Running power to pole barn

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dlundblad

dlundblad

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The fiance and I just bought our first home a few months ago. One of the many quirks is that the barn is on a separate meter than the house and were getting hit with a monthly $10 meter rental fee. Running power from the house to the barn would eliminate the need for the second meter and save $10 a month. Long term, that will add up.

The original breaker box is in the basement and feeds one that's in the garage, which was added on. I don't think capacity is the issue as the original box has plenty of empty slots, but we have a 300' distance from the barn to the garage. Right now, I only run lights in the barn, but long term it would be nice to have a small workshop and whatever power consumption that entails. I just don't want to be limited. (Broad statement, I know.. Pretend it's your dream workshop.)

I have no idea what power hookup or materials would cost. I would do the dumb work and get the rest professionally done. What's everyone's thoughts on what I am getting myself into?
 
The trench is going to be the expensive part. Call your electrician and haggle with him if you do the digging, and what he expects. Think about running cable TV and internet while you're at it.

There's a code loophole if you only run one 20 amp, 110 volt circuit out there. Can bury the waterproof romex a mere 12 inches down if it's fed by a GFI.

But you'll want more power, so the trench will need to be deeper. 10 gauge wire will be good for 40 amps and you may as well run 220 then a subpanel out there.

Sometimes dreams take time. If you turn the meter in now and get power out there in a year, that $10/ mo will pay for a cheap generator which has other uses but will keep the lights on out there.
 
I've done this.
Honestly $10 a month is a deal compared to fixing the issue.
Does your state allow you to shop for electricity suppliers?
I just signed up for 6.9 cents a kilowatt. That would help defray other costs.
 
I'd just pay the $10 a month.

It'll take you 20 years to recover the cost of running a new circuit from the house to the outbuilding on a cash basis - and a few hundred years if you account for the time value of money.

Just had a 300' run to an outbuilding done in the fall. Even with a trenching machine it was a LOT of work. Took two professionals a good 8 hours to do the job.
 
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The ROI (return on investment) is probably not good here. Just throwing out a number but if it costs you $5k to save $10 a month the math is not in your favor.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
The ROI (return on investment) is probably not good here. Just throwing out a number but if it costs you $5k to save $10 a month the math is not in your favor.


I had no idea it'd be that high.

Case closed.
 
Originally Posted by Kira
How much service is being delivered to the barn now?


Some lights that go on at night and the fluorescents when I'm in there tinkering.
 
My barn power run was 200 ft since the service is on the far side of the house. Even running power during new construction was expensive and I wouldnt even come close to living long enough to recoup the cost at $10 month.
 
Originally Posted by dlundblad
Originally Posted by Kira
How much service is being delivered to the barn now?


Some lights that go on at night and the fluorescents when I'm in there tinkering.


You could get a small inverter generator( they run like 4 hrs or more per gallon) and wire it in where the meter is now, perhaps in a small ventlated box of some sort and just run that when you want to work out there. Than and some solar battery motion sensing lights.
 
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Just curious as to what are the dimensions of the barn? I am an electrician and unless you are serious, you are just creating a make work project that is gonna cost you money.
 
Just curious as to what are the dimensions of the barn? I am an electrician and unless you are serious, you are just creating a make work project that is gonna cost you money.
 
I have a 40x60 pole barn that I built behind my house five years ago. I buried one 1" and two 2-1/2" conduits from the house during construction. I had access to a small backhoe, so the trenching was free besides fuel and my time.

My house has two 200 amp panels and I had an electrician establish a 125 amp subpanel in the garage from one of the house panels. I essentially told him to get me as much power out there without being crazy $$$. At a 120' from the house, I paid $1200 for the 125A sub panel. I think it was a great deal, honestly.

At 300', and with grid power already in place, I would probably lean towards just keeping it as is.
 
Sounds pretty straightforward. Trench with shielded cable (at least) and conduit (preferred). Since you've got plans for later, be sure to run 220 to the shed so it'll be available when you want it.
 
For lighting only you should consider solar.

The 300 foot distance means that you will need wire heavier than the conventional amp-limited sizes suggest. For example #10 wire is said to be suitable for 30 amps, but that is only based on the concern that the wire will not overheat and catch on fire. At 300 feet and 30 amps the voltage drop of a 600 foot round trip through #10 wire will be 18 volts.
 
Originally Posted by Eddie
Rent a trencher and do it yourself. Run 220 volt and anything else you may want in the next 20 years. Ed

This, I knew someone that did the this. He did most of the work himself other than the final electric hook up. If you do want to do the work yourself just pay the $10.
 
Keep both meters. As pointed out it will take years/decades to recoup the cost. All to have less capacity/capability.
 
300' is a pretty long run, and honestly all that work to run something that would only be a 20amp 120V circuit would be a waste IMO. A pole barn like that would be best suited with a 60-100amp service (IMO) and the wire for that run would be a pretty penny, even aluminum. I need to run a 60amp service to my garage and even with the run under 50' the wire, conduit, etc. is in the $400-$500 range.
 
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