Installing Baseboard Electric Heaters 120vac 1500watt units throughout home. To have choice of Electric or Oil Heat to save money hopefully using electric when the price of oil is unrealistic.
The breakers I will be installing are 20amp breakers, so I am guessing that I should go with 12/2 (20amp wire) instead of 14/2 ( 15amp wire ) since you probably want your wire rated equal to or greater than your breaker. 14/2 can handle 1875 watts, even though the heater for each feed from the breaker will draw maximum of 1500watts.
Another important detail is that the breaker box is at one end of my home and the furthest run is about 75 feet when you add up length + angles for the run. My concern with 14/2 is that under 1500 watts at 75 feet it will heat up even though its rated for 1875 watts. I am guessing I should install 12/2 to have a maximum 2500watt service to each heater, which will definately avoid a long run from heating up?
Should I go with my gut with 12/2 or go with 14/2, because 14/2 will be fine for that long run drawing 1500 of its 1875watt rating?