WIRING SCENARIO- Ground & Neutral

[Alwayslearningelec]

Ok, this may be one of my "dumber" questions. If you have 3 light poles on the same circuit next to each other about 50' apart and they want a separate neutral and ground would you only pull the ground and neutral to the first light pole and only extend/splice only the hot or would they N&G have to be spliced as well and run to each pole? THanks.

 

[infinity]

Splice. A separate neutral and ground for each light would be a waste of time and money.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

Splice. A separate neutral and ground for each light would be a waste of time and money.

What do you eman by that? Your saying that should not be what they are asking for or if they are then how I explained the wiring is not correct for a seperate N&G? THanks. Oh and it's a 1 pole 20a 120v circuit

 

[infinity]

At the first pole you have a feed consisting of 3 conductors, Hot, Neutral, EGC. From there run 3 conductors to the second pole and make a splice in the first pole. Same holds true for the second pole.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

At the first pole you have a feed consisting of 3 conductors, Hot, Neutral, EGC. From there run 3 conductors to the second pole and make a splice in the first pole. Same holds true for the second pole.

Ok, last thing(scenerio..all same circuit). If there were (4) poles, 3 conductors(H,N,G) would run out to first pole, then splice there and extend the H,N,G then splice at 2nd pole and extend H,N,G and so on up to 4th pole..right

If they did not ask for a dedicated ground the RGS could be used? THanks.

 

[K8MHZ]

Ok, last thing(scenerio..all same circuit). If there were (4) poles, 3 conductors(H,N,G) would run out to first pole, then splice there and extend the H,N,G then splice at 2nd pole and extend H,N,G and so on up to 4th pole..right

Do you need to compensate for voltage drop? Remember, the conductor feeding the first pole will carry the current of all four lights, the conductor feeding the last pole will only be carrying the current of a single light. That is something else to consider.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

Do you need to compensate for voltage drop? Remember, the conductor feeding the first pole will carry the current of all four lights, the conductor feeding the last pole will only be carrying the current of a single light. That is something else to consider.

But was the wiring how I figured it correct from pole to pole?

So you are saying that there could be say a #4AWG to the forst pole then #10's feeding the rest? THanks for the help.

 

[maghazadeh]

Ok, this may be one of my "dumber" questions. If you have 3 light poles on the same circuit next to each other about 50' apart and they want a separate neutral and ground would you only pull the ground and neutral to the first light pole and only extend/splice only the hot or would they N&G have to be spliced as well and run to each pole? THanks.

We like these kind of questions, keep through them in. However basic knowlege of electricity / circuitary functions is good to have.

 

[K8MHZ]

But was the wiring how I figured it correct from pole to pole?

So you are saying that there could be say a #4AWG to the forst pole then #10's feeding the rest? THanks for the help.

I don't know exactly how it would work out, but yeah, I think you got the idea.

Doing the calcs can be tricky because the voltage drop is additive. Every time you add a load it will be at a lower voltage, and the amount it lowers will change with wire size. So you might go from a 4 to a 6 to an 8 to a 10, for instance.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

I don't know exactly how it would work out, but yeah, I think you got the idea.

Doing the calcs can be tricky because the voltage drop is additive. Every time you add a load it will be at a lower voltage, and the amount it lowers will change with wire size. So you might go from a 4 to a 6 to an 8 to a 10, for instance.

I am not really taking about the VD, I am making sure the numbers of wires I referred to above would be correct?

 

[Joethemechanic]

I am not really taking about the VD, I am making sure the numbers of wires I referred to above would be correct?

You want to know if the number of conductors are correct? You need 3 conductors going to each pole unless,,,

A: you are the POCO

B: It is a series street lighting circuit with a current transformer

 

[roger]

But was the wiring how I figured it correct from pole to pole?


So you are saying that there could be say a #4AWG to the forst pole then #10's feeding the rest? THanks for the help.

You can also start with a smaller conductor and use a larger conductor at the end.

Roger

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

You want to know if the number of conductors are correct? You need 3 conductors going to each pole unless,,,

A: you are the POCO

B: It is a series street lighting circuit with a current transformer

Got it thanks.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

You can also start with a smaller conductor and use a larger conductor at the end.

Roger

You mean a larger conductor fropm panel to first pole then smaller...How could you have larger between the poles then smaller all the way back to panel.

 

[K8MHZ]

You can also start with a smaller conductor and use a larger conductor at the end.

Roger

I don't agree. The conductor you start with will be carrying 4 times the current as the last one.

 

[Joethemechanic]

I don't agree. The conductor you start with will be carrying 4 times the current as the last one.

Say for example the first pole is 5 feet away from the panel, and the next pole is 1,500 feet away from the first. And you are only running large conductor for voltage drop.

Although, not a likely situation.

 

[roger]

I don't agree. The conductor you start with will be carrying 4 times the current as the last one.

Think about it for a minute and take note that I didn't mention conductor sizes

Roger

 

[K8MHZ]

Say for example the first pole is 5 feet away from the panel, and the next pole is 1,500 feet away from the first. And you are only running large conductor for voltage drop.

Although, not a likely situation.

Yep, you are right.

 

[K8MHZ]

Think about it for a minute and take note that I didn't mention conductor sizes

Roger

That's correct, you didn't.

 

[mkgrady]

If they did not ask for a dedicated ground the RGS could be used? THanks.

You could use the RGS as the ground and meet code. Of course you need a way to connect the RGS to the pole in a code compliant way that grounds the pole.