Bringing Power In

[DannyD]

Eddie, thrown in a slab of old concrete to make up the difference.............well guess that is too late to do, but this works.

Back in the old days at the hardware the calculations were length x width x depth = cubic feet. The bags then at 90 pounds would do 12 x 12 x 9 inches deep.

 

[HuckBB62]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( Eddie, do they not run the phone lines on the power lines where you're at allowing pole sharing?

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From what I understand, all the phone company lines coming into an property are trenched.

Eddie


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The phone line can come in on your power poles to save money, lay the conduit down with the power conduit (on separate corners, they have to be 24" separation here. Saves a ton later and your com lines go to the same panel as your power. It's all done at the same time to save money and make for a neat install.

 

[BoneheadNW]

Eddie-

This is a great thread- I have enjoyed watching the progress on your project. A quick question: does the weather (i.e. high temps) in your part of the world this time of year hamper your work? I have been to other parts of Texas this time of year and the heat and humidity would do me in with a project like that (that's why I live in the northwest /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif). How do you deal with the heat?

Bonehead

 

[EddieWalker]

Bonehead,

It gets into the mid 90's around 3pm everyday and stays there for a few hours. I can take it for only so long, then I start forgetting what I'm doing. I've cut boards that don't go anyplace, I've walked to get a tool and not know why, or carried a tool around without realizing it. That's when I head for the AC, eat lunch, drink a quart or two of koolaid and take a nap. Two hours later I'm refreshed and ready to work until dark.

I also have two coolers of water and those frozen platic thingys from walmart to keep it cool. I drink about two gallons of water a day, which really isn't enough considering how much I sweat. Lot's of times it's coming off so fast I can't keep the saw on the line, cause it's washing out from the sweat!!

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

I picked up two sacks of readi mix to finish off the pad. I figured one was plenty, but I'm not taking any chances.

It only took half a sack.

This area will be covered by the disconnect box, which will sit on the pad. The 2 inch conduits will all be cut by the electricians when they install it. I just left them sticking out enough to keep them clear of the concrete.

 

[EddieWalker]

Setting two poles in the same hole was a little tricky. Once I had them level and plumb, I added concrete. This caused one of them to shift. With a full sack in the the hole and two pipes, on correct, the other not, I had to fix it quickly.

This is how it ended up. Not right, but fixable.

 

[EddieWalker]

I cut the pipe with my sawzall and put the caps on. Drilled the half inch holes to mount the boxes and removed the forms. Now I'm ready to go.

Now I'm in a waiting game for the electricians to do their part.

 

[EddieWalker]

The electricians installed the boxes today. The hardest part of the job was dealing with the heat and humidity.

 

[EddieWalker]

The boxes are now installed!!!!

Next, they took their measurements and will be back in the morning to install the wire.

 

[OhioGuy]

Hey Eddie,
I always enjoy your posts, projects on steroids!
Keep em coming.....
Curt

 

[EddieWalker]

Today is one of those days that could have gone better then it did. I called the electric company and told them I was about ready for them to hook up the line to the meter box and to come inspect the work.

I'd made some changes to the original plan which is my downfall. I know better, but for the long term, a few days of misery will be worth it.

The power company said they'd be out in a few hours to make sure everything is done correctly.

Then about an hour later I get a call from them asking me to explain again the distance and depth of the electrical run, along with the amount of power I'll be pullng.

Here is where it gets interesting. Seems that wire pulling 1,200 amps tends to heat up some and what would have been fine for arial, isn't even close for underground.

The solution is to run three conduits. One each for each wire. Still three inches with 36 inch sweeping 90's.

At first I was a littel upset. Taken back, and at a loss. What to do??? After a few minutes of shut down, my mind turned back on and I came up with a plan.

First step was to cut the concrete to get two more three inch conduits through there.

 

[EddieWalker]

Then I dug a hole to expose the conduit I'd already buried. I'd hoped to never see this line again. Oh well.

Then a little tunneling under the pad. Then I have to break out the piece of concrete I cut loose. My saw blade is only 7 inches, and the pad is close to 4 inches at the edge.

 

[EddieWalker]

Meanwhile, my electricians were hard at work connecting the wires. Here's the meter box.

 

[EddieWalker]

The wires from the meter box then go to the disconnect box.

I'll connect to the switches when I run power to my buildings.

 

[EddieWalker]

Covers are on the boxes, and they are ready for inspection.

I couldn't find any 3 inch by 36 inch nineties in Tyler, and after calling the surrounding towns, I found a few in Henderson. Five to be exact. In need four.

In the morning I will install the two additional conduits. My inspection is postponed until Monday morning.

Eddie

 

[Larstan]

Fantastic project and awsome job Eddie, the rewire is small price to pay for the scope of your project. I'm rebuilding an old barn and I thought I was working pretty hard but you make me look like a piker /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. Good stuff - keep it coming...

P.S. got to play with JD 750D cat today now that was fun /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[AntrimMan]

Eddie, if thats the only setback you encounter you are way, way, ahead.
Just one of lifes little hurdles. Easily cleared.
All the best,
Martin

 

[EddieWalker]

I've encountered another problem.

The power company gave me a call to tell me the addition fees to running the wire from the pole to the meter box. Originally the plan was to go overhead, then down into the box.

My electrician said it would be more secure and look cleaner if I went underground with it. I liked that idea, so built the pad to his specifications.

Due to the amount of power I'm pulling, things have gotten a little complicated. No problem, tell me what needs to be done and I can do that.

Here's the problem. The cost for going underground from the pole to the meter, about 10 feet away from each other, is roughly $2,000. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

This seems like allot of money just to avoid looking at three wires coming off a power pole. The more I think about it, the more it seems like a huge waste of money.

They justify some of the expense for materials. Wire and three seperate sch 80 conduits with standoff brackets going up the pole. Then there's the labor cost.

It also doesnt' seem as attractive in my mind having three large conduits running down the side of the pole. Either way, it's an eyesore.

Unless somebody comes up with a good reason for spending the $2,000 I'm going to go back to the original plan and go arial. Put in a creosote pole, which I already have, and do it that way.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[Tim_in_IA]

what is the cost for going overhead as a comparison? Since a large part of the cost is labor and digging and setting the schedule 80 pipe, all things which you have done, maybe some sweat equity would lower the cost.

 

[EddieWalker]

Going overhead was included in the original bid along with installing the poles and line. Basically, it's already paid for versus and additional $2,000 after I install the underground conduit to go underground.

Eddie