How to Power Your Bed Bug Heat Package

A bed bug heat treatment requires a lot of power, so you need to be careful about where you plug in each extension cord, so the power draw is balanced throughout the home for the available power.

Your first step is to set up your heaters where you need them in each room, but don’t plug them in just yet. Once you’re set-up, you need to find out what power is available in the home. If you’re doing this before choosing which unit to rent, then just work off where you plan to place the heaters.

How to Find Out the Amp Value of the Circuits in a Home

To find out the value of the circuits in a home, you need to find the breaker panel. They are usually on the outside of the home for a single-family home or in the master bedroom or laundry room for other homes.

When you find it, open the door and look at the breakers. You’ll see a numeric value on each of the switches, and this is the amp value for that circuit. This will tell you how much power is available in each area, so you can safely plug in your heaters.

Your next step is to figure out how many circuits you’re going to need to power the package you are using.

How to Figure Out How Many Circuits You’ll Need to Use

Now you need to do the math to figure out how many separate circuits you’ll need to power your heat package.

If you’re using the Elite 4 Heater, you’ll need 4 separate 15 or 20 amp (110 volt) circuits – so you’ll have 4 heating elements plus a fan per circuit.

If you’re using the Elite 8 Heater, you’ll need 4 separate 20 amp (110 volt) circuits or 8 separate 15 amp (110 volt) circuits.

How to Step Down 240v to 120v

If you have 240 volt structures, then you may need to use a distribution kit (which can also be rented from us if necessary). This will step it down to 120 volts and give you an additional four 15 amp (120 volt) circuits to use.

Plug-In Your Heaters

Your heat package will be supplied with blue and black cords. For example, the Elite 4 has one black cord for the fan. There are also 4 blue cords to plug into the elements. These blue cords are 115v, so you need to be careful when you plug them into the wall outlets. Each circuit should only have one blue cord plugged into it. Again, if you’re unsure where the circuits are, go back to the breaker panel and look since there should be labels.

Similarly, if you are using the Elite 8 Heater, you’ll have a similar set-up. You can use 2 blue cords per 20 amp circuit or 1 blue cord per 15 amp circuit.

Every plug should be pushed in tightly at the wall, any extension cords, and into the units themselves.

Once you’re sure you have divided up the power to different circuits and have everything plugged in securely, you’re ready to continue with the heat treatment.