I just got a quote to get power run to my barn. $3000 just for power to the barn and a minimum monthly usage charge of $25. I am thinking about getting a generator to run the lights and a small workshop. I still haven't decided how many lights I will need but is a generator an option?
Steve, in my opinion, a generator is certainly a viable option, depending on the amount of usage you expect. The generator will require some maintenance, and there will be the fuel costs, so you just have to estimate the amount of usage and calculate the cost difference.
I'm not sure of your circumstances. Is the barn close enough to run a subpanel from the house? That would at least save the monthly charge.
I had a 475 foot run of water and power done last year to my barn from the house. It was less than $3000 for the trench, water pipe and hookup of two hydrants.
The electrical conduit was buried for free with a rope run through it by the trenching company (in the same trench), though I had to pay the electrician for the conduit, and later the electric cabling, and eventually other electrical work (60 amp panel, lighting, etc).
Well my barn is about 200 feet from the nearest power line and about 800 feet from my house. They planned on running the power underground. I will have to double check my estimate but it was a flat fee to hook it up to the barn and an addition charge per foot from the pole. Here in MD I can't wire the barn for power it has to be done by a certified electrictrition for the power company to provide the new service. I am not the greatest but my work is much neater and documented than any of the electritians around here. With the housing boom it seems the prices keep going up and the quality is very poor.
That's why I am thinking about a generator and wiring the barn myself. I think I am going to run 10 8' florecent lights for the open areas and 2 or 3 more in the workshop. The workshop will just be for woodworking tools so power for the tablesaw or compound miter saw will be the largest thing I will be running. No heat/ac or welders.
That's what I was thinking but now my wife's plans for the barn include ceiling fans and box fans for the horses. I don't think they are needed but it is easier just to agree with her and she won't say anything about a new implement or two for the tractor.
Your final decision about running from the house or from the power pole will depend on how much current you will plan on using in the future in your barn. If you plan only to use some lighting and fans, you could probably only need a 30amp 230 volt circuit from the house. There is quite a voltage drop at 800 feet [ http://nooutage.com/vdrop.htm ], and you would have to go up several sizes of wire for that distance. Your big cost would be the wire, which has went up in price the last few years. If you plan someday for a workshop, you would need at least a 60 amp feed out there [welder/etc.]. That really adds to the wire price, and at this point, you should start to be looking at the separate meter in the barn. The power company would put in a 100 or 200 amp power panel. Then you whould have the extra monthly cost of that $25. One of them 'pay me now or pay me later' decisions.
I should add, the cable sizes suggested by that link are for a 'free air' copper conductor. If you go direct burial underground cable, you usually go up one size because of conductor heating. You also usually go up a size for aluminum. But your final decision on cable size should be what ever your code calls for. There is no cheap way to be safe.
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