Underground Service Question

[Ford850]

Believer,
Be sure to check with your power company to see if they sell any of the supplies, and what they prefer for installation. My co-op sells the conduit and all the fittings to customers for much less than the box stores. They had lots of good advice too. I bought and installed my conduit (1100') and they did the rest.

 

[Illini22]

It may not fault as easy in pipe, BUT, if it ever gets hit, digin or what ever you want to call it you'll be replacing your service entrance on one end and main panel or wherever it goes on the other end.Because when a backhoe plow or trencher inadvertnly hit it that wire is gonna pull out whatever it's connected to. Not cheap, instead of a 2 foot piece of cable and a couple of splices.

 

[Mark_in_NH]

BUT, if it ever gets hit, digin or what ever you want to call it you'll be replacing your service entrance on one end and main panel or wherever it goes on the other end.

In all Fairness, I know it is possible for someone to "accidently" dig up a residential service entrance. But in Reality, just what are the chances ?
If the proper care and precautions are takin at the time of instillation like marking the line and ditch with tape designed for just such a purpose, then the chance of anybody "other then a bonafide idiot" digging up a residential service entrance are pretty slim.
If the proper care is takin at the time any digging is going to be done, anywhere that it is obvious that there are underground power lines, then no damage should ever occur.
Two simple words come to mind. DIG SAFE !

 

[hilld]

Our local utility requires that electrical service be 3" SCH 40 conduit for up to 320/400A service, that the trench be 4' deep and the utility company has to inspect the conduit in the trench before you can backfill. If you plan on running low voltage in the same trench, it has to be 12" from the electrical conduit, most companies that do this for living will have a shelf, 1' higher and lay the lv conduit on that. See my poor mans drawing.

| .....|
| .....|
| .....| <- Low voltage conduit goes here
| ..|--
---- <- High voltage electrical conduit goes here

Derek

 

[Illini22]

as a troubleman I went on far more "digins" than cable faults. one more thing at the service entrance, if you buy the traditional urd meter cabinet ( highly recommended ) make sure you put frost loops in the cable as it comes into the trough before lugging it onto the meter block.

 

[Believer]

Is the frost loop only for direct bury? I'm not seeing how to do a frost loop with conduit. Thanks.