Branching off baseboard heat

[Jmet79]

I need to add shop lights to my basement. I currently have one baseboard heater that runs straight to the breaker. Its a cadet 240v/4.2amp 1000w heater wired directly to a 20 amp double pole breaker.. my question is can this wire be spliced into a junction box and used this for my shop lights?

 

[RetiredNY]

I need to add shop lights to my basement. I currently have one baseboard heater that runs straight to the breaker. Its a cadet 240v/4.2amp 1000w heater wired directly to a 20 amp double pole breaker.. my question is can this wire be spliced into a junction box and used this for my shop lights?

No, you cannot. Electric heat runs on a 240 volt circuit, lights run on 120 volts.

 

[Jmet79]

No, you cannot. Electric heat runs on a 240 volt circuit, lights run on 120 volts. thanks for confirming. My only thought was wether or not I could splice a converter off of that wire

No, you cannot. Electric heat runs on a 240 volt circuit, lights run on 120 volts.

ok thanks for confirming. I was skeptical myself as all the shop lights are 120v. A shop electrician mentioned something about a converter?

 

[RetiredNY]

ok thanks for confirming. I was skeptical myself as all the shop lights are 120v. A shop electrician mentioned something about a converter?

What is a "shop electrician?"

 

[Jmet79]

What is a "shop electrician?"

Sorry, my factory has electricians. Brief conversation led to this. He rambled on about wiring which was overwhelming. Just looking for the best solution. That circuit was the first to come to mind as it is just a heater on it as of now

 

[Megawatt]

Sorry, my factory has electricians. Brief conversation led to this. He rambled on about wiring which was overwhelming. Just looking for the best solution. That circuit was the first to come to mind as it is just a heater on it as of now

The biggest question is do you have a way to put your lights on a separate 20 amp single pole breaker instead of tapping it on a 20 amp double pole breaker. Baseboard heaters draw a lot of current so I would highly suggest that you find a way not to use that double pole breaker. Good luck and welcome to the forum. Since you are a DIY then hire an electrician to fix your electrical system to accommodate a 20 amp single breaker.

 

[RetiredNY]

Just looking for the best solution.

You're adding shop lights to your basement. Surely there are already lights down there. That would be a better choice of circuits to tap off of. Otherwise, run a new 120 volt circuit.

 

[lawrence101]

I need to add shop lights to my basement. I currently have one baseboard heater that runs straight to the breaker. Its a cadet 240v/4.2amp 1000w heater wired directly to a 20 amp double pole breaker.. my question is can this wire be spliced into a junction box and used this for my shop lights?

Short answer no, the heater runs off 240 volts , the shop lights are 120 volts. If there is a receptacle/plug in your shop run a wire from that to the shop lights , via a switch of course.