# 300 amp service 300ft from transformer



## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

Can the POCO run a service line that last 300' to set a meter for a new service?


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

We would do a 400 amp metermain over here combined with aluminum wire.

Nobody wants to pay for 300' of 400mcm CU for a residential service. I would highly recommend aluminum in xhhw or use. We use a fair amount of both for services, feeders, and long runs.

For the record, it's really worth your and your customers time to know what your loads are before doing voltage drop calcs.

I figured out a long time ago it can get very expensive guessing at wire sizes for long runs.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Why can't you stick a 75Kva xfmr. at the trailer? It would save you a bunch of copper. Or, go parallel aluminum feeders. Cheaper to go overhead temporarily (depending on site conditions) until he knows what he needs for sure.


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## Shawn23 (Jan 5, 2011)

Bird dog said:


> Can the POCO run a service line that last 300' to set a meter for a new service?


No they won't. That is up to the owner to supply on his dime.


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

The probable least expensive method would be to parallel 4/0 aluminum. Direct burial can be cheaper- if rocks are not a problem. Paralleled 4/0 Al gives a 360 amp circuit and this size aluminum is very common. You need to check your local power company requirements for services to prevent your "diving under the bus".


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## Shawn23 (Jan 5, 2011)

Customer wants it in a conduit and would prefer copper. He also does not want to cut it close. He said he would rather have the wire up sized rather than use a wire that will just barely do it.


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## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

Shawn23 said:


> Customer wants it in a conduit and would prefer copper. He also does not want to cut it close. He said he would rather have the wire up sized rather than use a wire that will just barely do it.


If he wants copper then he must have more money than he knows what to do with. Should be a nice job for you.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk


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## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

He will want copper until you show him the price difference...

I have the same customers... " I don't want that junk AL wire"... "oh AL is less than 50% of the cost, better use that than"...

Cheers
John


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

Shawn23 said:


> Customer wants it in a conduit and would prefer copper. He also does not want to cut it close. He said he would rather have the wire up sized rather than use a wire that will just barely do it.


When I have customers that say that, and they are very few and far between, I will tell them "okay, but I'll give you a price for an aluminum substitute as well." After I tell them they'll never know the difference when they turn the lights on or plug a drill in, combined with seeing the cost difference, they've always picked aluminum. I do also mention to, that todays aluminum is a different alloy than the stuff they used years ago. It seems a lot of the " I gotta have copper" mindset is leftover from a long time ago when aluminum used to burn houses down.

But, if they were hard set on copper, it's not my place to tell them "no" either....


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Shawn23 said:


> Customer wants it in a conduit and would prefer copper. He also does not want to cut it close. He said he would rather have the wire up sized rather than use a wire that will just barely do it.


The UG should be based on the load.
I would give him everything he asks for.
300' is pretty much at a point where you have to double the wire size.
I would quote him parallel 350 Cu or parallel 500AL


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

Wait until he sees the cost of a 300A service. I bet he changes his mind about how big a service he needs.


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

flyboy said:


> Wait until he sees the cost of a 300A service. I bet he changes his mind about how big a service he needs.


Or maybe a 480v service with a stepdown xfmr at the building? If he needs that much that bad, let him have it.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Bird dog said:


> Or maybe a 480v service with a stepdown xfmr at the building? If he needs that much that bad, let him have it.


Most POCO are useally not too keen about running 480 volt system on resdentail system unless it is approved by engineering department personal. 

If that customer want it badly then he have to pay extra fee for it.


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## JoeSparky (Mar 25, 2010)

Shawn23 said:


> Customer wants it in a conduit and would prefer copper. He also does not want to cut it close. He said he would rather have the wire up sized rather than use a wire that will just barely do it.


20 miles of steel and aluminum wire owned by the POCO going to this property and 300' of copper is going to make a lick of difference? :no: Your customer is nuts. That being said, the markup on CU is more then AL :thumbup:


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