Rnning electricity to coop

[Callieslamb]

I'd like to put electricity in my chicken coop this year so I can keep their water thawed and use supplemental lighting. I plan on taking it from the barn to the coopl- it's about 100 ft. Is there a reason NOT to put it on poles in the air rather than put it under ground? I could run it in a straight line if I went undergrounds and the distance would lessen to about 50 ft. Going high, I'd probably carry it to a fence line and over.

I don't live in a HOA or anything like that. I just wonder if their are regulations for running electric lines. DH can figure out how much power we can take from the barn so that's not the information I'm looking for. Just which is better- long term.

[unregistered353870]

There are regulations for both aerial and burial lines, for how high or deep they are. I think they vary from place to place and aerial heights usually vary depending on what is under them...like if it goes over a driveway it has to be higher. If I were you, I would bury it. Much less likely to cause you problems in the future that way.

ETA: I would also put it in conduit even if not required.

[arabian knight]

I would go underground which I have at this place and about the same distance about 50 feet, but I also agree with put the wire inside a conduit. as mentioned above and I did it also. I just went and did it. Been in the ground now for many years close to 15, and I have had electricians here for other reasons and not a thing was said "Oh Where does THAT line go"? LOL Not one word. And I never volunteer any info either. LOL
And must have done a good job as at times I have had three stock tanks with 1500 watt heaters in each of them throughout the winter. And 1,000 WATT quarts lights strung around to light the place up like a Christmas tree. And not once have I snapped a breaker. LOL

[rambler]

You may do either. Both have some regulations of course, but you are allowed by electrical code to do it either way. You need a certain clearance to roofs, and height, and if you are making,a corner you need guy wires, and good enough poles. The wire is different, underground or overhead, different insulation.

Underground is so so so much better and out of the way..... And you will save 50 feet of wire, which will allow one size smaller wire, will be some savings there to pay for the trencher or boring machine.............

But, you can legally do it either way with the proper materials if you choose........

Paul

[Callieslamb]

thanks for the info. I know that we can't have a joint in the wire underground. So I'd have to bring it up to the surface, join and then go back down. I have man power to dig a ditch for me- the boys from the detention center- though I'm not so sure they can dig very straight or deep.

[Nimrod]

I agree with Rambler, "Underground is so so so much better and out of the way..... And you will save 50 feet of wire, which will allow one size smaller wire, will be some savings there to pay for the trencher or boring machine............."

Run conduit the whole way. The neighbor's barn has no power because a mole committed suicide by chewing through the wires.

Run 240 volts. You may not do any welding in the chicken coop but you can double the power from 120 volt by running 1 (red) extra wire.

Check the local codes. I ran each circuit through a GFI outlet so everything's GFI protected. I also hammered in an 8 foot long, copper coated, steel rod to ground the whole chicken coop.

Put on outside lights and weather proof outside outlets. It gets very dark where the coop is and the outlets are very handy.

[rambler]

Originally Posted by Callieslamb

thanks for the info. I know that we can't have a joint in the wire underground. So I'd have to bring it up to the surface, join and then go back down. I have man power to dig a ditch for me- the boys from the detention center- though I'm not so sure they can dig very straight or deep.

What is the reason for the joint? Are you running it to 2 buildings?

Paul

[Batt]

Connections can be made underground. There are special connectors for just that purpose. Check with the local electrical supply house.

[MichaelZ]

Underground is now code by us. In fact, to get wiring to my shed after upgrading, I had to take down the overhead wire and trench in the wire. Frankly I would rather have it on the pole. We are in heavy clay and heaving can rupture the wire with the extreme cold. A power company near us even abandoned their underground wire and went with poles. I had to be very careful when I dug the trench and covered the wire that no large jagged rocks were near the wire - these have been known to heave and cut the wires.

Interesting that my electrician did not mention conduit - it sure makes sense.

[geo in mi]

For me and my chicken house, I would get a coil of underground wire from Menard's and have at it. Proper fused throw switch at the front end, conduit going into the house, correct insulators and connecters. 20 Amps and you're good to go. Bury a plastic colored danger wire so you don't cut into it later. Mum's the word........Your chickens will love you, and you'll love yourself.

Spray a straight digging line and have a plate of donuts at the end......

My opinion. Not electrical advice, just what I would do.

geo

[Callieslamb]

I think it's code here that joints have to be above ground, but I'll check on that. I was originally going to run the electricity off the main line that runs from the house to the barn. To do that, I'd have to bring the line above ground to join the new line, then run it back down and over to the coop and greenhouse. I'd forgotten that I decided it would be closer to run from the barn.

Thanks for all the help.

[JoePa]

I had a similar situation - not quite as long - I had outlets in the barn and put a plug at the end of a #10 outside wire - the plastic covering was for outside use - the other end I went overhead to the chicken coop - put an outlet in the chicken coop - whenever I want power in the chicken coop I plug into the outlet in the barn - its basically like a long extension cord -

[Callieslamb]

Now that's an idea....Did you put it underground?

[Michael W. Smith]

When we first moved here, the transformer for our house was on the other side of the road. So, they had a line that went over the road to the house and another line that went to another pole on the same side of the road as the transformer that then went from that pole, across the road, and down to the barn.

In a short time that we lived here, we had several tree branches that blew down on the line to the barn, each time pulling the wire off the barn. After the third time it happened, we dug a trench from the corner of the house to the corner of the barn, laid plastic pipe in the trench, fished a wire through the pipe, and covered everything over.

We haven't had a problem since then. And the best thing is, is in the odd chance something would go wrong with the wire, it's a simple case of cutting it on one end, hooking a new piece of wire to the cut end and pulling it through the pipe to replace it.

Yes, bury it, and put it inside conduit. You won't have ever have any problems with it, and the person who has your property probably won't ever have any problems either.

[cc-rider]

I used conduit, also. And when I pushed the line through, I also put a length of plastic clothesline in there, loose on both ends. You never know when you might want to use it to pull another power line (and still leave your original line) or a water line, or whatever.

[Sawmill Jim]

Me I would use stranded wire and 3\4 Grey pvc conduit Every type of fitting one could need is available .Sheaved cable is not made to be used in conduit The grey color tell anyone in the know it has electric wire in it not water, steam or gas

[HuskyBoris]

Originally Posted by geo in mi

For me and my chicken house, I would get a coil of underground wire from Menard's and have at it. Proper fused throw switch at the front end, conduit going into the house, correct insulators and connecters. 20 Amps and you're good to go. Bury a plastic colored danger wire so you don't cut into it later. Mum's the word........Your chickens will love you, and you'll love yourself.

Spray a straight digging line and have a plate of donuts at the end......

My opinion. Not electrical advice, just what I would do.

geo

this,,run it straight to the ccop,when going under ground I also like to put stuff in row or mark where it starts and ends in case you forget,

[ct01r]

We've run several lengths of wire to and from our outbuildings. We ran a line underground from our generator behind the barn to the house, from the barn electric panel to our garage, etc.

1. We always go with a larger conduit than needed so we can run more wire later if needed. Almost all the work is in digging the trench, so we might as well take advantage of it.
2. We ran an extra length of conduit (2 runs of conduit) when we dug the trench for the generator. The second one's still emptry, but now it's buried under our concrete drive, so if we want to run anything elese to or from the barn it'll be an easy thing to do.
3. We usually go with heavier wire than needed, and always use copper instead of aluminum. It makes it easeir and safer to add outlets, lights, etc. later on if your wire is heavy enough to handle it.

It gets frustrating when you do a job, and the next year decide I should have added this or that, and I have to do it all over again with more capacity. Curt

[JoePa]

Originally Posted by Callieslamb

Now that's an idea....Did you put it underground?

No - I put a hole in the upper part of the barn and ran the wire overhead to a small board attached to the chicken coop - then ran the wire down the board and into the coop - put an outlet in the coop so I can plug in a heated water container and plug in a heat lamp -

[mreynolds]

When I have to dig a ditch I always hook up the middle buster to the tractor. Can get it almost 2' deep that way.