Electric service to barn

[fishpick]

Fishpick,
The way you described your wiring plan is the recommended way.
I do not recommend putting water in the same trench as the electrical and I doubt that anyone else will.

And here I was thinking I could flow the water inside the wiring conduit - keeping the wires cool and also getting service out the the barn - all in one run! (this is so a joke - don't for a second think I'm being serious)

Farwell - I think you are right... but it's just silly really... once the trench is filled in - and a water line is run 5 feet away... and this thing called rain happens... and then - there is this groundwater thing that happens...

I know - I know - it's code - and there are likely lots of good reasons...

Looks like I'll be digging up another part of the yard... my wife LOVES this tractor board...

Thanks for all the help and insight!

 

[6sunset6]

HMMM I have never come across anything in the code about water pipes in the same trench as electric. I know they don't like phone right next to electric . I think if the electric is in conduit ( which by the way does not have to be buried as deep as direct burial cable ) I think it would be ok . Put the water pipe deep 42" or 48" and put the electrical conduit at 24" .
If you want phone throw that in with the water pipe.
Here is why I think it's ok. If the water pipe is plastic it does not matter and if the water pipe is copper it should be tied to the earth ground anyway.
Side fact, The reason copper pipes are tied to earth ground in the house is not to ground the electrial system , it's to ground the water pipes incase a hot wire hits them someplace.
But to be really sure call your electrical inspector and ask. If you do not have an electrical inspector call your local building inspector and ask who to ask. You relly need the electrical inspector to sign off on it anyway other wise if something happens your fire insurance is not valid. wow another side fact. I used to know all this stuff right up front, now it comes back in bits and pieces.

 

[6sunset6]

Still thinking I think the main reason they are not put in the same trench is that if you lose one you have to dig up both. I kind of think sub service to a barn does not matter much but really check with the local inspectors. They tell you exactly what they want to see. Oh yeah Inspectors don't always want the same thing. In this case the elctrical inspector would call the shot I think.

 

[LBrown59]

Fishpick,
The way you described your wiring plan is the recommended way.
I do not recommend putting water in the same trench as the electrical and I doubt that anyone else will.

Once the back filling is done every thing is in the same tranch-ditch anyway.

 

[woodlandfarms]

The county is putting all of the homes on our street onto an LUD (Local Utility District). They will be burying the water and the electricity in the same trench. I do believe there is a separator of sand. I am also not sure if they got a variance for this due to the crazy nature of the road that services us.

But Yahoo! No more downed powerlines (3 to 4 times a winter from all the trees in our hood).

Carl

 

[Eric_Phillips]

Fishpick,
The water and electric are going in my barn next week. I can let you know then what they did. This would be in Walworth.

 

[MikeD74T]

I took a little different route with my barn. I upgraded my meter base and directly fed a 100 amp disconnect for the house & a 200 amp disconnect for the barn. Wasn't expensive to do & I can isolate power to either building without affecting the other or having to pull the meter & get resealed. It also eliminates that 4 wire thing. The disconnects are outside & lockable. Power Co gave me the new meter base free & swapped the feed over for free as well. Biggest advantage is having both on one meter eliminates that pesky "business rate" that comes with a separate meter. MikeD74T

 

[jacobweaver32]

I have a similar project coming up myself where I will be doing exactly the topic of this thread. So thanks for all the great info upfront, fish did all the question asking so all I had to do was read. However, I have a couple more questions.

1. How can I tell the limit of my service. I believe I told Ohio Edison to put in a 250A over a 200A at install because I was considering a heated pool down the road. But, I dunno what they did. Is there a way I can get this information other then calling them?

2. For those pool owners and installers out there.... how much power do I need to run all the equipment e.g. heating, filtration ect. equipment for a good size inground pool? I want to put this equipment in the barn and I am not sure if 100A is enough to power my needs in the barn and the pool together. (FYI.. largest equipment in the barn maybe a large air compressor or a medium welding setup). If 100A isnt enough with some decent margin... what would be suggested?

Thanks

 

[fishpick]

Fishpick,
This would be in Walworth.

This would be where I'll be doing it... so - please do tell!

 

[Eric_Phillips]

Fishpick,
I haven't forgotten but they have not been out yet to finish the barn. I think I am on the bottom of a long list. The excavator has a big job that he will get $1000 for every day he finishes early. So my contractor is having problems getting him to come out and finish the job.

Anyway do you know of any electrical code issues since it is a barn? I keep trying to get hold of Norm but he is always out of the office. How much building is really going on in Walworth that he needs to be out inspecting so much?

Eric