Can I run a 6kW "220-240v" sauna on the rear outlet? Link to item in question... but don't snake my auction, bro!

[Zaptor]

https://bid.barnoneauction.com/lot/282208650/sauna-room-7x9?ref=catalog

Wife wants an outdoor sauna to make our unheated (natural) pool useable for a longer season.

Between well pump, electric heat, 2 EV chargers, a kiln and everything else, I only really have panel capacity for a smaller 120v unit. *Of course* she wants a bigger one.

If I bid on (and won) this containerized sauna, can I safely wire a 240v/30A pigtail plug into the unit and supply the needed power without blowing up the sauna, the truck, or myself in the process?

It seems like it would work to me, but I am not an electrician... and I have definitely oopsed with power before lol plus I recognize and appreciate that there are a higher than average number of smart people here (and that ain't just flattery, Jack.)

Thanks in advance and please don't outbid me!

-Zap

PS Pool pic tax included

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[B177y]

https://bid.barnoneauction.com/lot/282208650/sauna-room-7x9?ref=catalog

Wife wants an outdoor sauna to make our unheated (natural) pool useable for a longer season.

Between well pump, electric heat, 2 EV chargers, a kiln and everything else, I only really have panel capacity for a smaller 120v unit. *Of course* she wants a bigger one.

If I bid on (and won) this containerized sauna, can I safely wire a 240v/30A pigtail plug into the unit and supply the needed power without blowing up the sauna, the truck, or myself in the process?

It seems like it would work to me, but I am not an electrician... and I have definitely oopsed with power before lol plus I recognize and appreciate that there are a higher than average number of smart people here (and that ain't just flattery, Jack.)

Thanks in advance and please don't outbid me!

-Zap

PS Pool pic tax included

This isn't advice and I am not liable for what you do.....

The specs on the sauna plaque say "6kW", aka 6000 Watts.

Your ProPower is either 7.2 kW or 9.6 kW.

6000 Watts is less than 7200 or 9600.

That's all the information I'll give, and that should be all of the information you need.

 

[K6CCC]

Between well pump, electric heat, 2 EV chargers, a kiln and everything else, I only really have panel capacity for a smaller 120v unit. *Of course* she wants a bigger one.

Off hand, I think you would be hard pressed to keep a sauna heated on a 120V source. Go for the 240 volt and I agree with B177y that the truck should be able to handle it.

 

[cjueden]

Would a sub panel give you the space you need? I think the truck could handle it, but the setup and breakdown when you wanna use it, from my personal experience makes me think it will go unused more than you'd like.

 

[Maquis]

I’d bet your existing service can handle it. If not, just don’t fire the kiln while using the sauna.
You need to have an NEC load calculation performed to make an informed decision.

 

[Bigisland Guy]

Consider this, I used a dual voltage 120/220 wet sauna heater to convert a 120v dry sauna to both a wet and dry sauna. This is fed from a 120v line. First you warm up the wet heater and stones and then after an hour switch to the dry to get it up to the 90's, and then switch back to the wet side to get your sauna rocks ready for water and steam. I know there are better ways, but in the mountains and with limited amperage you find workarounds. Hope this encourages you.

 

[Newton]

How are you determining your panel capacity? Just adding up the breakers isn’t the right way to do it, if you have the standard 200A power you should be fine. You can probably get an estimate from an electrician which would at least give you this info.

It doesn’t really matter if it is 120V or 230V, 30A is the same either way as far as your panel is concerned other than that the 230V takes two slots. You can probably free up a slot by using a double breaker for two of the 120V lines - but electrican help would be best because there are some possible small complications.

 

[hturnerfamily]

as to the original question:

- your LIGHTNING, if you have the optional 9.6kwProPower 240v 30amp outlet, has a 240v INVERTER, and, like any other 240v outlet, is designed to handle up to 30amps, no matter 'what' you are powering... whether your sauna, a hot tub, a camper, or charging another EV...

- powering your sauna, or anything else for that matter, from your LIGHTNING, is just like using any other 240v outlet - there is no 'blowing up', or any other problems, just because it's a truck. Electricity is Electricity. Use it as you need it. That's what the LIGHTNING's power is for.

 

[mr.Magoo]

I take it the experts don't consider a sauna a continuous load and as long as one orange is less than two apples you're good to go ?

 

[Calvin H-C]

I'll have to check the rating on our sauna's heater, but it is on a 30A circuit, which under the code can sustain a 24A continuous load (the 80% rule). That makes for 5760 watts at 240 volts. It's possible a sauna heater is not considered a continuous load as it cycles on and off plus it is only used for short durations, but let's assume so for worst case analysis.

Given that the ProPower 240 volt outlet is rated for 30A continuous, it should have no problem powering a similar sauna heater.

 

[RLXXI]

6000W @240v = 25A. The 240v outlet will handle it with no issue just don't run anything else on that circuit while the tub is running.

 

[bc1]

Wiring in a pigtail is the easy part along with plugging it into the truck. How long it will last drawing 6000 watts at a steady rate before it runs your battery down I don't know. I could ask a hundred electricians around here what would a Lightning put out and they wouldn't know. They would tell you that you need to upgrade your interior panel to add more slots to it so you can run an outdoor box outside to the sauna as required by code. Then they would want a generator type switch on it if you also wanted to use your truck as a power source so you can't cross feed the power. So would the truck work as temporary power until you got your new panel installed, probably but for how long I don't know and that sauna looks like it would need to run one to two hours. Edit: Looks like Calvin and Rlxxi answered that part since I started typing this.

Take out one of the EV chargers and use those two spaces in the panel. Or maybe you can put a couple double 120v breakers in to free up a couple slots in the panel for a 240v breaker. Still need to follow code for and outdoor box, etc. Hope you win the auction at that price.

What longer season? It rains all the time up there. My daughter and son-in-law (Navy Corpsman at Everett Naval Station) live in Marysville. Wife was just there for over 2 months till the end of December for the birth of our second granddaughter. She finally came back home to get a view of the sun and dry out.

 

[Zaptor]

Thanks for the input folks. I should have mentioned, since it is also relevant, that we are on 'time of use' power, at about 10c/kW night and 40c/kW day, so shifting the usage to run from the truck would cut power demand and cost during daytime... which is part of the reason to attempt this
Anyhoo, I will probably bid on this and see if I can make it work if I win. I appreciate everyone's thoughts.
Cheers
Zap

 

[CD4TNF]

You're forgetting the other important item. There's a container BBQ for auction there too!

That stuff looks pretty cool. Good luck on the fun use of the Lightning and getting that sauna.

 

[Maquis]

I'll have to check the rating on our sauna's heater, but it is on a 30A circuit, which under the code can sustain a 24A continuous load (the 80% rule). That makes for 5760 watts at 240 volts. It's possible a sauna heater is not considered a continuous load as it cycles on and off plus it is only used for short durations, but let's assume so for worst case analysis.

Given that the ProPower 240 volt outlet is rated for 30A continuous, it should have no problem powering a similar sauna heater.

Ours has a 5KW heater which is a little over 20A and specifies a 30A circuit. Yours is likely similar as 5KW is a common size.
But a sauna is not a continuous load and thus not subject to the 80% rule. Mine takes 20 minutes to reach 170F, then cycles at about a 5 minute on / 5 minute off rate.

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