Underground electric service

[RobA]

I talked to the electric utility today about what they would require for getting electric service underground to my future house site. I wanted to run conduit sooner rather than later (it will be 1,500 to 2,000 foot run). They informed me that they don't want conduit and just want the electric cable buried. They explained that the conduit can provide a path in the event of an electrical fire. Anyone ever hear of this? I thought I read on this site that some of you guys pull electric service cables though an underground conduit.

 

[kennyd]

This is different for each EL company...

My provider, (BGE) does NOT use conduit, but direct buries the EL lines, BUT another company nearby (Allegheny Energy) requires a the homeowner install 3" conduit with a 1/4" rope installed before they will give you a new service.

Bottom line is you have to do what they want...

 

[JB4310]

I've got both, My house which is 100+ ft from the street, has an underground 200 amp service in 3 inch pipe, I had it done when I upgraded 70 year old house.

My little shop in the back is 300+ ft from the street and has a direct burial separate 100 amp service which was done before I bought the property.

I'd prefer pipe but in your case with such a long run, I think that may have something to do with it, that would be a long pull.
Does the power company own the wire and replace/repair if needed?
In my case I payed the initial cost of wire and install to the house but they are responsible for it in the future, would be easy to change with it in pipe. I don't know who would be responsible for replacing the direct bury service to the shop.

As far as the fire hazard goes, I don't buy that reason, does seem possible, but conduit is used everywhere so it can't be such a concern.

JB.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

I put mine in 2" carlon pvc pipe.
a friend of mine with a 1500 foot run had hers done direct burial with "way stations" every 300 feet so if there's a break they don't have to replace the entire run. (that was the compromise with the electric co -- they wanted to do the run above ground through mixed cedar & hardwood "forest"
either way, I suspect you're going to need to do some talking to the power company if only to see why they want to do direct burial. the electrical fire argument doesn't make sense.

 

[Mike058]

Interesting, I'd think they'd be more worried about something cutting the lines and blowing their transformer than a fire in conduit. But I know there's a different set of rules applied to the cable before it gets to the service pole than after. In Washington, the Department of Labor and Industries has to sign off on service laterals. Our utility company had a nice booklet that outlined how everything needed to be done to their (and the state's) satisfaction. You should get an estimate from an electrician for the job. It'll be expensive, but I found that when I priced out the materials for the price I would have to pay, their price wasn't that much more. And when you have a real pro do it, things go real smooth with the utility company and the inspector.

 

[MarkV]

I think I was lucky when we went 200' underground from the last pole to the house. The electric co-op supplied the wire but were very expensive for the trenching, a lot of rock in the area. I dug the trench, 30" deep here", they inspected and dropped the wire in.

MarkV

 

[capi75rs]

Here in central Il, direct burial is common. The electric company prefers that the conduit not be used due to the reason you stated and that water can get into the conduit and freeze causing a big problem in the winter. All they require is that the wires be in conduit where exposed at the pole and house. At these location you put the wire in conduit above the ground and just below @ 18-24", check with your local electric company and/or code for your required depth, and end with a 90 degree elbow below ground. If you have to provide the cable which we have too, make sure it is direct burial cable and not your standard service entrance wire. The wire will state on it direct burial. Also with @ 2000' of run, you'd be time and money ahead to use direct burial.

 

[Jimbrown]

The COOP ran 1200 ft to my house direct burial. The stuff was called direct burial armored conduit. It is about 5 in in diameter and I guarantee it is 10 times stronger than any PVC conduit.I don't think you could cut it with an axe. They used a large radial cut off saw to cut it.

 

[bowhunter543]

Here in northern Wisconsin, they use direct burial for entrance cable.
They say it's because of frost that can go as deep as four feet. They also lay it with wiggles in for expansion.

 

[Cap-n-Cray]

At my property the wire from the pole to the transformer box which supplies 200 AMP service to the house and 200 AMP to the shop was direct burial. It had been there for four years before we moved in. A year after we moved in the electrical company replaced the direct burial wire with conduit and pulled a new wire. They said they were leaking electricity. The wire looked something like big coax cable, single middle conductor with an outer conductor. I think they said it was 7000 volts high frequency. I do have a large transformer box at ground level.

Cary