Electrical question - temporary fix - DIY ?

[ITHINKICAN]

Here is: #1.) The water well. #2.) The above ground wire. Everything happens for a reason - if I didn't post the question yesterday - and if everyone didn't reply - and if I didn't go back out for additional pics - this unsafe wire might have sat there and caused some serious damage. At this point I am thinking replace everything - better safe than sorry. #3.) The water well feeds this trough.

We bought this land end of last June. It is unbelieveable I didn't notice this wire between last summer and now... dangit. What a dummy!!

 

[grsthegreat]

Another thing comes to mind....if your planning on demoing all this and move it to the new building soon. Alot of electrical contractors can install a good, new temporary power panel for use during construction at a very reasonable cost (i charge permit fee + $75.00 rental fee for 1 year). They put this in place near the transformer and use it for up to 100 amps power during construction. You can hook RV and well to it also. done all the time here. Also a good time to chat with local electricians and see if theres someone that you can trust on the new buildings. Just a thought

 

[ITHINKICAN]

Random pics from today... Since I have a new schedule (none - LOL) I am trying to get all the nasty rose bushes up so we can spray with a boom and then grow some healthy grass... :thumbsup:

Tuesday I used my bucket but left them where they started. Yeterday I loaded some on a flat trailer behind my F250 - tore up my arms - it kinda worked. Today I pushed a bunch of them to this big pile... it worked... glad I have a cab.

Anyway - time to talk more about the electrical...

 

[ITHINKICAN]

Another thing comes to mind....if your planning on demoing all this and move it to the new building soon. Alot of electrical contractors can install a good, new temporary power panel for use during construction at a very reasonable cost (i charge permit fee + $75.00 rental fee for 1 year). They put this in place near the transformer and use it for up to 100 amps power during construction. You can hook RV and well to it also. done all the time here. Also a good time to chat with local electricians and see if theres someone that you can trust on the new buildings. Just a thought

Interesting post. A good segway in to my questioning:

1.) Can I do something temporary that is safe and inexpensive? I dont mind buying all new - but doing it twice (once now and once again when we do the metal building) sounds wasteful.

You were reading my mind!! LOL! Thanx!!

2.) I don't plan to demo the old barn... with that in mind: My well and old barn are near my power supply. Later down the road when I have power at my new metal building - do I carry all the power to the metal building - run it through a circuit breaker panel - and then return to the well and barn - it sounds like a waste of wire...

3.) Can an electrician make use of those two wires that run from the 50a to the building? Disconnect that funky outlet and use the wires for something else? Like normal receptables...

 

[grsthegreat]

Interesting post. A good segway in to my questioning:

1.) Can I do something temporary that is safe and inexpensive? I dont mind buying all new - but doing it twice (once now and once again when we do the metal building) sounds wasteful.

You were reading my mind!! LOL! Thanx!!

2.) I don't plan to demo the old barn... with that in mind: My well and old barn are near my power supply. Later down the road when I have power at my new metal building - do I carry all the power to the metal building - run it through a circuit breaker panel - and then return to the well and barn - it sounds like a waste of wire...

3.) Can an electrician make use of those two wires that run from the 50a to the building? Disconnect that funky outlet and use the wires for something else? Like normal receptables...

If the old 50 amp wires still work, they can be used to power a subpanel and with that, it can be broken up into smaller 15 or 20 amp circuits to power outlets, lights, etc.

If this was my job, and your planning on moving power to new shop. If you buy a new , small panel for the existing service, you can go and re-use it in the old barn when it comes time to renovate that. If the current well wires are run to this old service, you can install a waterproof junction box in place of this old service and feed it from the newly rewired old barn with the current 50 amp wires that are running to the barn. Then feed the well with these wires (if they still work and arnt rotted out)... if you get my drift.

See id run new underground wires from the new shop to the old barn just because of the pictures i see of the old outlets in the barn. the wires seem to be just coming out of the ground. Id be leery at how good they are. Lets say you were to run a 60 amp feed from the 200 amps at the new shop over to the old barn, then run a 20 amp feed from the old barn out to the well ... possible using the old 50 amp circuits wiring. Just an idea

 

[boggen]

beyond what everyone has said. i am seeing a good amount of more problems in your recent posts.

if it were me.
i would most likely install new main panel at pole.
run new wire out to the old barn, and install sub panel in old barn
run new wire out to the well.
when ready, run new wire to new barn/shed. and install sub panel in new barn/shed.

i would remove the adapter you are now using for your trailer. (dog bone)
and most likely replace entire cable coming from of trailer. with a new "twist lock" plug able end ((double check on amps needed)). "ya said boys and dvd's" kids regardless. the twist lock. would be harder to unplug and a kid getting a shock.

i would most likely rewire old barn. for switches / lights / receptacles. and run to the new sub panel in it.

========================
actually i take part of above back.....

i would install new breaker panel on utility pole.
run new wire out to the "old barn"
install a new sub panel in old barn and run wire from this to well
redo wiring for lights / receptacles in old barn to go to this new sub panel in it.

when it is time run new wire to new shed/barn and place sub panel in it. for all the lights / receptacles in it.

replace the wire / cable coming off of trailer for a new "twist lock" end. ((double check amps for entire trailer for size))
install full water proof twist lock receptacle on utility pole.
install GFCI standard receptacle at utility pole with full water proof covering.

above is a good amount of cost and not no temporary fix but long term fix.
due to need of running new wires to each area, including bringing things up to code, with installing ground rods. and getting wires from place to place under ground far enough to meet code for your area. i don't think there would be much if any sort of "re do over again costs" in above. just out of pocket expense for everything.

==================

sorry, but to me, it looks like a DIY job someone did on there own. and a lot of the safety is just not there. and i am going to assume there are extra splices and things that you may not be able see or yet have found.

granted i am no electrician by no means. and been slowing replacing / upgrading / bring things up to code on this old farm (sheds and house) and the pictures i see resembled some of the nightmares i have had to deal with. and for me, it meant replacing and putting in new in many spots.

 

[ITHINKICAN]

CHANGE OF PLANS -

We've decided to put a manufactured home on the land. I just spoke to Centerpoint and they will have an energy consultant meet with us next Tuesday. On the phone he said we would need to get some special survey (the one we have is not good enough) that is used for power poles and power lines; he said they cost approx $3,000 since 31 acres. We would then pay Centerpoint $1,800 per pole - to add two poles to our property. It would be at least two poles because they can't go over our old barn to arrive at the location. I said that whole thing sounds ridiculous and he said since it is a matter of convenience that we have to pay the entire bill. He did say if we subdivided a small section of the property, obtained a Deed, a new address, a new ESID - that he could do the first three poles for free. But we'd prefer not to subdivide our property

We don't want to wait 6-8 weeks for the power company nor do we want to pay them $3,600 for two new poles and $3,000 for a new survey. We don't want to subdivide our property because it might complicate other things like our ag exemption.

So my NEW question is this: Is it possible to run some type of underground wiring from the existing pole to the new location(s) - I will measure this weekend but I'd guess it is 200-300 feet - and power up a 58,000 btu furnace, 4 ton ac, all the other stuff inside a manufactured home, of course a new well and septic, and then minor power to the inside of the barn like a few lights etc.

I will get pictures this weekend and post by Monday. Have a great weekend!

Thank you!!

 

[boggen]

there is a good amount of folks that have underground electric running from the poles to homes and to sheds. though the pipe and wire to place under ground can be costly. and can add up to or more than having poles installed pending on multi things.

 

[aczlan]

there is a good amount of folks that have underground electric running from the poles to homes and to sheds. though the pipe and wire to place under ground can be costly. and can add up to or more than having poles installed pending on multi things.

Depends on the utility. Some utilities will put it into your conduit for the same price as running the cable above ground (no pole fees). Have to ask the utility people and see exactly what their requirements are.

Aaron Z

 

[grsthegreat]

Most utilities will not put the transformer 300 feet from the proposed house. they try to keep the transformer between 50-100 feet from property due to voltage drop conditions.

You can run the high voltage primaries 300 feet to a ground mount transformer next to proposed house. Here in N Idaho it cost about $10.00 per foot for them to install the high voltage lines underground.