Re: underground electric service

[zoedog2012]

Re: underground electric service

Got a quote for electric service to new house and shop; $10,750 for 2 200 amp direct burial lines 425' from meter to buildings plus $2500 to install them which includes connection to shop. I will dig trench 4' deep. Does the labor sound high or what?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Re: underground electric service

I had 200A run to my shop... Meter loop was FREE and I ran the wire through the wall from the meter loop, to my 200A breaker box, myself...

They put one pole on my property and all the over head wire was on them, you get one FREE pole here...

I wanted the rest under ground, as the power goes by one of my ponds, they charged me $3.50 per ft. for that and they did it all.

SR

 

[zoedog2012]

Re: underground electric service

How long did it take them to do the underground and what was the length?

 

[Redneck in training]

Re: underground electric service

Our utility (rural Coop member owned) run 500 ft long 25 kV underground line to a transformer near our house. Free installation. I vaguely remeber 500 ft is free. Needles to say our electric rate is about 50% greater that the big utilities charge.

 

[RNeumann]

Re: underground electric service

Wire and conduit eats up that budget fast! The wire needed to get 200a 400+' is huge. We are talking spools mounted on a truck not little things you pick up at the hardware store. Also remember after the meter it's 3 large wires per panel and a good sized ground (4 total wires per panel).

If you dig and they install conduit I'm guessing 2-3 guys 2-3 days. Conduit is a short day and the 2 pulls plus connections is a long day plus. A crew is $200/hr- $250 with truck that can hold spools plus winch. My time estimate includes chasing parts. It doesn't sound too high to me.

 

[RNeumann]

Re: underground electric service

Can you move the meter and transformer closer?

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Re: underground electric service

If this is a quote from the power company, I would be asking them for a single phase primary line to a padmount transformer close to where I wanted/needed the power, I would also ask if I could install the conduit and just let them inspect it, that will probably bring you're price way down.I would never direct bury anything conduit is not that expensive.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Re: underground electric service

Lineman has the right idea as his handle would indicate. I would encase the plastic/fiber duct (conduit) with lean concrete. No one wants to snag a 12.5 or 25KV line. Could ruin a perfectly good backhoe. Be sure and install the warning tape 1' above the duct/wire in any case. Installing the duct will offset the extra cost of direct bury wire.

Ron

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Re: underground electric service

How long did it take them to do the underground and what was the length?

The power company did direct bury, that's how they always do it here...

They had it done in a matter of hours, they spend most of the day getting their truck un-stuck, after driving it into a spot I told them not to, because they would get stuck!

SR

 

[4570Man]

When I did the hookup on my house I was required to use conduit with the top of the conduit buried something like 36" deep. Rock is a big problem here and if 36" deep wasn't possible you had to fill the trench with concrete. I buried the conduit myself. They did the rest of the work.