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Bringing power to the barn.

Posted By: Shotgun Willie

Bringing power to the barn. - 03/01/19 01:16 AM

I bought some property last year that has a barn on it, and I picked up an RV to go in it for now, so I'm going to have to put a meter base up for power. I was looking at THIS base. It's got 8 spaces in it. I was going to use 2 spaces for a 50 amp RV plug on the pole for guest RVs, 2 spaces for a 50 amp RV plug in the barn, and the remaining 4 spaces for 15 amp 110 plugs spaced here and there, probably some fluorescents on the ceiling inside, flood light on the outside, etc. The 50 amp run to my trailer inside the barn is about 50 feet, so I was going to use THIS cable in a buried 1.5 inch conduit to a 50 amp RV headstone.

Look good so far?

If that will work, can I also pull a (12/2?) wire through that same conduit to have both the 50 amp RV plug and a 4 gang 110 outlet in the same area?

Rest assured, I'll have an electrician out to tie everything in. I just want to run the cables and get everything close to save as much as I can for the future build.
Posted By: Cast

Re: Bringing power to the barn. - 03/01/19 05:10 PM

Well you’re on the right track but you’re using the meter box wrong IMO.

1. Where’s power coming from for the new power pole?
2. Putting the 50 dryer plug on the pole is good
3. Don’t bury that Romex
4. Add a 200 amp main breaker to the box
5. Add 200 amp panel to barn
6. Use 2” grey PVC buried to new barn panel and pull appropriate wire in.
7. Be sure to install 8’ copper ground rods at the meter and the barn service and connect appropriate copper ground wire.

If you want some 110 on the pole, install a dual 20 breaker and put 2 circuits there for utility. No fluorescent lights, use led bulbs. Existing fluorescent fixtures are very easy to convert.

Sorry if I blew up the plan.
Posted By: PMK

Re: Bringing power to the barn. - 03/01/19 06:43 PM

when I was researching similar to put power out to my shop ... I contacted my electric service provider (PEC) and was really glad I did. They had several suppliers that had the main meter loop built up to their requirements for a pole install, once I purchased the meter loop assembly, they came out, drilled & dropped in a pole, connected from transformer and connected the meter loop turn key. If memory serves me, the box came with a 200 amp main breaker already in place, all the cabling, conduit and weather head with 4-6' leads and it was about $600. I installed all the breakers and pulled wire about 25-30' in gray 2" conduit into the shop to another breaker panel where everything was distributed from there. I also put a 50amp RV plug on the pole.

I started pricing out buying all the components to build out the meter box & service loop and it was only going to cost a little bit more to buy the pre-assembled unit that I knew met all their requirements.
Posted By: Shotgun Willie

Re: Bringing power to the barn. - 03/01/19 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by Cast
Well you’re on the right track but you’re using the meter box wrong IMO.

1. Where’s power coming from for the new power pole?

They're (Oncor) bringing in an arial off the existing line at the road.

2. Putting the 50 dryer plug on the pole is good

Figured it'd come in handy for visitors. Can always adapt it down to 30 for smaller coaches.

3. Don’t bury that Romex

Could you show me a viable alternative if you have a minute?

4. Add a 200 amp main breaker to the box

There's no pic of the inside, but the one I looked at had a 200 amp disconnect, plus the 8 breaker blanks.

5. Add 200 amp panel to barn

*ugh* I was hoping to keep it simple.

6. Use 2” grey PVC buried to new barn panel and pull appropriate wire in.

K. I'm liable to buy a pallet of it for the service to the eventual build site.

7. Be sure to install 8’ copper ground rods at the meter and the barn service and connect appropriate copper ground wire.

That was the plan, didn't put it in above.

If you want some 110 on the pole, install a dual 20 breaker and put 2 circuits there for utility. No fluorescent lights, use led bulbs. Existing fluorescent fixtures are very easy to convert.

Also something I thought about, found some last night that would probably suit my needs.

Sorry if I blew up the plan.

The plan is fluid at this time. LOL.
Posted By: Shotgun Willie

Re: Bringing power to the barn. - 03/01/19 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by PMK
when I was researching similar to put power out to my shop ... I contacted my electric service provider (PEC) and was really glad I did. They had several suppliers that had the main meter loop built up to their requirements for a pole install, once I purchased the meter loop assembly, they came out, drilled & dropped in a pole, connected from transformer and connected the meter loop turn key. If memory serves me, the box came with a 200 amp main breaker already in place, all the cabling, conduit and weather head with 4-6' leads and it was about $600. I installed all the breakers and pulled wire about 25-30' in gray 2" conduit into the shop to another breaker panel where everything was distributed from there. I also put a 50amp RV plug on the pole.

I started pricing out buying all the components to build out the meter box & service loop and it was only going to cost a little bit more to buy the pre-assembled unit that I knew met all their requirements.


I'm trying to save as much as I can, like trenching and running conduit to the proposed build site myself is going to save me more than $5k. But I'm dangerously close to throwing in the towel on the barn portion and letting someone else do it.
Posted By: Cast

Re: Bringing power to the barn. - 03/01/19 07:38 PM

For 200 amp barn service pull three lengths of 2/0 copper and upgrade to 2 1/2” gray PVC. Buy at Lowe’s (2.42/ft) and get your veteran discount. 10% knocks a quarter off each pricey foot.
Posted By: PMK

Re: Bringing power to the barn. - 03/01/19 09:10 PM

how far to the closest transformer from the barn? and how big of a transformer?

Fortunately for me, I had a large enough transformer at the corner intersection of my two tracts with a 200 amp service loop going to my house with a pole between transformer and house. I only had to run about 75' from that middle pole over to my shop and trenching wouldn't be a good option in the solid rock I have.

but yeah, if you have a long run, it might be more cost effective to run underground and do it yourself. You might be able to go cheaper by going to a heavy enough aluminum wiring from closest transformer to the meter loop, then copper into the barn. but I am no electrician.
Posted By: Shotgun Willie

Re: Bringing power to the barn. - 03/01/19 10:26 PM

They're coming off the current aerial on the other side of the road with a new pole on my property, and mounting a transformer to it for the barn. For right now, from that pole, they're going to go aerial to my meter base at the barn, roughly 50 feet, giving me a 200 amp service there. At a later time, I'll run a conduit from the pole roughly 650 feet to the area where I'm going to build, where they'll set a transformer to service my barndo build in the next year or so, plus the house well down the line.

So the barn will have a meter base on a pole just outside it, that I need to come off of to provide the receptacles for the RVs and a couple 110 plugs for incidentals.

At least, that's how I had it working in my head. But my head is not a electrician.

I thank you fellas for your time, I need all the help I can get.
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