Art Project / Road Light selectrical advice

[Cord]

Try plugging your data in this calculator: Voltage Drop Calculator

When I plug in a 15a load with 220v power at 700' distance I come up with a #4 copper conductor. #2 if you want aluminum. 3/0 at 110v with aluminum. The getcha is that most domestic three prong outlets are not 110v. Make sure you use the correct 220v outlet with the horizontal tang.

With #8 copper (no option for #10) and a 15a load at 110v you can only go about 160' before the voltage drop exceeds 3%.

Summary: Long runs suck with low voltage.

 

[aczlan]

Thanks guys. I just remembered Ohms Law and realized that the DC Push on the lines would be stupid. 240 it is.
Mendonsy, at that distance I would be lucky to get any useable juice at 800 feet to power anything but maybe a battery charger for an automatic gate (you see where I am going with this, don't ya?)

Per Voltage Drop Calculator starting with 240VAC on 12/2 wire with stepdown transformers to your lights and a 240v to 120v stepdown transformer for your gate (although, if using a 12v powered gate, a 240VAC to 12VDC charger might be more efficient) would give you 2 amps at 240VAC or 4 amps at 120VAC.
A 10 gauge wire would bump the available power to 4.5 amps at 240VAC.

Aaron Z

 

[dave1949]

Phase Converters & Step-Up Transformers - Phase Converter Information

Interesting thread. I don't know if step-up/down transformers are an option price-wise, but they would get the power moved without a lot of line loss.

 

[woodlandfarms]

So here was an interesting question posed to me. A friend has an estate. The road is a good 1000 feet long and there are lights up and down the road. I am assuming that either underground their is a massively thick cable or some sort of transformer stepping 440 down to 110 hidden in the trees. Anyone have first hand experience with lighting long driveways?


But back to my project.... I might have 4 working amps avail on the run. Each display is pulling lets go high and say 100 watts. I need 600 watts. Do I base my needs on the transformer and 12 volts or the 220 running down the hill. With 12 volts I am at 50 amps. Guess I have my answer already.. With 220 I need an amp...

 

[aczlan]

So here was an interesting question posed to me. A friend has an estate. The road is a good 1000 feet long and there are lights up and down the road. I am assuming that either underground their is a massively thick cable or some sort of transformer stepping 440 down to 110 hidden in the trees. Anyone have first hand experience with lighting long driveways?

Probably the voltage is stepped up and then down...

But back to my project.... I might have 4 working amps avail on the run. Each display is pulling lets go high and say 100 watts. I need 600 watts. Do I base my needs on the transformer and 12 volts or the 220 running down the hill. With 12 volts I am at 50 amps. Guess I have my answer already.. With 220 I need an amp...

100 watts at 12v is 8.3 amps. That's a lot of light. A 9004 high beam is only 65 watts...

Aaron Z

 

[Mendonsy]

Thanks guys. I just remembered Ohms Law and realized that the DC Push on the lines would be stupid. 240 it is.

Mendonsy, at that distance I would be lucky to get any useable juice at 800 feet to power anything but maybe a battery charger for an automatic gate (you see where I am going with this, don't ya?)

Yes. I just thought having an outlet or two nearby for some power tools might prove useful someday.

Here is a link that might get you better prices on underground cable. They had 12/3 UF-B for $680 for a 1000' roll.
Electrical Wire, Welding Cable, Romex, Hook Up Wire - WesBell Electronics

 

[RobertBrown]

Make your sculptures from clay? The amp draw is considerably less....