Getting Power to New Build

[cdnskipatroller]

Hello, all new to GJ. I am in the process of building a new shop on my acreage 30X36 ft., with 16ft ceiling height. I'm in the Chilliwack, BC area. I fully intend to hire a local electrical contractor, and pull all necesary permits. My dilemma is selecting the most cost effective application for running the power feed from BC Hydro pole to the shop.

The shop is 480ft. back from the pole. The house is only a 125amp panel so the sub panel is a no go for what I need. I want to install a 200amp panel to feed my welders, plasma, air comp etc. I do not have any three phase equpiment. We have high winds at times in the valley here so I feel burried cable is the way to go.

I have spoken with a few local contractors and have gotten different applications from each of them, no one in agreement. Because of the length of the run, and potential for voltage loss, and then the installation cost issue I'm stumped.

I already have my own pole with meter at the front of the property that feeds underground to the house.

Option 1 is to pay Hydro to put a transformer on their street pole and do a drop to my service pole. Then I run a second meter service and go buried the shop 480ft.

Option 2 is pay Hydro to do a high voltage drop to a new service pole, and then run buried high voltage to the shop area, place a transformer and meter by the shop.

Option 3 is to run overhead by way of 3 to 4 poles to the shop, then go buried to shop meter etc. By the way up here BC Hydro will allow the home owner to have this application installed at the homeowners cost, and charge the home owner a fee to take over the line. Once they do this if a tree or wind knocks out the power line they fix it. Sounds like a tax grab to me?

Keeping in mind the cost of copper these days and the legth of run, what do the more knowledgeable suggest? Or does anyone have an idea not already proposed (3 phase run maybe), I'm open to suggestions. The only thing all the electrictians seem to agree on is that it should cost $10-15K, they think.

I don't know if I'm laughing or crying at this point, I just want to build hot rods.

Thanks Guys!

 

[Stuart in MN]

I think option 2 sounds the best, functionally - having the utility run their high voltage lines to the building underground, and setting a transformer there. They'll own the lines, so it will be their responsibility to maintain them in the future, and by putting the transformer next to the building you won't have problems with voltage drop.

However, it will all depend on if the utility will agree to that method, and how much it will cost.

 

[rodnok1]

Option one, My power company ran 400 amps under ground to junction block, then runs to house and pole barn from there because of seperate meters. I only had to pay maybe 150 bucks for all their work to pole barn. that's a run of over 600 feet.

 

[rwhite692]

I woudn't go with two meters, even if you use little or no electricity at all on that second meter in a particular month, you will probably still pay whatever your utility company's "baseline" is, on that second meter/service, every single month.... I'd check with the power company, and find out what that second meter/service would cost you every month, before choosing this option....BUT on the other hand, if your shop is a Business enterprise then it might help, for the sake of your bookkeeping, etc.

 

[sstruckguy]

Is getting a written estimate on all 3 options, an option? Passing on upkeep and mother nature related liability, in relation to utilities, is always a plus. Especially when it comes to writing a check.

The only bad thing I can think of, is the built in right-of-way that goes with them owning the line. Sometimes they aren't very cooperative when puting things back to their "pre-repair" state

 

[tfi racing]

Have you contacted BC Hydro directly and had one of their reps out to have a look?Do that first and get the info and cost firsthand without the contractor's bias and of course markup!This is going to be expensive,that long distance is painful and you will spend anywhere from 10-20k depending on which option you take.Aluminum conductors are the only way to go,you are looking at roughly $5K for the wire alone! Copper would be simply outrageous and not a reasonable option for this length!

 

[rwhite692]

How far is the HOUSE from the pole?

If the house is much closer to the pole than the new shop is, then what about doing an upgrade to the feed and HOUSE panel, to, say, 400A, Then, you can run a 200A feed out to a subpanel your new shop, and do all of THAT work, by yourself....it might be a whole lot less expensive this way. And yes, you would use Al wire.

The other thing is, do you really need 200A in your shop? You can probably get by just fine with 100A unless you plan on welding AND plasma cutting AND big compressor running, AND etc etc.... all simultaneously...

I would do it all underground...Just my personal preference.

 

[bradleys]

I don't have much to add to the good advice so far. The one thing that I would recommend is not to run the primary voltage through your yard. In Port McNeill, the primary voltage is 14400, so I assume that's the BC Hydro standard. There's no way that I would want 500 feet of 14400 volt wire under my yard. If you accidentally dig into 240 volts, you'll get a little shock or maybe knocked down. If you dig into 14400 volts, you'll be ...

One other option you might consider if you don't need electricity 24x7 in your shop - put in a generator. I know several folks who have installed generators rather than pay the power company mass quantities of one-time and repeating charges. This is particularly useful if you'd like three phase power and the power company won't give it to you. At my place in Blaine, the power company would charge $38000 to install three phase power. I can get a really nice generator for a lot less.

 

[bucs012]

Different states do things or hanlde differently.

In Iowa this is what I did last Fall.

House has 100 amp service. Wanted 200 amp to the garage...........

I had to hire my own guy to come in and bury the wires from the garage out to the transformer across my property. Sitting on ground. About 180 feet. Cost me $200 including wire for 200 amp service.

From there, the electric company came out and hooked it up to the transformer and brought out a meter and hooked it all up to my garage. Since I was home, he also went inside and fired it up from the panel. It had already been inspected and I got the OK from my electrician. Cost. Free.

Only thing is, I have to pay $10 per month for the meter.

 

[cdnskipatroller]

Sorry guys, I should have specified. With my existing setup, Hydro has their overhead drop to my service pole, which has a mast and meter in approx. 50ft. Then the line is buried and runs approx. 220ft to the house and feeds 125amp main panel. The shop is approx. 200 linear ft back from the house, or 480ft in total from the street. I understand that a 200amp panel to the shop is probably overkill for my application, but I am trying to think ahead for a possible future pool, hottub, polebarn/shed for the trailers, etc., which could all be fed from here, so I figured a 200amp panel would be more than enough.

 

[hidollartoys]

Oversizing means overspending.

 

[sdb3023]

In some cases undersizing can mean overspending too.

 

[Jason641]

Where I live the power company will run as much overhead line/poles as they need to get to your meter for free, they will also do up to 200' of underground for free. If your local power company does something similar I would recommend having them put in poles and overhead line perhaps running right down the property line so they are out of the way, then the last pole would have a transformer and that would feed an underground line over to the shop so you don't have the overhead wires anywhere near the shop. In the past I have had them run a bit over 300' of underground for free. They didn't agree to do it at first but I told them about all of the electric equipment I will be using and that I had all electric heat and A/C and they agreed to run it.