110-120V Saunas

In general, infrared saunas and some traditional saunas are designed to operate on a GFCI protected 110-120v 15-20 AMP circuit. These are considered “plug-n-play” saunas because they operate on a standard household circuit. It is important to have a dedicated line and circuit even with a plug-n-play sauna due to the high electrical demand on this circuit when the sauna is turned on and running. Therefore, it cannot be shared with any other outlets and cannot support any additional load from things like TVs or appliances because it can overload the circuit and cause nuisance tripping and potential safety hazards.
It is important to consult a licensed electrician for a qualified assessment.

220-240V Saunas

220-240V power installs mostly applies to traditional saunas (rock & water) that use a standalone heater unit and controls to heat an enclosed room. They reason the power draw is so much more than an infrared sauna is mostly due to the fact that traditional saunas heat directionally from one source and because that main heater draws an excess of 4kw depending on the size of heater. The amperage draw on a traditional sauna heater is typically 30-60 amp depending on the size of the heater. Furthermore, most North American sauna equipment has been designed to operate on 60Hz. Alternating current only, 220-240 volts are required.
The sauna must be hooked up to a “dedicated” 220-240 volt, 30-60 amp breaker and GFCI. The term “dedicated” means the electrical circuit for the sauna is not being used for any other electrical items (patio lights, appliances, garage circuits, etc.). If the sauna is connected to a non-dedicated circuit, overloading will result in nuisance tripping which requires resetting of the breaker switch at the house electrical panel.
It is the responsibility of the sauna owner to ensure that electrical connections are made by a qualified electrician in accordance with the National Electrical Code and any local and state electrical codes in force at the time of installation. Furthermore, it is important to reference your owner’s manual for your specific make and model’s electrical requirements as the information provided here is very general.
Electrical connections made improperly, or the use of wire gauge sizes for incurring
power which are too small, may continually blow fuses in the electrical equipment box,
may damage the internal electrical controls and components, may be unsafe and in any
case will void your warranty.

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