450' wiring conduit -how to assemble?

[lhfarm]

You don't want to know.
Lowes prices
2" $3.40 per 10'
2.5" $6.65 per 10'
3" 10.54 per 10' (That would be $474.30 before tax for this project)

2.5 at Menards is $9.95. I looked up Lowes online (it is 30 minute one-way drive) and it was over $11! 2" at Menards was $3.90 and they didn't have 3"

I'll find some red tape and I think I'm going throw some cat5/6 in conduit while I'm at it.

Thanks,

 

[LarryRB]

you're only talking aqbout five dollars at Lowe's or Home Depot for a thousand feet of two inch, bright red tape and it reads electrical lines and has some diagonal black stripes also, to catch your attention. Not for your safety as you know where you buried lines, It is for your kids or grandchildren in the future should this be a possiblity and more so, if you ever sell and the new owners don't remember exactly where you showed them....

 

[kenstrac]

You don't want to know.
Lowes prices
2" $3.40 per 10'
2.5" $6.65 per 10'
3" 10.54 per 10' (That would be $474.30 before tax for this project)

300.18 Raceway Installations.
(A) Complete Runs. Raceways, other than busways or exposed raceways having hinged or removable covers, shall be installed complete between outlet, junction, or splicing points prior to the installation of conductors. Where required to facilitate the installation of utilization equipment, the raceway shall be permitted to be initially installed without a terminating connection at the equipment. Prewired raceway assemblies shall be permitted only where specifically permitted in this Code for the applicable wiring method.

For those who want chapter and verse. Conduit is supposed to be complete before wire is installed. I think the logic is that sliding metal conduit over wires could damage the insulation. PVC probably not as big a deal unless the jacket gets damaged by the glue, and since it was installed without the benefit of soap, you will probably never be able to remove it.

and also for the people that put in 3 90's 2 45's and 2 saddles and then try and put the wire in. had a job one day and had to put a pull box in could not pull the old RHW out

As far as the price goes DON'T forget Lowes will match the price and beat it by 10%

 

[kcprecision]

While you are at it pull in an extra string that will be left in the conduit so that some time in the future you can tie an rope to the string and pull in the rope and on the end of the rope pull in a telephone line or cable tv line.

 

[lhfarm]

Now that I am running from the meter base/cutoff, do I need to run a separate ground wire to the barn? Menards sells 4/0 4/0 2/0. Should I shop for a bundle that includes a ground?

Thanks,

 

[kenstrac]

While you are at it pull in an extra string that will be left in the conduit so that some time in the future you can tie an rope to the string and pull in the rope and on the end of the rope pull in a telephone line or cable tv line.

You can not run communication wire in with your 220V all wire in a conduit shall be rated at 600v even if it was you would end up with line noise and running it parallel you will end up with induction. communication wire should be run in 1 in conduit 1 ft apart

 

[lhfarm]

You can not run communication wire in with your 220V all wire in a conduit shall be rated at 600v even if it was you would end up with line noise and running it parallel you will end up with induction. communication wire should be run in 1 in conduit 1 ft apart

I plan to run a separate conduit for the cat 5/6. Will probably run 2 cables and a string. May need a security camera out there some day.

 

[lhfarm]

It has been a while but finale got this project going. The wire is in and the panel and boxes should be installed this week. I wanted to wrap up this thread since the hard part is done and I did learn a few things.

I went with 4/0 wire in 2" conduit. I tired to justify the 3 times the cost of 2 1/2" and just couldn't do it. That went in the trench at 3'. A foot above that I ran 1" conduit with 2 Cat 5e and a pull string. A foot above that (so 12' from the top) is the red warning tape.

I called ahead to Menard's (the closet local box store) to make sure they had the cable. The sales guy recommended that I get a pallet and attach some 2x4s to the sides for handling the cable as it came off of their spool. Luckily, I had acquired new forks and this method turned out every well. As you can see in the first couple of pictures, I was able to string the cable out by myself. I did have one of the uprights come off, but I only had to get off the tractor a couple of times. I just backed my way to barn and watch as the cable came off the pallet.

I learned the hard way that I should have gotten the cable as straight as possible before sliding in the conduit. I was using a strap over my shoulder to pull the 10' sticks. For the first several pieces, I was using brute force to striaghten the cable by passing it through the conduit. 2 1/2" would have been easier for sure, but I finally figured out that if I the cable as straight as possible the conduit went on fairly easily. But it took time as I was pulling until I hit a tight spot. I'd stop, straighten the wire and pull again. Next time (I hope never!), I'd stretch the entire length before I started.

We are having some remodeling done and I had our contractor dig the trench, using my BH. He is an experience operator and I was running out of time before the snow files. As he started digging away from the garage, he saw water coming up from the bottom of the trench. He thought he had hit a water line, but figured out (after probing) that it was just water perking up through the clay. As you can see in the picture, the trench filled with water. He hit a couple of other spots on the way to the barn. We had lots of rain this fall, but none recently. I'm going to mark the spots and do some digging (to the side) later to see if it might be a spring. A guy can always hope!

I'm really looking forward to having power at the barn. I decided to have a pro install the panel and shut-offs and I'll do the wiring in the barn. I really appreciate all the comments and advice.

Thanks,

 

[jenkinsph]

Glad you got this completed, and was wondering how you felt about the cost of the project overall? Do you still feel you saved money?

 

[Coyote machine]

Curious as to whether you used any line pulling lube to make the pulling of the cable easier and to not damage the insulation jacket on the cable. It is available at electrical supply houses and possibly at Home Depot, etc.
Did you price out 3" conduit? It might have been cheaper than the 2.5" due to it being used more often.
The other trick is to pull toward the sweeps in your conduit instead of through them first. Example: if you had to sweep around the barn corner to head toward the house it is better to start on the straight run from the house and then hit the sweep area, where pressure builds at the barn end last. Also having someone feed the cable into the conduit and have someone else pull at the other end works well to reduce the kinks and other things cable likes to do.