moving any time soon, it'll be small enough to fit into a trailer if necessary. It's dimensions are 4' x 4' x 7' with this 3kW electric heater (wood burning is not permitted as per by-law in Ottawa ON). I picked this heater because of the price, it's definitely cheap and has a "made in china" vibe, but the reviews seem to suggest it does the job fine.
First hurdle: I see that it's not ULC listed- big problem? I know it's against code. If there's a fire, I may not be covered by renters insurance. It will be 12' from the house. I would keep it unplugged when not in use, and of course test it beforehand. Worth the risk?
Second hurdle is managing the specifics of the wiring. I have this imgur album with the breaker, outlet, schematic and unit. Basically, it's a matter of buying the right cable, attaching a plug and connecting the unit. I'll go step by step through each point and see what challenges there are.
- Breaker: it's two 30A breakers that are linked/connected that power the outlet. I can't turn on/off just one. It normally powers a washer/dryer combo unit.
- Outlet: A typical dryer outlet, which normally has the washer/dryer plugged in. I'd only have one thing plugged in at a time, not a big deal to plug/unplug the dryer or sauna.
- Plug+Wire: I'd have to buy the correct plug to fit this outlet. I also need 25' of wire, that is the appropriate gauge (10 AWG should be safe) and properly protected from the elements. Outdoor temps here can be -30ºC (-22F) in winter with sauna interior temps at 90ºC (194F).
- Disconnect Means: I want to have some clearly identified shut-off in case of emergency, I see 240V rated light-switch style switches, but could also consider an A/C pull-out disconnect. Thoughts?
- Unit: The manual is poorly translated. Not sure if the schematics are also inaccurate. Looks like I just need to connect Ground on 1, Neutral on 2/3 and Live on 4/5/6.
Let me know if there's anything I may have missed. It would also be cool to tie in lighting, but I feel like that's a separate post (I can always do solar or batteries). Again, I'm totally OK with sending the unit back and scrapping the whole thing if it's not up to par... but it would be really great to have a mini-sauna for the fall/winter months and a fun project to work on this summer. Thanks for the help! :)
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