Trenching in Underground Electric Service to the Bank Barn
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- It is finally time to get electricity out to the bank barn. We are digging a trench to bury our electric wire out to the livestock barn. We rented a walk behind trencher to dig the trench. We purchased direct bury service entrance wire to take power out the barn from out main power panel near the electric meter. This will power a small break box in the barn. This will be able to provide lights and outlets in the barn.
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#ditchwitch
#trenching
#countryviewacres
That trencher is built in my home town, Perry Oklahoma. My grandfather and dad are both retired from Ditch Witch. I worked there summers through college and chose a different career path. They offered me a job, but I had a good thing going where I went. Still work there today 30+ years later. They just got bought out by Toro. The Owner died a couple years ago and he put it all in a trust and it was broken some how and the family sold it to Toro.
That is nice when you have rockless ground.
Hi Evan...again..is good to see the progress off your farmstead... I'm a electrician in Orange, New Jersey, and its good to see someone doing a job properly... you are one of my inspiration to build my future farmstead back home in Brazil... we will love to visit your place one day.. congratulations ...
I am an electrician and that's a project well worth the money and time you spent... great job Evan ...you will like it for years to come...
Shouldn't he have used conduit?
That job went about as smooth as it could have! Nice work!
Cool to see the American Farmer at work
Your trencher was made about 60 miles from where I live. I remember my dad renting one over 50 years ago. They are good machines made by Charles Machine Works at Perry, OK.
Gerald Haury toro bought ditch witch out and now they’re made by toro
You should look into the wind turbines that are a lot smaller than the wind farms but because of the way it is built it doesn't need hardly any wind and doesn't care from what directions the wind is coming from.
Hey, Southwire! Made right here in my hometown of Carrollton, GA. It's good stuff.
Can't believe how much work you got done,really good job
Trencher worked real good congrats on get Electric to your barn glad to see the goats getting along 🐐🐇🐖🐓🐕👍👍👍😀
Great video! Your calculations for voltage drop were spot on and type of conductors used was great! Good job sir! Respectfully, Kevin
Nice job Evan....
I appreciate your sharing the trenching and electrical video. It was very helpful in estimating what it costs to run electricity to any out buildings. Keep em coming. I enjoy watching as you and your wife grow your farm and future. Plz continue to show what y'all are doing. The diversity is not only entertaining it captivates enthusiasm to see what's next. Praying for your safety, health and success. ☝🙏👍👉
I like your videos very much . I think that it's great the way you explain what your doing and why . Just like you did with the water line . Explaining your costs and what it's gonna cost you for a job is great . Some people do a job and don't explain the costs that are involved . Oh jobs done and that's it . Even the type of wire and size is good to know . You are so right on solar . You already have hydro on the property so why not use it . The amount of hydro you are going to use is not going to add much to your hydro bill . Great videos you have there . Keep them coming . Smart in using your blade to fill the hole . I thought that you would be using the bucket . What do I know ? LOL .
You explain well
Great job! That was a very good idea to use your trackor to back fill the trench! Love your video!
Another great job. Having electricity is going to make a huge difference.
Well-made video. Thanks for posting.
So happy to see someone who knows how to properly use a blade. I usually cringe when I try to watch inexperienced ppl backfill. You're water must be really shallow if u can add a well pump to the end of that run. No way could we get away with that, with pumps @350+ feet. Enjoy seeing you work your way step by step through the improvements to make chores less of a hassle. Time is money.
Keep'em coming!
The well seems to be spring feed. The water level is high enough to dip out water by hand. It is a couple hundred feet down the hill from the barn.
Very good job with that trencher. I have a backhoe on my tractor and it probably would have taken me at least as long if not longer to do the job (digging the trench then filling in). I like your idea for rolling the wire out. I have done kind of the opposite. I ran a pole through the holes of the spool then hung the spool on a home-made jig and pulled the wire off with my tractor.
I could be wrong, I am by no means an expert and am not an electrician. I think you might actually get a little more than 60 amps (at 240 volts) on that wire run. I wouldn't worry so much about the current draw for lights or receptacles in the barn, but for warmers you probably want to stick to 240 volt appliances.
Good luck and look forward to seeing the progress.
60 amps will have 2.85% voltage loss at that distance. A maximum of 3% is recommended. You can get more amperage but the voltage will drop will increase. I could get 100 amps but voltage will drop 4.75%. So yes it is possible. The breaker panel I installed is rated for 100 amps, but right now I am feeding it with a 60 amp breaker. I could increase the breaker size later if I needed more power.
Great job. I wish I had the land to do all that.
Work in progress, getter done
I love how you use your tractor to help with this project work smarter not harder lol your guys project are definitely coming along you guys ready for winter it slowly coming it will be here before we know it
Would be a pleasure to spend a weekend In your place and also wire the whole barn for you.
i got to hand it to you......looks like everything went very well. i would not worry about derating your wire that much. you should be ok for whatever you want. i thoroughly enjoy your videos......g
enjoyed it. appreciate also cost info.
Thank you so much for this video. I am planning here soon to do this exact thing. Thank you for giving me more info about doing this. I know nothing about electrical, amps, 220, 240, 120, so this gave me a little more insight.
220 221 yah, whatever it takes
Those goats have really grown! I miss seeing Comet! I was thinking why you didn't go solar, and then you answered the question. I still think solar would be cheaper in the long run, as much of your costs are up front. But, you are doing what is best for you and your homestead.
Am I the only one to look at those reels and go 'goat toys'?
sorry mate its just in australia the trench has to be 4feet also must have conduct also only a electriction can do the job any other big a fine is endorsed
I was in telecom for most of my adult life so not very familiar with high voltage. But that looked like aerial cable instead of burial cable. (The difference is in jacketing, fill and insulation. In the case of the aluminum ground it is exposed and in ground its life is greatly cut because of constant exposure to moisture)
The cable was USE-2 cable. Underground service entrance cable. 90 degree C rated. It is direct bury rated. It is only a ground connection between panels. It is not used for a ground rod connection or as actual ground.
It’s strange to see someone with common sense these day great video and work …
An equivalent UK mains cable would run at £2m! But that would be 35mm concentric 240v Phase - Neutral and Earth!
You can buy load balancers (multi tapped Auto Transformer) where the volt drop is excessive .... but they are rare, ..... and expensive!
Good job.
Just curious why, with the electrical pole right behind you why you did not just run a new separate 200 or 100 amp service to the barn ?
That would have left you with amps to grow.
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Electrical heating is almost 100% efficient. Its just that it takes that much energy to do it. (We calculate efficiency based on how much energy is lost to heat)
More efficient if you can use a heat pump instead of a heating element. But for hot water, I might think a solar water heater -- not electric might be effective. A lot depends on his electric rates.
You'd be amazed what you can power running off solar and wind. It ultimately comes down to the battery bank, and batteries have come down to around 25% of what they cost 10 years ago. Solar panels and wind turbines have also come down quite a bit while also getting more efficient at generating power.
Also, the thing about solar, with a battery bank, is that despite all the upfront costs, which you can finance, you don't have to pay an electric bill if you're off-grid. All you've got to do is match the system you put in on a building to the power needs you'll have there. I suspect a livestock barn would take quite a bit less power than a home for a family. Even on a home add up an estimation of your electric bill for each month of the year, and add up the total for maybe 15 years then compare that to the cost of a PV power system with a battery bank. At worst, these days, they wash out, they're roughly equal. But, the PV system with battery bank usually tends to be less expensive over that time, and you don't have to deal with power outages.
Sorry to disagree, solar and wind are great, but let's be honest, if already connected to the grid, they make no sense at all for general use, except as an expensive science experiment, or maybe as an investment if the local electricity provider is buying your electricity back (and maybe not)... there is no way it's less expensive, everybody would do it if that was the case.
Batteries for the 3 sites would cost more than $1500, and much more if you buy expensive batteries ! It could work for LED lights, but imagine you need to plug a 1000-2000W tool on any of these 3 places, only for a few hours ? That means at least 3 x 100Ah batteries (1 x Battleborn 100Ah is ~$1000, you could find $200 cheap brands). That's already more than the costs announced here, without any solar panel, inverter, controller. Grid power offers low electricity price, and much more flexibility : if he only usse LED's he won't notice the extra cost even after 15 years, but at the same time he has 60 amps 24/7 at his disposition, if he needs to scale up, without adding panels and batteries, replacing the inverter, etc.
Remember that you need to design "oversized" solar installations in case of poor atmospheric conditions, for longer battery lifespan, and mostly for the occasional equipment. Any serious offgrid solar installation has at least one large diesel/gas generator to supply the extra juice when needed ! and power outages can also happen, a branch on a panel, battery issue, etc.
That said, renting the digger and buying the cable would already cost me at least twice that price in my country, not counting the work and other parts (not to mention rules and permits) ! still, for this sum I would only get a single solar installation able to provide for light and the occasional power hand tool, and that's with cheap equipment.
Solar would make sense for the small offgrid plot of land I own, though... power pole nearby, but the price of a high voltage transformer, counter, mensuality, etc would be totally over the top for my intended usage.
A lot depends on the electric rates. If it's less than like $0.20 a kwh, no, solar probably doesn't make sense.
Anybody knows if its limited to the width of a trench, or you just run it again next to the first trench to make it wider.
also having electric, would be a good time to get a fire Extinguisher or 3,
Just wondering did you lay a warning tape about 6 inches below the ground on top of the wire?
No, I didnt have any.
Love Your Homestead and the Pride you and Rebecca show in the Video's, keep them coming please!
I did not know you can direct bury that cable.
Luckily your are in Illinois. That thing would take a month to trench our soils here in upstate NY.
Hey Mike, I have been looking at buying a farm upstate. I am no farmer, but why do you say that? Does the soil have a high clay content? Rocks?
great job, my turn soon, 125 ft, for me, could you have gone up the middle of your driveway?
Less than $1000 to do that? It would have cost you $2500 to $3000 to have a contractor do it. Nice work!! Having electric in your barn is going to change everything about it.
Here it is in 2022... and the wire itself would cost more than this whole project by itself. I'm looking at having to get 250MCM size wire for my doublewide home run right now, its 300 feet 😔. The prices have gone out of control. I'm getting a cost hookup thru family, direct master electrician's price for the wire, wholesale.... and aluminum 250 250 4/0 wire is gonna run me like 1,800 bucks. If the price were Retail?? Several thousand just for 300 ft of the wire
😔
Even did great getting this done when he did!!
@@suburbangardenpermaculture3117 The wire he used is only 25% more expensive now. $1015 instead of $800. Not a huge difference.
Just found you channel, just wondering if there was ever electricity in the barn before? I would guess there was an over head line run from the old house to the barn, but maybe not. 1500 dollars is a good investment considering you will have power in 3 places you needed it.
There was power in the barn at some time, but not since we owned it. Glad to have power now.
$1500 for an improvement like that and good for the next 40 years is a bargain
Here in Canada.. make that $15K
Why didn't you use conduit, I was hoping to see the installation of wiring through conduit?
You did not need encase that cable in a conduit? Good trench job
Not using solar for your application was a smart move.
Didn't notice you putting down orange warning tape above the electric lines. Was the inspected by the county or town?
National electric code 300.5 (D)(3) is for direct bury underground service Conductors (which is where the warning tape is called out to use). The National electric code, defines service Conductors underground as Conductors between point of electrical service (electric meter) and first point of customer's service (which would be my 200 Amp breaker panel). These Conductors are feeding a sub panel from my main breaker panel and would be considered feeder Conductors, not service Conductors and tape isn't required.
I know some areas have their own code requirements, but we use National electric code here.
@@CountryViewAcres Thanks for the clear explanation. Were it my install, I am sure I would use the tape regardless. It's cheap. Also, the depth and box installation...both ends...would need to be permitted and inspected by the county.
@@timgarner6768 Agreed.. it takes two seconds and cost pennies. You may be saving someone's life in the future. May be your own.. may be your kids when they get older and start modifying the ranch.
How deep was the trench you dug in this video
How did you connect the two branch outs you were talking about to that main cable?
Loved the video...
How did you know you weren’t going to hit a power line in the ground when you started digging near the pole at the beginning?
He dug a hole by hand to see where the wire run was before dropping the trencher.... watch again
How do you ensure that the trench is pretty straight? Thanks!
Just curious why you didn't run the wire thru pvc pipes to protect it? I've watched other videos where they lay pipe first then pull electric wire thru it. Not sure if its a code thing or weather thing.
This wire is rated for direct bury. No conduit required. If you run conduit underground only wet rated cable is required. Some people may use conduit for added protection or to make replacing the cable easier if it goes bad. It was going to be an extra $400 dollars for PVC conduit. I figured a barn wasn't important enough for the added wire protection
How deep dig you have to dig?
Can I dig 3 ft down with such machine ?
You don’t wanna know how much an electrician would charge for that in australia
Could you use copper or is to much money. We Will be doing the same later this summer. The electric company wants 35.00 a month for a meter on the barn.
Mine is $25 a month. For each electric meter. Copper is more expensive. About three times the cost than aluminum. Copper could be used and it is better than aluminum. I choose for the cheaper option.
Don't you have to put the wire in schedual 40 pvc pipe??
Not if the cable is rated for direct burial. He did not say what he bought.
Here is a link that shows #2 direct burial. www.wireandcableyourway.com/2-2-2-4-dyke-underground-secondary-distribution-cable
to what depth is it allowed to lay the cable in your country?
Cheaper than the electricity co doing it or an electrician
Yes
I am by no means an electrician but will be doing this for a property I recently purchased. I'll be going from the meter on the pole to a barn about 200 ft away. I'll probably use a 60AMP panel in the barn. Where I get confused is the wire. Can you tell me exactly what wire you used? I will mostly likely be purchasing at Menards or Home Depot.
Southwire voltage drop calculator will help size you wire. I used 4 conductor wire. The ground wire can be smaller size. I think I used 2/0 wire for hot wires and neutral and 1 gauge for the ground.
That's some big expensive wire! You could probably manage 10 gauge wire and 15 amp breaker at that distance. Do the calculation. If 240v less voltage drop. If you need 60amps you will need that huge wire period.
@@Randomadventurelife I just double checked him. At a 60 ampere load, 360’ aluminum conductor, 240 volts and 3% drop he is exactly at 2/0 aluminum.
Did you add "J" boxes to your main line for power to the wood shed and slab? Love the vids!!
I ran separate wires for those locations.
Why not add a junction box and split it out? Just want to gave them on separate breakers?
Am I not seeing a power pole less than half the distance? The one right there on the other side of your drive?
Yeah that is where the transformer is, but the meter and breaker box is where I started. I would have had to install a whole new electric meter to use that pole. They charge $25 per month for a each meter. Which would have cost me $6000 over the next twenty years. So trenching was cheaper in the long run.
make a map .get some ties off the trench,nice worki love this stuff,i did the same on my farm in iowa,rehab the old wells too,how did you come out on the spray deal
They are replanting it soon. I have disc's the field few times. I will disc again before they replant.
@@CountryViewAcres im glad,there's nothing like the smell of fresh cut hay put up in the barn,my son just bought a old farm place and is fixing up the barn too,just trenched in the power,i milled a bunch of old pine trees for free lumber,now im milling up a bunch of utility poles to make a large cedar greenhouse 20 x 80,they won't be spraying me again
Just curious why you didn't tie into the overhead line?
The overhead line is the electric companies wire. To tie into it I would have had to have another electric meter. There is a $25 dollar per month charge for each meter. Which would bean extra $300 a year, so opted to run power underground instead.
Smart move . You are already paying for 1 meter . Why pay for another one . Even if you didn't use any hydro you still would have to pay that $25 .
Was there no wiring left near the old house pad?
No it was all aerial wire that is gone.
Is overhead feeder wire rated for use below ground?
This is similar to what he probably used. www.wireandcableyourway.com/2-2-2-4-dyke-underground-secondary-distribution-cable
are you a electrition
Technically, no. But I have an electronics degree and deal with it at my job.
If there was no deposit on the wire spool, your goats would love it
Yep, the wire spool is in the barn yard for goats to climb on.
ISN'T IT (CODE) THESE DAYZ TO PUT IN
THE (RED) CAUTION TAPE 👈🏼 .......
WHEN TRENCHING IN A ELECTRICAL LINE.
YOU BETTER HOPE 🙏🏼
THAT YOUR COUNTY OFFICIALS,
DON'T SEE THIS VIDEO or U'LL BE
RE'DOING IT AGAIN THERE EINSTEIN .....
Also supposed to call diggers hot line especially when trenching near a pole
it's not required on a feeder line trenches.....per NEC....only required on SER line from power company side point of origin to meter box "there Einstein"
SKYguy, yep just on service entrance cable. Because of the high Arc flash potential between the transformer and electric meter/first disconnect. I just ignore the Einsteins that think they know the National electric code.
@@CountryViewAcres it amazes me that keyboard warriors have the ability to question themselves (clearly unimformed) in their OP and still have the balls to insult and name call in the same breath. SMH
It is amazing to see how much the quality of your videos has improved over the years. Keep up the good work.
Hi.... Evan, thank you for sharing your video homestead 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 🎥👍👍👍
Good job! Did you put any detectable warning tape in the trench?
No I didnt
The buried conductors will do fine for detection purposes. A line locator could be used on them without a problem
Even I enjoy all your video's but the problem I have is what I watch is all backwards but I still enjoy them I preys you for all the work you do keep it up my friend.
So you just buried the actual line in the ground? You don't have to run it through conduit?
Legally he can direct bury USE-2, but I would have definitely ran conduit. Conduit will prevent decay of the insulation and damage.
Oh good, goat toys.
Nice work!
Voltage drop: 8.85
Voltage drop percentage: 7.37%
Voltage at the end: 111.15
Please note that the result is an estimation based on normal conditions. The actual voltage drop can vary depending on the condition of the wire, the conduit being used, the temperature, the connector, the frequency etc. But, in most cases, it will be very close.
This is for your specified 360 ft run.
I calculated it as 350 feet on southwires voltage drop calculator. I calculated as 240 volts, direct bury, single phase. It came out as 60 amps 2.85% loss. I can vary depending on how you calculate it. I think I will be good.
I almost started to cry watching this video, you grossly overpaid an the aluminum cable, partly because you ran 4x2/O when you only needed 3x2/O and 25F of 6G copper for a ground at the barn, somebody took you for a expensive ride, 500F of 3x2/O is 546$ at Home Depot and 25F of bare 6G copper is 17,35$ But your execution was perfect. Keep up the great work
Check your pricing again. USE-2 direct bury at home depot is a lot higher in price.
@@CountryViewAcres I don`t know why you think that you have to use "USE" "USE" is listed as "aluminum mobile home feeder" underground service entrance cable "URD" is listed as "secondary distribution and underground service" cable, both can be buried directly, and both are PEX insulated 500F of 3 2/O URD IS 546$ At the end of the day it is YOUR wallet, I was sad because I thought somebody took you for a ride, and I still do. This link shows what 3 2/O URD cost at HD www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-500-ft-2-2-2-Black-Stranded-AL-Ramapo-URD-Cable-55417407/202316324
That is #2 not 2/0. And yes URD will work. But that is the wrong size wire.
By the way, thanks for looking out for me. But wire is expensive.
@@CountryViewAcres I have to admit that you are right on that one, my search on HD.com did not come out as intended, but my commend on 4x2/O w 3x2/O is still valid, you could have used 25F of 6G copper at the barn as earth I meant no offense. Keep up the great work