1200A, 480V, 1000ft underground

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bwat

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In a pinch and I need to get customer a rough budgetary number for this.

1200A, 480v-3ph, 1000ft long, underground outside.

Can somebody help me out with a general magnitude of cost? You can make whatever assumptions you need to make.
 
(5)x set of 1000 MCM AL in 4" PVC would be $273,000.00 + tax, and 1200/hrs labor.
(6)x set of 750 MCM AL in 3-1/2" PVC would be $241,000 + tax, and 1150/hrs labor.

That would include a quazite box mid-point for each run. This is for straight 480 not 480/277. VD calculated at <3% for 1000A load.
 
brantmacga said:
(5)x set of 1000 MCM AL in 4" PVC would be $273,000.00 + tax, and 1200/hrs labor.
(6)x set of 750 MCM AL in 3-1/2" PVC would be $241,000 + tax, and 1150/hrs labor.

That would include a quazite box mid-point for each run. This is for straight 480 not 480/277. VD calculated at <3% for 1000A load.
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Thank you sir!

I’m glad I asked. I knew it would be high to go with this option, but I didn’t think it would be THAT high.
 
I think this is the sort of thing you will get wide variability in pricing. Perhaps the biggest thing is what is the ACTUAL load. Actual load is often half of what the NEC calc says it is, so if you use 600A you get 4 sets of 500 AL, probably a $45k wire bill. USE and sand bedding could be used rather than pipe and pulling which would save money and labor. Find those guys who will put the sand in for a few 12 packs of beer and you are well on your way ;)
 
I agree with Larry look getting a quote from the power company would be prudent. You could do your own step up step down, #2 15kv CN is about $3.75/ft so about $12k for wire. Unfortunately transformers are going to be an arm and a leg and they're availability sucks right now - doubtful it would be worth it in at this length.
 
electrofelon said:
I agree with Larry look getting a quote from the power company would be prudent. You could do your own step up step down, #2 15kv CN is about $3.75/ft so about $12k for wire. Unfortunately transformers are going to be an arm and a leg and they're availability sucks right now - doubtful it would be worth it in at this length.
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Thanks this was generally my thought as well as far as step up step down. Might be able to save a few shekels going that route, but transformers are not exactly cheap or anywhere close to readily available nowadays, so when you factor everything in, it could end up being a wash.
 
bwat said:
Thanks this was generally my thought as well as far as step up step down. Might be able to save a few shekels going that route, but transformers are not exactly cheap or anywhere close to readily available nowadays, so when you factor everything in, it could end up being a wash.
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Yeah a real real quick look at eBay shows 15-30k is about the cheapest used 500kva to one Meg transformers go, so add in your primary wire you're at about the same bill for the four sets of 500 route. Then you have kind of a bastard system with older lossier transformers, two transformers of voltage drop, etc.....
 
brantmacga said:
(5)x set of 1000 MCM AL in 4" PVC would be $273,000.00 + tax, and 1200/hrs labor.
(6)x set of 750 MCM AL in 3-1/2" PVC would be $241,000 + tax, and 1150/hrs labor.

That would include a quazite box mid-point for each run. This is for straight 480 not 480/277. VD calculated at <3% for 1000A load.
Click to expand...
That took you all of five minutes to do when you know how to use your software and trust it....unlike most here
 
brantmacga said:
(5)x set of 1000 MCM AL in 4" PVC would be $273,000.00 + tax, and 1200/hrs labor.
(6)x set of 750 MCM AL in 3-1/2" PVC would be $241,000 + tax, and 1150/hrs labor.

That would include a quazite box mid-point for each run. This is for straight 480 not 480/277. VD calculated at <3% for 1000A load.
Click to expand...
Just out of curiosity. Which software did you use?
 
sbirnbaum said:
Just out of curiosity. Which software did you use?
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Conest Intellibid.

It doesn't tell you what wire/conduit size to use etc and calculate VD, but I can quickly build assemblies knowing what I need. For typical indoor feeders it will configure the correct conduit/wire size based on ampacity. But it wouldn't account for VD over long distances.
 
I would just tell the guy a quarter of a million dollars as a rough order of magnitude estimate and make him understand that it is subject to all the vagaries of what you can get in the way of parts if you actually end up getting a job out of the estimate.
 
petersonra said:
I would just tell the guy a quarter of a million dollars as a rough order of magnitude estimate and make him understand that it is subject to all the vagaries of what you can get in the way of parts if you actually end up getting a job out of the estimate.
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That's basically exactly what I did a few weeks ago when this came up. I said 250k for a sense of magnitude, and probably a range of 150-350k depending on specifics.
 
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