Cost to connect to the grid?

[Larry Caldwell]

As I mentioned in my post, the electric utility company doesn't do the work on private properties so my only option is to work with contractors.

Why do you need a contractor? If you go underground, all you need is a trench and high voltage wire. Then the power company connects one end to their service and sets a transformer on the ground at the house. If the soil is rocky, you will need to either bed the wire in sand to prevent damage, or put the whole thing in conduit. I recommend conduit. If there are no bends, a 900' pull should be possible. When I did it, I just slid conduit over the wire in sections, and let the next owner deal with repairs, if any. For a residential service, the voltage will probably be low enough that you won't even have to high pot the wire. (test for high voltage leaks) Sand would be simpler than conduit. All you would need is a backhoe, and some way of handling a 1000' spool of wire. A farm tractor with a bale spear would probably do it.

 

[dirttoys]

Why do you need a contractor? If you go underground, all you need is a trench and high voltage wire. Then the power company connects one end to their service and sets a transformer on the ground at the house. If the soil is rocky, you will need to either bed the wire in sand to prevent damage, or put the whole thing in conduit. I recommend conduit. If there are no bends, a 900' pull should be possible. When I did it, I just slid conduit over the wire in sections, and let the next owner deal with repairs, if any. For a residential service, the voltage will probably be low enough that you won't even have to high pot the wire. (test for high voltage leaks) Sand would be simpler than conduit. All you would need is a backhoe, and some way of handling a 1000' spool of wire. A farm tractor with a bale spear would probably do it.

This is well said, skid with forks would be my choice for wire handling. It has been educational for me to look at the change in the cost of materials over just the last couple of years!

I don't if when the costs will come down, but, I would spend the money to get connected, long before I would buy battery banks.

Best,

ed

 

[rogerius]

Why do you need a contractor? If you go underground, all you need is a trench and high voltage wire. Then the power company connects one end to their service and sets a transformer on the ground at the house. If the soil is rocky, you will need to either bed the wire in sand to prevent damage, or put the whole thing in conduit. I recommend conduit. If there are no bends, a 900' pull should be possible. When I did it, I just slid conduit over the wire in sections, and let the next owner deal with repairs, if any. For a residential service, the voltage will probably be low enough that you won't even have to high pot the wire. (test for high voltage leaks) Sand would be simpler than conduit. All you would need is a backhoe, and some way of handling a 1000' spool of wire. A farm tractor with a bale spear would probably do it.

Good advice but not so sure if at the end I'll save something other than cost of digging the trench which I estimate at 2-3K. I still need to hire an electrician to do all the connections, select the disconnect, source the materials, etc. Here in Canada everything needs to be inspected by the ESA(electrical safety authority). Entire job needs to be as per code and inspected step by step, so for me to interpret the code, source the materials, digging the trench, dealing with inspector, etc. will be a nightmare.

 

[not2old]

Tesla Power Walls require a full time internet connection to work. I find if you live in a location where off-grid sounds like a good option your internet connection is sketchy. There are spots on Hwy 6 between Mount Forest and Owen Sound where my Rogers cell phone has zero service. Canada pays the highest internet and cellular prices in the world but has sub-third world service outside the GTA.

I hear about the high cost in Canada a lot but haven't experienced it lately. I recently changed providers and am on a plan at $10.00 per months for unlimited talk, text, and pictures in north america for two years. When that time is up, it goes to $28.00 Minimum data is a $5.00 add on but I have no use for it. I hear stories of near $100.00 per month but don't know any details.

 

[cqaigy2]

Our power company is Puget Sound Energy.

1997 PSE dug from road 900' put in a transformer and fed two power meters all underground for around $2500 US. I ordered 400 AMP capacity for both locations and put in 200 AMP services in each. One meter was set 75' from xformer the other 100'.

Actually we have had pretty good service from them over the years and the only real snafu was working with one of their engineers in the beginning, who among other things told us WE had to dig down to the primary on the road where they were going to connect. I asked him a few times in differently worded questions, about that as it sounded unusual to me, but he was pretty adamant that we were responsible to getting down to the primary. After much hand shovel work 6 feet down, is the primary. PSE crew shows up and was very upset that someone had dug down, i explained why. The installer crew was very professional, asked a few questions about where we wanted xformer, where the meters were and connected everything up in a few hours. We do lose power many times during the year, but that's mostly vegetation (trees) and the occasional vehicle hitting poles or substations down line from us.

 

[rogerius]

As I mentioned, our power company requires an easement to be done. I contacted mine and neighbor's lawyer and I was surprised when I found that I need a survey to be done in order to register the easement. Next step is to contact a company which doing this and hope they don't want to do entire property survey and just the location where the power line will be. Couple years back I had a dispute with my other neighbor about property line and I was looking to do a survey on my property. I was shocked the quote received; it was 8K. In the end my neighbor cooperated so no need it.

 

[enwinn]

Tesla Power Walls require a full time internet connection to work. I find if you live in a location where off-grid sounds like a good option your internet connection is sketchy. There are spots on Hwy 6 between Mount Forest and Owen Sound where my Rogers cell phone has zero service. Canada pays the highest internet and cellular prices in the world but has sub-third world service outside the GTA.

Starlink could be a good solution for that problem.

 

[mikester]

Starlink could be a good solution for that problem.

Starlink is "better than nothing internet". The powerwall slogan could be "better than nothing backup power". When it works it's great!

Maybe Musk will start promoting an internet enabled high tech toilet and he will call it "better than nothing crapper". You will never be sure if that big dump will actually flush.

 

[JPRambo]

7/2018 had power brought into property. 715 feet $7.26/ft cost ~$5200. Plus 500 non residential 1phase service (temporary pole) $500. ~$5700.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

Starlink is "better than nothing internet". The powerwall slogan could be "better than nothing backup power". When it works it's great!

Maybe Musk will start promoting an internet enabled high tech toilet and he will call it "better than nothing crapper". You will never be sure if that big dump will actually flush.

I am leary of any technology that calls home (must be connected to the internet to be operational) to "Momma", "China", or any other location to report status.
I worked with some communications technology in the late 80's that the whole idea behind it was to be able to "shut it off in an emergency". I never understood the reasoning behind this.
I would stick with known quality batteries that do not have to be monitored remotely. Examples would be Simpli-Phi, Discover battery. Good high quality and can't be shut down remotely or forced to be depleted for someone elses benefit.