The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: Dangermouse on April 20, 2010, 01:41:18 pm

Title: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Dangermouse on April 20, 2010, 01:41:18 pm
Well it looks like my land purchse is finally going through after a few nightmares.

My first job once we complete is to get electricity to the porperty. There is electricity in the road that fronts the property but its not connected to the property.

Anyone had experience getting this done?

What sort of cost am I looking at?

be gentle.................. :o
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: doganjo on April 20, 2010, 02:47:18 pm
I had a new supply and meter installed prior to starting the build, took it from behind my own house about 300 yards down the garden to the barn - cost in 2004 was about £2000.  I got a shock!
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Dangermouse on April 20, 2010, 02:50:05 pm
I had a new supply and meter installed prior to starting the build, took it from behind my own house about 300 yards down the garden to the barn - cost in 2004 was about £2000.  I got a shock!


 :o :o :o

I have a feeling this is going to be a painful experiance.................
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: doganjo on April 20, 2010, 02:56:01 pm
You might be lucky.  The cost included digging up my lawn and woodland garden to put the cable in, then re-instating it so I could sell my house.  The Electricity Board can give you a quote, but I think you can get other contractors to do the work and the leccy folk just to sign it off. Ask them.
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Dangermouse on April 20, 2010, 02:58:55 pm
Well its only 2 yards to get to the edge of my property.....

but....


Its about 250 yards to where I want the lecky to be....(I can do the trenching and cable laying myself)

I guess ill have to get on the the lecky board when I get home
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: doganjo on April 20, 2010, 03:04:17 pm
Just take the supply to the edge of your property, have the meter installed there - easier for them to read it anyway. (It needs a waterproof housing, preferably a shed) Any electrician can then run the necessary cablse to wherever you want them.
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Dangermouse on April 20, 2010, 03:07:37 pm
That sounds like a plan to me........ :bouquet:
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Brucklay on April 20, 2010, 03:15:22 pm
We renovated an old stone store into our cottage, power pupply at the end of our track 300m - to install supply cost £9000 in 2008 - a lot of the cost was in the transformer - we had asked if it could be done underground as I didn't want poles but then they would have to install a larger transformer because of leakage and that would have put the cost even higher even if we'd done the track ourselves - so poles it was - before we bought the property they had quoted £7500 to someone interested so it went up quite a bit in a year!!

(http://)
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Dangermouse on April 20, 2010, 03:28:56 pm
Ouch..............
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: doganjo on April 20, 2010, 03:30:53 pm
I wasn't really sure why teh cost was so high either.  Ask for a detailed breakdown too.
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Dangermouse on April 20, 2010, 04:12:08 pm
Ill see about getting it laid to the edge of my property and then doing the rest by myself I think.

As long as I have it checked by a sparky I think thats perfectly legal
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: doganjo on April 20, 2010, 04:38:15 pm
Sounds good to me - I had no option as I owned both properties, and had to put the meter in teh barn.  Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Norfolk Newby on April 24, 2010, 10:34:47 am
A couple of points (not mentioned yet).

If you want the electricity supply to a house, you pay a small standard standing charge plus for the electricity used. If the property is classed as commercial (which I think includes farm) you pay a larger standing charge based on the maximum amount of electricity you might ever want to use. This means that - for example - you want to run a big heater once a year, you have to pay a standing charge based on the electricity used by that heater rather than a standing charge based on a couple of light bulbs which run most of the time. This can put the annual cost  up quite a lot

If you want to run the electricity yourself, you can use - I think - some fire proof cable which has a metal sheath rather than plastic coated wire. This can go underground but needs something like concrete strips you use on the top of a wall or the concrete strips used to edge a garden path or similar. The concrete is laid on top of the cable to protect it. The cable needs to be about a foot below the surface and is best installed alongside a path or similar where you are unlikely to dig into it.

You could use a 110v isolating transformer like they use on construction sites. This reduces the risk of being electrocuted but limits what you can connect. The transformer would go on the supply where is enters your premises and then everything would be supplied at 110v. The isolating transformer means that the electricity wants to go back to the transformer and isn't interested in running to earth. This means that if you touch a live part, the electricity ignores you as you aren't connected to the transformer's return connection and you are safe.

You can get 110v power tools and lights quite easily - look at Machine Mart, Northern Tool and similar companies which supply construction people.


NN
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Dangermouse on April 25, 2010, 07:35:20 am
perhaps ill give you a shout when I put it in (we are in the same area)  ;D
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Norfolk Newby on April 26, 2010, 11:07:12 am
Hi

If the last item was directed to me, I'm always glad to help. However, I am no expert and DON'T have the necessary qualifications.

I just picked up these tips along the way.

If you have a friendly electrician in your area, he (she?) would be the best person to advise you.

I have to say this because the law has got very picky over the last few years. You can't touch anything electrical or gas in your own house now beyond fitting a new light bulb (low energy only, of course).

However, if these suggestions help or mean you avoid a nasty accident, then I am happy I can help.

NN
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Declan on April 27, 2010, 10:40:55 pm
DM- depends on which electric company you are with. Often they ask you to dig the trench and lay the bedding- then they come with the cable and lay it from the boundary of your property ot the meter board location- leaving you to cover it over. Cost can differ- depending on the age of the plant they are taking your electicity off and also- has the pole outside your place got a transformer on it- i think they can only take a supply from a transformer pole- but i am not certain.

declan
   
Title: Re: Getting Electricity installed?
Post by: Brucklay on April 28, 2010, 08:02:51 am
our wasn't from a transformer - rather a T from supply - therefore we has to have our own transformer and consequently expensive.