[knumbknuts]

Hey,

Does anyone have specifics on what we'd need and where we could buy transformers that would allow us to run a circuit of at least 20A/110v (at destination) of power 1000'?

I want to run power from the XC Ranch House to the AJX LZ shade structure. A 20A circuit would allow us to run fly-ins without a generator and run web/security cams the rest of the time.

However, the wire to run it, untransformed, would be prohibitively expensive.

BTW, I am going to propose that we also run drinkable water, a bat-phone line, and possibly fiber for a better internet connection at the same time.

[Davedebogusone]

So you want to step it up to step it back down ? Must be missing something
Check with Westfall Im thinking you just want a large gauge wire like they use for temp power on construction sites. 2 gauge ?

[dscotts]

Try the power company, believe it or not.

You probably want to step up by a minimum factor of 10. That would get your 20 amps down to two. But a transformer that will go 30x is not much more expensive. Common values are 7000 volts and 11,000 volts. If you go to 11kvolts the conduit can be 3" plastic as the wire is very small (but with lots of insulation).

Scott
503-626-9663 pst

[mgforbes]

Hi KK,

I'm an electronics engineer, not an electrician, but I'll take a stab at it anyway.

First off, you're talking about 2KW or so of total load. Really? That's quite a lot of load for the AJX shade shelter. Cameras don't take much to run, and if you need to add some lighting then you can use LED lamps that only draw 15-20 watts each. I'm wondering about what you really need to run that demands that much power. The only thing I'd think of is a heating element like an electric stove, and you solve that problem by using LP gas instead.

You can run a transformer backwards. I'd suggest getting a good-sized step-down transformer with a fairly hefty rating. Try something like this:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/SQUARE-D-T-Transformer-4RM78

Now, what you're going to do with this is highly non-standard, and probably illegal and dangerous, and I'm not recommending it. But just in case someone insane wanted to do this, here's what they'd do:

Locate the 220VAC supply leads and connect them to the 115VAC terminals on the secondary side. Connect the power line to the 480VAC input terminals, which are going to be running at about 1000VAC. Since power is voltage x current, at 2KW you're going to be moving about 2 amps at 1000VAC. Down at the other end of the wire you'll connect the high voltage supply to the 480VAC terminals, and you'll get 220VAC out the other side, give-or-take. If you get a center-tapped transformer, you can ground the center tap and take two 110VAC legs off of it.

Another alternative, cheaper, may be this:
http://www.kronjaeger.com/hv-old/hv/src/micro/index.html

You'll need a power line with really serious insulation; standard 600VAC wiring won't do the trick. More like this....
http://www.omnicable.com/site/catalog.php?id=563

What I *really* think is that you need to reconsider the power budget. You might be able to get away with using a substantial UPS, possibly with an external battery bank, and a much more reasonable AC feed line to keep it charged. I don't see how you're really going to need a steady 2KW to run a few lights and cameras. Look at efficiency first, and see if you can get the necessary loads to work on a long piece of 12GA wire. Now you're talking $1.50/foot or so, and that's a whole lot more feasible.

MGF

[Lucky_Chevy]

Considering the distance, I think increasing the size of the conductor would be the low cost solution. A #9 size wire will have half the resistance of #12.

Avoid medium voltage at all costs since the electrocution hazard is high if you are not properly trained. It's even hazardous to have around since nobody is going to expect it.

You are probably better off installing the larger conductor if you can afford it and maybe a voltage regulating transformer.

My 2 cents.

[Terry from Toronto]

[Terry from Toronto]

[tom_nichols]

Just need to increase wire size due to voltage drop. No need for a Trx.

[J Williams]

What you may want to check out is "boost" and "buck" transformers from an electric supply house. The boost transformer does just that to boost up the voltage so there is less voltage drop and the buck transformer at the other end drops it back to what you started with.

[gasdive]

I'm a *layman* at this.... however my two bobs worth, you want power, water phone and internet.

Power I'd put up a stand alone solar system.

Water I'd put in a tank fed from the roof.

Phone I'd use a long range cordless phone like this

http://www.thehightechstore.com/voyager2200.html

Internet is hard for me to recommend as the provider plans we have here are different but I'd go with a wireless internet solution.

None of these solutions involve lethal voltages or a kilometre of pipe/wire/fibre. I think they'd all be much cheaper, much less work, much less dangerous and work just as well.

=:)

[TomGalvin]

[Phoenix]

Good show Jason! I was just gunna say Solar for the cams.

[FMAN]

On the thought of using solar it might be a money saver to find some panels that are used, some of the high demand commercial buildings go through an upgrade and the old panels still have many years of service. They wouldn't be as efficient but would be at least half cost or less than new panels, I think batteries would be smarter to find new. There are also codes for water and electricity in the same ditch. You could rent a trencher and make two trenches or buy a used trencher and sell it later, that way if you run into big rocks you don't have to worry about a late fee. A plus to renting is if something breaks you don't have to fix it as long as it was being used properly. Having power from the utility company means you'll need a meter and inspections every billing cycle. I haven't ever been to this site, just some suggestions that might work.

[knumbknuts]

Thanks for the feedback.

Mark, it's 2500W, not 25000. 25000 would be 200A. The house it's pulling from only has a 150A bus.

The reason we need at least 20A is for a blower for a bouncy-house slip-n-slide that Owen brings out for fly ins, plus a PA.

Solar's not reliable enough. Plus, we've had theft of panels.

Calculators I've found show too much drop in voltage based on non-stepped voltage over wire.

Mostly, I'm looking for a transformer vendor that's not super expensive.

[SeeMarkFly]

[FMAN]

Being near a landing area power lines in the air might not be desired.
I know of a couple of people that have done the labor themselves to save money.
Either setting stub poles or placing conduit and loop boxes every couple hundred feet.
The power company is involved with the plans and an inspector approves the installation.
Once there is an okay, they do the hookup and you are able to avoid labor cost. You pay a permit and code inspector fee which is a lot less.
An underground transformer would need a concrete pad also.
I don't remember what one (power or water) is supposed to be deeper but that means a lot more digging down. If you make two trenches that's not a problem because you only need to go down a couple of feet. What type of soil you're digging in is also a factor.
Water line doesn't need to be deep and fiber can go with it.

If time isn't a factor it could be hand dug...

[SeeMarkFly]

[FMAN]

That place must have some kind of record for the amount of dirt moved for hanggliding purposes,

[peanuts]

[mark_m]