Installing Electric To The Barn

[Inspector507]

Oh yeah........"The Tugger" has helped out quite a bit too.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.greenlee.com/download/archive/103-104.pdf>LiL Tugger</A>

 

[MossRoad]

Now that would have been handy on several ocassions. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[MarkV]

An electrician was talking to me about running extra empty conduit to a location so that you could "blow" a string for pulling lines in the future if your needs change. He left me with the impression that there is a way to use an air compressor and "blow" a string through empty conduit. He was saying this could be done on pretty long runs as long as there are not many elbows. Is anyone familiar with this method and how you actually go about doing it?

MarkV

 

[RobS]

I've heard of a similar technique with a vacuum cleaner and yarn. The vacuum sucks the light yarn through the conduit then you can use the yarn to pull a heavier string for pulling your wire.

The compressor method should work about the same and would probably be better for longer runs of conduit /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

At work here we use a vacuum cleaner to suck a "mouse" through the conduit. All it is, is a foam plug the size of the conduit with a fine string atached. We suck this thru the conduit and use the string to pull a stronger pulling line thru. We've also used compressed air to do the same thing. Only difference is that we use a small spool of string that unravels its self as it goes thru the conduit. Works extreamly well. The tugger we use only for the very large wire. ie..4/0 or bigger.

 

[MossRoad]

When I ran electric, phone, computer network and TV cable to my garage I ran two conduits. I used a piece of foam and some string and sucked it through about 60 feet with a shop vac. Took about 5 seconds. Then I used the string to pull in a rope. Used the rope to pull the wires. Used lots of pulling lubricant and it worked great.

 

[CTyler]

We used to use a blow fly to shoot down the conduit. Pull the rope back thru and then use the rope to pull the wire. Blow...suck...what ever works.

 

[Soundguy]

I ran phone and power out to my barn .

Just a sugestion. Run to allow more capacity that you need right now.

I originally ran two legs outside, one to the barn, one to the garage ( barn and garage are contiguous, but garage is enclosed and has siding, barn is stalled and has a pull thru. )

At the entry point to both locations I chose a load center that also had an external shutoff switch. The barn one is a wet location box.

I had originally planned for low wattage flourescent lights and low usage.. but i ran something like a 10-3 anyway.. glad I did, as i added some halogen spots in the barn.. and now have some power tools & saws, etc.

Works out great

 

[Soundguy]

<font color=blue>compressor and "blow" a string through empty conduit. He was saying this could be done on pretty long runs as long as there are not many elbows. Is anyone familiar with this method and how you actually go about doing it?

<font color=black>We blow strings to pull new line in spare chase pipes all the time. Fairly easy.. and yes.. long runs are ok without many right angles.

Soundguy

 

[kcbarnes]

I use a shop-vac all the time to suck pull lines in a raceway. As far as the "mouse" goes, I have used the foam ones and also ballons, sadwich bags and even once I used a condom.

 

[buck1]

My 32X40 barn is 100' from the house. I ran direct burial 6 (UF6AWG??) to the barn and have a breaker box installed there. In the house it's tied to a 50A breaker in my main panel. This stuff was rated at 55amps at this length. Inside the barn I have 16 lights (100 Watt) run off 4 switches and 12 plugs. Barn does have an air compressor but is made to run on 110V. Due to closeness of barn to house I didn't run water but probably should have. Swinging around 150' of garden hose gets to be a nuisance /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Soundguy]

I ran water and phoneto mine as well... ran the water, phone, and electric in3 different trenches... probably didn't have to.. but felt better ( and more exhausted ) anyway..

Soundguy

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

I have read all the posts, WOW a lot of great info, and this is what I plan to do, let me know if this will work, remember this is just a shed, no welding, no high power needs. I will run 200 feet (from the house breaker box to the shed) of 10/3 from a single 20 amp breaker. On one circuit, I will have 2 inside outlet plugs, one on each side of the shed, both on a GFI.. On the other circuit, I will add 2 outside 500 W lights, and 4-100w lights inside. I will run the wire in PVC 12 inches down; the wire will be direct burial type. I will run all inside wire, 14/2, in the shed inside of PVC conduit to protect it from the mice. I will run phone cable outside of the conduit, at the bottom of the conduit.

Questions

If I use schedule 80 threaded conduit pipe, can I only go 6 inches down?

What size conduit should I use with 10/3, 1 inch?

Thanks for all the TBN folks that have added to this thread. I hope I got it right.

 

[Phred]

Tom,

20 amps at 200 feet in 10 gauge will give you a voltage drop of ~7%. Thats a little high. Specs call for no more than 5%.
For 10/3 you could get by with 1/2" conduit over short runs and 3/4" for longer runs.

If it were me I would rent a trencher and run some 1-1/2" or 2" PVC at least 2 feet down. Sleeve some 8/3 as you go and glue the joints. That way you will have about 4% voltage drop and plenty of room to upgrade later if needed.
Afternoons work and a couple hundred bucks, mainly wire and trencher rental.

But then again I am always willing to help spend other peoples money.....
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Fred

 

[Hoeman00]

W/ 10/3 direct bury wire u will need 1" conduit because of width of wire.
The wire is flat and wide and may be tough to pull thru w/ conduit it would be easier to pull 4 10ga. thhn wires.

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

Ok after some feed back on my idea I have made the following changes:

I will use one inch rigid conduit and bury it 6 inches. I do not have to incur the cost of a ditch witch for a few hours and my lawn does not get totally messed up. I will have one straight run with only 2-90 on each end. I will also add plastic CAUTION tape on top of the conduit before I back fill and take pictures and measurements and attached it to the breaker box for the next guy to own the house.

I will use 2-20 amp single pole breakers.

I will bury the phone line in a separate PVC pipe.

I will look at the cost difference of 8 vs., 10 gauge wire.

Thanks for the comments it has helped me refine the
project.

 

[CTyler]

I'd be scared to have it only 6 inches down. To easy to chop it up. What about building codes?

 

[Inspector507]

The code for rigid conduit burial depth is 6" minimum.

 

[Phred]

Agreed if you are talking UF-B.

But I would use 10/3 THHN. This is much thinner. Will work well if in a conduit.

Fred