Electricity on site for well

[1930]

Im meeting the Seco engineer this Fri. There is already a pole and line running past my property on the same side of my property. Is there anything anyone would recommend to me or any experiences that I can learn from?

I understand that things vary from state to state or county to county even, Im sure Seco is only interested in whats best for them and so Id like to have some knowledge.

I have a temp pole and meter box/breaker box already, Marion County will let you build your own house as long as you sign waivers and pass inspection, Ive already signed the waivers to run from Seco line to my well.

At this point Seco is gonna look over my property on Fri and prob give me ideas where to put temp pole, Im assuming next to the well somewhere, they will get the juice over to temp pole and I take it from there.

I guess I can opt for poles on my property or a buried line, I prefer it buried, not sure how far they can bury a cable? I would have a distance of approx 5-600 feet from the power pole outside of my property.

Im hoping that I can save a bunch of money by trenching it myself.

Thats about all I know.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

5-600 ft is not far at all for underground feed. My main house is 800' from the pole, underground feed 200 amp service. After I subdivided the property, the cottage I built is 600' from the same pole. They put a simple J-box at the base of the pole, tapped into the feed going to the other house, and ran underground feed to my second 200 amp service.

You should easily be able to get underground service.

Distance and needed amps will determine the size of the cable they drop. Out here, the electric co-op charges 'by the foot' based upon the required size. The electric company will only provide the cable and hookup to the meter base. The meter bases used to be able to be installed by the property owner, but no longer.... now required to be installed by a licensed electrician. Trenches can be done by the owner.

 

[AndyMA]

Find out where the transformer will be. Better if on your end by load. Poco will run MV like 4kV or 13.8 kV. Probably direct burial

Andy

 

[Roadworthy]

Check local rules. Conduit may be required, size will be dependent on wire size used and the utility requirements. I far prefer conduit to direct burial for ease of replacement if required.

 

[AndyMA]

I totally agree conduit is better. Just way more expensive

Andy

 

[GSVette]

I trenched, installed conduit, sweeps and set the transformer base for my 200’ underground 400 amp service install. Inland Power ran the feeder cable, did the junction box and transformer hookups and set the meter-all for around 5 grand or thereabouts.

 

[1930]

Thanks, I'm looking forward to the meeting tomm and getting the ball rolling. My buddy just had his done up the street, he did one pole and the rest buried, total distance of about 450 ft. Cost was just north of 2g

 

[oosik]

My power comes from the main line - some 5000 feet East of my property. It's run in over head on poles. Goes underground from my breaker panel to my house. They ran in full power to a transformer pole on my property. This was 1982. Overhead cost $5400. Buried would have been - $35,000.

 

[RoyKing]

Recently Clay electric for homes has stopped putting stepdowns on the pole, they are going to pad mounted transformers with 3" conduit to the transformer, and direct burial to house if the line doesn't cross a driveway. No idea on the charges.

 

[mred2]

I would think that in most states along the coast that they would place underground as much as they can due to the high cost of trees on the lines after a storm. I know years ago, my power was put in underground to my house from the highway, 450 yards. The power told me the cost was less than running it on poles due to the maintenance costs of trimming the trees for the next 5 years. I have never loss power from a tree falling on my lines. On the highway, we mostly have cars running off the road and taking out power poles.

 

[Cougsfan]

I know things vary from local to local. The property I purchased had an existing transformer and meter box for a shop, well and mobile home (which I demolished). My new house is 750 feet away from the existing transformer. In my case it was considerably less expensive to run new high voltage primary service to the house, and install a new separate transformer and meter by the new house. This cost me $10/month extra for having two meters, but the difference in cost for a high voltage run versus a low voltage run for that long of a distance was significant enough to never justify avoiding that extra $10/month fee. Long low voltage runs have a lot of line loss making the wire size go up appreciably.
A big factor in doing it this way or not is based on who owns the transformers, you or the power company. In my case, the PUD owns the transformers and amortizes their depreciation in the usage billing rate. So having 2 transformers doesn't cost me any extra other than the $10/mo.
The PUD did charge me for the primary wire and the pulling of it, but allowed me to bury my own 2" conduit, which saved more money.

 

[tduby]

They will let you know I’m sure every place is different my utility charges just for the wire they will trench it for free I’m sure there’s are different

 

[Qapla]

We recently converted my brothers house from overhead to underground - transformer is still on utility pole at road. Clay Electric ran the wire at no cost since we provided the buried conduit from their pole to his. In fact, we kept the pole he had for his meter and just brought the conduit to the existing meter pan. They came in the side from a sweep and we provided a cap for the old top hole. We had planned on cutting the pole off above the meter but he decided not to so he could put a light on the pole - he can do that now that the mains are not up there.

Not sure how SECO does things.

 

[workinonit]

Our coop runs all overhead at no charge. When I built my house in 98 they ran my underground at no charge, 400 amp service. Now I think there is a minimal charge for the underground.

 

[1930]

I was told the difference in cost between above and below ground was negligible ( possibly 1500 dollar roughly ) in the overall scheme of things that is negligible for me, I want it underground so I do not have the poles, they will install a transformer not far from my temp pole ( approx 500 feet from the main line ) which again will only be a few feet from the well. I have paid for the service and signed their easement waiver now I sit and wait for them to do the work.

Im hoping this week but realistically Im thinking maybe the 3rd week from now as Im sure they are in no rush since they already have my money.

Thanks for the replies

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Im meeting the Seco engineer this Fri. There is already a pole and line running past my property on the same side of my property. Is there anything anyone would recommend to me or any experiences that I can learn from?

I understand that things vary from state to state or county to county even, Im sure Seco is only interested in whats best for them and so Id like to have some knowledge.

I have a temp pole and meter box/breaker box already, Marion County will let you build your own house as long as you sign waivers and pass inspection, Ive already signed the waivers to run from Seco line to my well.

At this point Seco is gonna look over my property on Fri and prob give me ideas where to put temp pole, Im assuming next to the well somewhere, they will get the juice over to temp pole and I take it from there.

I guess I can opt for poles on my property or a buried line, I prefer it buried, not sure how far they can bury a cable? I would have a distance of approx 5-600 feet from the power pole outside of my property.

Im hoping that I can save a bunch of money by trenching it myself.

Thats about all I know.

I'm in almost the same situation at my farm property. There is an existing overhead line to an ancient telephone pole, then to the house; 60 amp service. I had our local guy out and he is going to bury a new 400 amp service from the road to behind the shop, 560 ft, and set a new transformer on a pad. He provides the meter base and I provide the disconnect. He won't let me trench it, even though my mini ex is sitting right there. The good news is he is crediting replacing the old pole and service towards the new one. Once this is done my electrician will run an underground line to my new 200 amp service panel; another 200 amp panel will stay in the shop.