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How to run outdoor electrical lines from pole to pole - What's required

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How to run outdoor electrical lines from pole to pole - What's required JoeDunc 04-30-2007
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Posted by on April 30, 2007, 10:41 am


I have a problem that seems like I can solve--with your help! Here's
what I have. I have breakers in the house, but my garage, a good 200
feet or more away only has a single electrical outlet ran to it. I
want to hook up 240v as well as some 120v regular recepticles in the
garage. Here is how I want to do it, you can tell me if it's crazy.

I have poles (like utility poles but privately owned) around the
property and want to run an outdoor, overhead line. This is also
partly because it's such a long run and it crosses pavement. (Don't
want to dig up cement) This is all on my private property by the way.
I have enough poles to run it from house -> pole -> pole -> garage. My
question is what kind of wire will I need, and what kind of
connections to the poles? I also understand I can tie into my 100 amp
service box inside, use a 2 pole switch, and get my desired 240v. Any
help on this process would be appreaciated with specific help on
getting this wire ran from pole to pole to garage. What kind of cable
required? limit on distance from pole to pole? Thanks!


Posted by dpb on April 30, 2007, 3:32 pm


On Apr 30, 9:41 am, JoeD...@gmail.com wrote:
> I have a problem that seems like I can solve--with your help! Here's
> what I have. I have breakers in the house, but my garage, a good 200
> feet or more away only has a single electrical outlet ran to it. I
> want to hook up 240v as well as some 120v regular recepticles in the
> garage. Here is how I want to do it, you can tell me if it's crazy.
>
> I have poles (like utility poles but privately owned) around the
> property and want to run an outdoor, overhead line. This is also
> partly because it's such a long run and it crosses pavement. (Don't
> want to dig up cement) This is all on my private property by the way.
> I have enough poles to run it from house -> pole -> pole -> garage. My
> question is what kind of wire will I need, and what kind of
> connections to the poles? I also understand I can tie into my 100 amp
> service box inside, use a 2 pole switch, and get my desired 240v. Any
> help on this process would be appreaciated with specific help on
> getting this wire ran from pole to pole to garage. What kind of cable
> required? limit on distance from pole to pole? Thanks!

While you can go overhead, for aesthetics and the nuisance factor, I'd
still recommend the underground route. Unless the drive or other
concrete pad being crossed is quite a long run, it's possible to place
the cable under it w/o tearing the slab up. If it's a few feet like a
sidewalk, it's pretty simple enough to do w/ a homemade water lance--
longer and you may want to hire that portion done, but I wouldn't
reject the idea out of hand.

For going overhead, you need a way to set the poles sufficiently deep
to hold them against the worst of gales and ice/snow and a way to get
up to the top and be able to work to pull the wire and tighten it
sufficiently to keep it from sagging excessively. By the time you get
done unless you've got a lift or other way to get up there easily, I'd
expect the effort to be as much or more than burying it.

IMO, ymmv, $0.02, etc., etc., etc., from one who has several overhead
as well as buried on the home place and wouldn't think of putting in
another overhead of more than a single run from the meter pole...


Posted by RBM on April 30, 2007, 6:52 pm


I would go overhead as a last resort, but if you want to, use messenger
cable. You'll want three insulated conductors wrapped around a bare
messenger. Two hots, one neutral, and one ground. You'll need a conduit with
four wires in it or type SER cable at each end going into the buildings to
the panels at each end



>I have a problem that seems like I can solve--with your help! Here's
> what I have. I have breakers in the house, but my garage, a good 200
> feet or more away only has a single electrical outlet ran to it. I
> want to hook up 240v as well as some 120v regular recepticles in the
> garage. Here is how I want to do it, you can tell me if it's crazy.
>
> I have poles (like utility poles but privately owned) around the
> property and want to run an outdoor, overhead line. This is also
> partly because it's such a long run and it crosses pavement. (Don't
> want to dig up cement) This is all on my private property by the way.
> I have enough poles to run it from house -> pole -> pole -> garage. My
> question is what kind of wire will I need, and what kind of
> connections to the poles? I also understand I can tie into my 100 amp
> service box inside, use a 2 pole switch, and get my desired 240v. Any
> help on this process would be appreaciated with specific help on
> getting this wire ran from pole to pole to garage. What kind of cable
> required? limit on distance from pole to pole? Thanks!
>



Posted by on May 1, 2007, 12:00 am


> I would go overhead as a last resort, but if you want to, use messenger
> cable. You'll want three insulated conductors wrapped around a bare
> messenger. Two hots, one neutral, and one ground. You'll need a conduit with
> four wires in it or type SER cable at each end going into the buildings to
> the panels at each end
>
>
>
>
>
> >I have a problem that seems like I can solve--with your help! Here's
> > what I have. I have breakers in the house, but my garage, a good 200
> > feet or more away only has a single electrical outlet ran to it. I
> > want to hook up 240v as well as some 120v regular recepticles in the
> > garage. Here is how I want to do it, you can tell me if it's crazy.
>
> > I have poles (like utility poles but privately owned) around the
> > property and want to run an outdoor, overhead line. This is also
> > partly because it's such a long run and it crosses pavement. (Don't
> > want to dig up cement) This is all on my private property by the way.
> > I have enough poles to run it from house -> pole -> pole -> garage. My
> > question is what kind of wire will I need, and what kind of
> > connections to the poles? I also understand I can tie into my 100 amp
> > service box inside, use a 2 pole switch, and get my desired 240v. Any
> > help on this process would be appreaciated with specific help on
> > getting this wire ran from pole to pole to garage. What kind of cable
> > required? limit on distance from pole to pole? Thanks!- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks for the advise. I think we will try to bury the cable, it seems
possible. The pole method sounded good because we already have a bunch
of poles up and we aren't using them. They used to run electric to a
bunch of buildings out there. Thanks.


Posted by on April 30, 2007, 11:56 pm


It's called TRIPLEX.
It's the same stuff that runs from the pole to your house. They sell
special ends to attach it to the pole insulators. I'd suggest putting
a separate breaker box in the garage with ground rods and the whole
works. Of course you'll want 120 lights and outlets in there, so you
have to put in a separate box. Even if you went underground, you'd
still need a box if you want both 140 and 120. Be sure to use ground
rods.


On 30 Apr 2007 07:41:18 -0700, JoeDunc@gmail.com wrote:

>I have a problem that seems like I can solve--with your help! Here's
>what I have. I have breakers in the house, but my garage, a good 200
>feet or more away only has a single electrical outlet ran to it. I
>want to hook up 240v as well as some 120v regular recepticles in the
>garage. Here is how I want to do it, you can tell me if it's crazy.
>
>I have poles (like utility poles but privately owned) around the
>property and want to run an outdoor, overhead line. This is also
>partly because it's such a long run and it crosses pavement. (Don't
>want to dig up cement) This is all on my private property by the way.
>I have enough poles to run it from house -> pole -> pole -> garage. My
>question is what kind of wire will I need, and what kind of
>connections to the poles? I also understand I can tie into my 100 amp
>service box inside, use a 2 pole switch, and get my desired 240v. Any
>help on this process would be appreaciated with specific help on
>getting this wire ran from pole to pole to garage. What kind of cable
>required? limit on distance from pole to pole? Thanks!


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