Manual

14 SunTouch WarmWire Installation Manual
Troubleshooting Guide
If not qualified to perform electrical installations, it is strongly recommended that a qualified, licensed electrician
be hired to install the heating cables and related electrical components. If problems with the system arise, please
consult the troubleshooting guide b elow. Any troubleshooting work should be done with the power removed
from the circuit, unless otherwise indicated. Call the factory or see www.suntouch.com for further assistance.
Problem
Cable resistance measure-
ment is outside the range
printed on the nameplate
label.
Floor does not get warm.
Floor heats continuously.
Floor temperature shows
“HI” or may show tempera-
ture over 100°F.
Control is not working
correctly.
Control is not working
at all.
GFCI conflicts and
false-trips.
Possible Cause
An analog ohmmeter (using a moving
needle) was used to take the reading.
If measurement shows an open or short
circuit, the cable has been damaged.
If measurement is just a little low or high, room
temperature has affected the resistance.
The resistance measurement could be from
more than one cable wired in series, or wired
in parallel. Either will provide false resistance
readings.
The ohmmeter may be set to the wrong
scale. For instance, the 200 K ohms scale
measures up to 200,000 ohms.
Cable has b een damaged.
GFCI has tripped, indicated by a light on the
control or “GFCI TRIP”.
Incorrect voltage supplied, or mismatched
electrical components used.
Concrete slab floor.
Cables are wired in “series” or “daisy chained”
(end-to-end).
Incorrect wiring. The control was “bypassed”
when it was wired to the power supply.
Defective control.
Floor sensor is not wired properly, or is located
incorrectly.
If a programmable control, the programming
may be incorrect.
Incorrect voltage supplied, or mismatched
components used.
Floor sensor is not wired properly, or is not
working properly.
Loose connection(s) on line side and/or load
side of control.
Defective control.
No power is supplied.
Floor sensor is not wired properly, or is not
working properly.
Defective control.
More than one GFCI on the circuit.
An electric motor or a ballasted light source is
sharing the circuit with the cable(s).
Solution
Obtain a digital ohmmeter able to read 0 to 20,000 ohms and
remeasure the resistance.
Record resistances between all wires and contact the manu-
facturer.
Make the room temperature 65°–75°F, or contact the manu-
facturer.
Make sure resistance measurements are for only one cable at
a time. When connecting more than one cable to the control,
multiple cables must be wired in parallel (i.e., black to black,
white to white).
The ohmmeter should typically be set to the 200 ohms scale, with
the exception of cables having a rating above 200 ohms on their
nameplate label. If the resistance reading is outside the range
printed on the nameplate label, contact the manufacturer.
Measure cable resistance. Check for both “open circuit” and “short
circuit” as detailed earlier in this manual. I f damaged, record
resistances between all wires and contact the manufacturer.
Check for loose wire connections. Reset the GFCI on the control
or circuit break er. If it trips again, check for a short circuit in the
cable as detailed earlier in this manual. If cable is damaged,
record resistances between all wires and contact the manufacturer.
If cable is not damaged, replace the GFCI control. Also see “GFCI
conflicts” below.
Measure “line” voltage, 120V cables have black and white leads.
240V cables have black and blue leads.
Surface temperatures rise slowly in a slab. If, after 5 to 8 hours of
heating, the floor is not warmer to the touch, check for cable dam-
age (see “Cable has been damaged” above). Measure “load”
voltage/amperage to cable.
Multiple cables must be connected in “parallel” (or black-to-black,
white-to-white).
Make sure wiring connections are correct. Consult the wiring
diagram on the back of the control, the instructions that came
with the control, or the wiring diagrams in Appendix 2.
Return control to dealer for replacement.
Make sure only one floor sensor is connected to the control.
Also see “Sensor is loose or broken” above.
Carefully read and follow control programming instructions.
Test voltage, verify parts. See “Incorrect voltage supplied” above.
Make sure only one floor sensor is connected to the control.
Also see “Sensor is loose or broken” above.
Remove and reinstall the wire nuts at each connection. Make sure
the wire nuts are tight. Check all connections back to the breaker.
Return control to dealer for replacement.
Check circuit breaker. Measure voltage at the control. Check all
connections between breaker and control.
Make sure only one floor sensor is connected to the control.
Also see “Sensor is loose or broken” above.
Return control to dealer for replacement.
GFCI units sometimes trip when there is nothing wrong with the
equipment on the circuit, but when there is more than one GFCI.
Reroute power to avoid having more than one GFCI on the circuit.
Electric motors and other electrical devices can cause a GFCI to
false-trip. Run a dedicated circuit to the floor-warming system.