# Questions for lineman



## nsartwell (Jul 21, 2018)

Hello fellow tradesman
I recently have been getting into some bigger jobs that I could use some advice on. The first question I have is about pipe size to a transformer for the power company. We have had great difficulty in getting responses from the power company we are dealing with. So because of this we need some information on what pipe would be required to feed a pad mounted transformer 3 phase 460 V 800 amps. The closest pole to our transformer is about 600 ft away. So would anyone out there have a good idea about what to lay for pipe in that situation? We have to get some pipe in the ground so that the driveway to the building can be finished. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Reopening thread after hearing from OP.

" I am an electrician. The question I’m asking about is the high voltage side that the power company would supply to my service. Typically I would be responsible for anything after the transformer that supplies my service. What I am trying to figure out is what the power company would need for pipe in the ground to supply a pad transformer from the high voltage lines. Is this not an appropriate question for this forum? "


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## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

I would guess you are looking at a 5 or 6 inch conduit. The only one who can truly answer the question is the power company. They make the rules for their installations and what passes for one POCO may not for another. So sorry, but you really have to get in touch with them. They may even want a pull box at that distrance. And they may make you install a spare as well.

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## em158 (Jul 7, 2016)

Just try googling your utility's construction standards. They want you to have the required information so that your installation is acceptable and the same as the other 20 customers they need to supply power to next week.

Construction Standards | Facilities | Duke

Engineering & Design Resources | Pepco - An Exelon Company


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## nsartwell (Jul 21, 2018)

Thanks. I will try googling the construction standards.


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

Two things missing here. Where is the POD (point of demarcation)? This is the point where we go from customer to utility. Do you own/install the riser cable or the utility?

If the utility owns it they will want it their way. Larger utilities have a construction standard but it will be with engineering, not operations and maintenance. Those guys generally won’t know because they don’t get involved in new construction but that’s who comes out to meet with you often instead of the engineers.

If the POD is on the pole though it’s your problem! Of course they won’t answer an engineering question that involves customer owned and maintained equipment.

In that case CEC is quite clear. You need to know the ampacity. You will be using your choice of materials and installation method but there are only a couple to choose from. Above and beyond this however I don’t know your load/application but you may need to consider voltage drop as well. If you don’t know and can’t figure out ampacity hire an engineer. This is a cheap and simple problem requiring less than 1-2 hours to determine in most cases. In the States most electricians just do it themselves since regardless of what the engineer says the electrician is held responsible for doing it correctly under NEC.

If the utility installs or owns it, do the same thing and propose your own size then ask them to approve. Often though the problem is you are talking to operations/maintenance, not engineering.

Remember Utilities are bureaucratic. They can only make money based on their expenses times a profit number set by public utilities boards. So unlike normal healthy businesses the only way they make more money is by being as expensive and inefficient as possible in order to increase their costs. This is who you are dealing with. I’m working at a power plant today for a major US utility. It is all I can do to keep my blood pressure down playing their insane games. Yesterday the big explosion was missing a piece of red tape and them not meeting their contract obligations staging materials so we lost a full day of work doing their jobs. I was fork truck tender because in their world someone has to stand around making sure the fork truck operator doesn’t fall asleep. Oh what fun.


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