Power supply on acreages

[mcchaddy]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of buying 30 acres just outside of brisbane. I plan to build a house and live on it within the next 5 - 7 years. In the mean time i'm putting a shed on it that will be liveable as a weekender. There is power and phone at the front gate but thats where it ends.

I need to run the power to the back of the block(about 500mtrs). My question is who would i get to do this and how much should i expect to pay. The block is flat and fairly well cleared, so it shouldn't be any problem getting there.

Thanks

Michael

[ozwinner]

You can get any sparkie to do it.

It will cost about $100 per M according to a mate of mine for trench and laying of the cable.

Al

[mcchaddy]

Thanks Al,

Does it matter if the power goes above or below the ground once it is inside the property. I could save some money and dig the trench myself.

[ozwinner]

Not sure, but I thought all power has to underground now.

Al

[Iain]

Go below ground,less problem later with overhanging flora and changing regulations, get a quote from someone else to dig the trench, and bear in mind that filling it afterwards can be equally hard work, if you have a little tractor with a blade this is easy but a shovel is hard work.
We cut a trench from the house to the shed, 30 metres, I started to dig manually until I found roots and other assorted debris, local bloke did the job for $150 and saved me all the heartache, SWMBO filled in after
No naughties for a while though

[Barry_White]

Thanks Al,

Does it matter if the power goes above or below the ground once it is inside the property. I could save some money and dig the trench myself.

Aerials would probably be cheaper. Your power company may do it for you otherwise you would need a sparky. With aerials you wouldn't need a trench or conduit. Just the cable and some poles to run it.

[mcchaddy]

The ground is sandy loam soil, so it should be reasonably easy digging. I had no intention of digging or filling anything by hand. I have access to a small tractor and dingo. I will definitly get quotes for a local to do it but.
Still have to decide which will be the best option. I have a small creek/gully to cross as well. Might go under ground until the creek then go above for the crossing then back under to the site.

[echnidna]

If you're not going to encourage it grow back to bush go the aerial route, many thousands cheaper.

In Vic we've been underground since the Ash Wednesday Bushfires

[ian]

go underground — it will be less hassle in the long run

make sure the conduit is large enough to pull 3 phase (probably 4 wires or a bundled conductor) through when you need it.

hire a trencher or pay a local contractor to do the trenching

Don't forget the pull wire in the conduit

ian

[Barry_White]

go underground — it will be less hassle in the long run

make sure the conduit is large enough to pull 3 phase (probably 4 wires or a bundled conductor) through when you need it.

hire a trencher or pay a local contractor to do the trenching

Don't forget the pull wire in the conduit

ian

I think he would need a D9 Bulldozer to pull four cables through a conduit for 500 metres.

[flynnsart]

Does conduit come in lengths or rolls? And is there a specific colour to use underground? We have to take our power about 100m and would like to do what we can ourselves ready for a sparky to come and check and connect.

Donna

[Barry_White]

Does conduit come in lengths or rolls? And is there a specific colour to use underground? We have to take our power about 100m and would like to do what we can ourselves ready for a sparky to come and check and connect.

Donna

Underground Orange conduit comes in either 3.6 or 4.2 metre lengths can't remember which, it is a while since I bought any. It come with one bell end so you can glue and join them. Your lecy will advise you what size cable and what size conduit.

The best way of doing it is to run the cable out and then slide the lengths over the cable from one end and glue them as you go but your electrician should advise you what is required. Don't be lousy with the cable allow plenty of cable for him to make the connections.

[ian]

Does conduit come in lengths or rolls? And is there a specific colour to use underground? We have to take our power about 100m and would like to do what we can ourselves ready for a sparky to come and check and connect.

Donna

Donna
as Bary said underground elec conduit is orange, from memory phone conduit is white.

can't remember if both can be installed in the same trench.

more important is making allowance for the future by installing a large enough size so you can pull a fibre optic through the phone conduit or 3 phase through the power at some future date.

the required depth also varies being deeper or encased where it crosses a driveway

as to pulling the wires, you're supposed to have a junction/pulling pit every 50 or 100m (also helps with fault finding in the future) and my preference is to pull the wire after installing the conduit as this should keep the inside of the conduit cleaner.


ian

[catbuilder]

Hi All

Dig the trench yourself, hire or borrow the trencher. Orange conduit, push over the wire, joining as you go, always put a dummy wire in as well, if you need to pull something through later, will make life easy, make sure its strong enough to handle being pulled through, if you ever happen to use the dummy wire, pull another through at the same time. The creek crossing discuss with your lecy, you may be able to run the conduit through a steel pipe bridging over the creek, depending on the span.

Find out off the lecy exactly what size wires and number of, and size of conduit, when you're done, they'll be able to connect the ends and job done.

But, theres always a but, your talking big biccies for that distance. I think when you do find out the price, you will probably consider building at the front of the property.

Regards

Matt

[Ramps]

I remember doing the same in Vic many years ago. I put thru 16mm cable to allow for the big stuff in the shed ... and due to potential voltage drop over this distance. Had to go underground ...as in most locations nowadays Including here in the West. Think it cost up near $1000 just for the materials.

Most places require power at 600mm and telecoms at 300mm and can be above the power in the same trench. Some require a stainless wire to run above the telecoms as lightning protection nowadays.

let us know how you go

ciao