Electrical distance and wire size question

[C4Ranch]

What is your base fee for the meters? You could spend thousands trying to save $100 a year in base meter fees.

Yep, that's exactly why I want to price it out first. My base fee per meter is $22/mth/meter. So by cutting one, I'd save $264/yr plus the benefit of removing the unsightly power pole next to the house.

I have to wire up the new well regardless so im gonna have to trench and run 300' in one direction no matter what.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Thanks! I will have to look when I'm out there next weekend.
It's an average size house, 1 AC/heat pump, hot water heater, electric stove/oven, electric washer/dryer, 3 bedroom with an extra 240v hookup for aux water pump.

The barn is less, refer, lights, plugs, aux water pump and RV plug.

Will be buried.

Thats hefty house drain. Looks like the primary feed should come to the house. Then run 6Ga direct burial to outbuildings.

 

[CobyRupert]

Yep, that's exactly why I want to price it out first. My base fee per meter is $22/mth/meter. So by cutting one, I'd save $264/yr plus the benefit of removing the unsightly power pole next to the house.

I have to wire up the new well regardless so im gonna have to trench and run 300' in one direction no matter what.

Normally if the well is feed from house panel, there's a breaker in the house panel protecting that cable. If you feed it from the meter you will need a breaker or fused disconnect devoted for this service located either at the meter or the well house. Depending on what your utility requires. Same is true for the other building

 

[lhfarm]

Here is a long thread about wiring my barn - http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/139326-450-wiring-conduit-how-assemble.html You don't need to read the whole thing. The best advice I got was from the utility company engineer. He came out for free and helped me determined what I needed. It was more than telling me what they required. I'd at least give them a call to see what there requirements are and to see if they would send someone out to look at the project.

Good luck!

 

[BeezFun]

The best advice I got was from the utility company engineer. He came out for free and helped me determined what I needed. It was more than telling me what they required. I'd at least give them a call to see what there requirements are and to see if they would send someone out to look at the project.
Good luck!

Big ditto on that, I had the same experience. He just casually said let's pull the power off a different pole to make the routing through trees easier, I didn't think that was an option. He told me what parts of the job I could do myself, I ended up burying the conduit, that saved $1500 off their price.

 

[deranged]

Big ditto on that, I had the same experience. He just casually said let's pull the power off a different pole to make the routing through trees easier, I didn't think that was an option. He told me what parts of the job I could do myself, I ended up burying the conduit, that saved $1500 off their price.

I'll third that remark. We have a larger multi-state company, but the design engineer has been great to work with. We are in the process of building the new house and the closest pole was ~ 900 feet away. The engineer came out and walked 5 different routes with me to figure out one that would be beneficial to us both. Now I don't have the service in now, but the trenching is done and I know exactly what is expected, boxes, meter, wire, and such. For me I buried the main run to a transformer location the I'm setting the meter and box beside the transformer. Then I'm trenching 100 feet to both the house and someday the barn with only one meter fee. I'm not 100% sure if the well will feed from the house or from the transformer but I have options. I hope my rambling help.

 

[aczlan]

Depending on how reliable your power is, or if you ever thought a about a generator, but you may want to consider that now would be the best time to put in a transfer switch and genset connection point.

Normally if the well is feed from house panel, there's a breaker in the house panel protecting that cable. If you feed it from the meter you will need a breaker or fused disconnect devoted for this service located either at the meter or the well house. Depending on what your utility requires. Same is true for the other building

I would kill two birds with one stone (if allowed by the electrical company/inspector) and get a meter base with a full power pass-through panel (such as: GE Power Mark Gold 200 Amp 20-Space 40-Circuit Meter Socket Load Center-TSMR2020CSCU at The Home Depot ) then add a interlock it (such as: GE PowerMark Gold Load Center/Generator Interlock Kit-THQLLX1 at The Home Depot ).
That would give you a 200 amp feed to the house and 40 spaces for feeding the well, the "Equipment Barn" and the "Small Barn" for around $220 (plus tax).

Aaron Z

 

[C4Ranch]

Took the advice and met with my elec coop about relocating the pole near the middle between cabin and barn.

Below is a recap with answers from electric coop, sound about right?



Planning on running the existing 200amp svc to house (~150' up hill) and to barn/RV plugs which is about 270' away.

Questions:
1. Will this configuration allow 200amp svc to house and barn simultaneously?
Yes
2. Can I also run from pole directly to water well?
Yes, to a breaker for water well. Breaker can be under the disconnect on our pole or if you build a well house I would put the breaker in the well house.

3. Is this the right kind of wire? Not clear what URD means.
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-...eetbriar-Wire-By-the-Foot-55418499/205001902/
Yes, the URD is Underground.

4. What size conduit should I get?
Will fit in 2" but 3" is easier to pull through.

5. Will 4/0 4/0 2/0 be sufficient for the Barn at ~270'?
Yes, you will have voltage drop at 270' but you are sending 200 amps per leg from meter to barn. If you balance your load you will have plenty of voltage for barn and a couple RVs

Thanks for all your help!

J