2-2-2- triple1800' run, can I draw 30 amps with 240v

[roy anderberg]

I wnat to run 1800' with 2-2-2- triplex with a 30 amp load. I have 240v available. Is it possible?

 

[charlie b]

Help me understand the question. What do you mean by "2-2-2"? Is that the wire size (i.e., #2 AWG)? Also, is this single phase or three phase? Finally, what do you mean by "is it possible"? It certainly is "possible," but are you asking about whether the code would allow it, or about whether the voltage drop would be excessive, or about something else?

 

[roy anderberg]

Help me understand the question. What do you mean by "2-2-2"? Is that the wire size (i.e., #2 AWG)? Also, is this single phase or three phase? Finally, what do you mean by "is it possible"? It certainly is "possible," but are you asking about whether the code would allow it, or about whether the voltage drop would be excessive, or about something else?

Sorry! -- Yes it is #2AWG triplex, al, single phase, and it is to a shed with a variable load with a max of 29 amps. And no, I am not asking whether the code would allow it. Thank you.

 

[petersonra]

http://www.southwire.com/support/voltage-drop-calculator.htm
1 conductors per phase utilizing a #2 Copper conductor will limit the voltage drop to 8.21% or less when supplying 30.0 amps for 1800 feet on a 240 volt system.
For Engineering Information Only:
95.0 Amps Rated ampacity of selected conductor
0.1808 Ohms Resistance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
0.045 Ohms Reactance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
24.0 volts maximum allowable voltage drop at 10%
19.693. Actual voltage drop loss at 8.21% for the circuit
0.9 Power Factor

It will probably "work".

Personally, I would be putting in a transformer to bring it up to 600V and another at the other end to bring it back down to 240V.

1 conductors per phase utilizing a #8 Copper conductor will limit the voltage drop to 4.98% or less when supplying 12.0 amps for 1800 feet on a 600 volt system.
For Engineering Information Only:
40.0 Amps Rated ampacity of selected conductor
0.7421 Ohms Resistance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
0.052 Ohms Reactance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
30.0 volts maximum allowable voltage drop at 5%
29.832. Actual voltage drop loss at 4.98% for the circuit
0.9 Power Factor

A couple of 10KVA transformers will probably be cheaper than 1800' of #2 triplex versus 1800' of #8 2C/G.

One advanatge of the transformer solution is no need to run a neutral all the way out there.

 

[kwired]

Next question is how much voltage drop can be tolerated, and is the 30 amp load 120 or 240 volts? (or 120 volts balanced across both lines and neutral which makes it 240 for calculations)?

 

[roy anderberg]

Sorry! -- Yes it is #2AWG triplex, al, single phase, and it is to a shed with a variable load with a max of 29 amps. And no, I am not asking whether the code would allow it. Thank you.

OK, thanks, that answers my question. I will do the pricing ans see which is better financially.

 

[roy anderberg]

Next question is how much voltage drop can be tolerated, and is the 30 amp load 120 or 240 volts? (or 120 volts balanced across both lines and neutral which makes it 240 for calculations)?

I was thinking of a dryer at 240v, but that may not be possible with a drop of 7 or 8 percent. But I will go back to the drawing board and see if I can do without 30 amps and do with 20.

 

[kwired]

http://www.southwire.com/support/voltage-drop-calculator.htm
1 conductors per phase utilizing a #2 Copper conductor will limit the voltage drop to 8.21% or less when supplying 30.0 amps for 1800 feet on a 240 volt system.
For Engineering Information Only:
95.0 Amps Rated ampacity of selected conductor
0.1808 Ohms Resistance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
0.045 Ohms Reactance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
24.0 volts maximum allowable voltage drop at 10%
19.693. Actual voltage drop loss at 8.21% for the circuit
0.9 Power Factor

It will probably "work".

Personally, I would be putting in a transformer to bring it up to 600V and another at the other end to bring it back down to 240V.

1 conductors per phase utilizing a #8 Copper conductor will limit the voltage drop to 4.98% or less when supplying 12.0 amps for 1800 feet on a 600 volt system.
For Engineering Information Only:
40.0 Amps Rated ampacity of selected conductor
0.7421 Ohms Resistance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
0.052 Ohms Reactance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
30.0 volts maximum allowable voltage drop at 5%
29.832. Actual voltage drop loss at 4.98% for the circuit
0.9 Power Factor

A couple of 10KVA transformers will probably be cheaper than 1800' of #2 triplex versus 1800' of #8 2C/G.

One advanatge of the transformer solution is no need to run a neutral all the way out there.

No need for neutral will save if it is a feeder and separate ground and neutral are needed, otherwise equipment ground is needed anyway.

Assuming only three conductors are needed I did a quick price check, came up with about $1758.00 for OP mentioned 2-2-2 aluminum. Did voltage drop calculation and figured maybe 3/0 aluminum was best choice, but my supplier has 4/0 triplex readily available so I went with that at cost of about $3590.00. Then looked at #8 THWN (x3) at about $2100.00. None of these included cost of raceway, just conductors.

That comes to about $1832.00 more for 4/0 aluminum (which will have some extra capacity if needed), or about $342 more for 8 AWG copper (with no extra capacity).

What kind of price do you get for 15 KVA transformers? Then add extra switches, fuses, breakers needed.

Remember if only one 120 volt load is in operation the voltage drop starts at 120.

 

[roy anderberg]

No need for neutral will save if it is a feeder and separate ground and neutral are needed, otherwise equipment ground is needed anyway.

Assuming only three conductors are needed I did a quick price check, came up with about $1758.00 for OP mentioned 2-2-2 aluminum. Did voltage drop calculation and figured maybe 3/0 aluminum was best choice, but my supplier has 4/0 triplex readily available so I went with that at cost of about $3590.00. Then looked at #8 THWN (x3) at about $2100.00. None of these included cost of raceway, just conductors.

That comes to about $1832.00 more for 4/0 aluminum (which will have some extra capacity if needed), or about $342 more for 8 AWG copper (with no extra capacity).

What kind of price do you get for 15 KVA transformers? Then add extra switches, fuses, breakers needed.

Remember if only one 120 volt load is in operation the voltage drop starts at 120.

Thanks again for the research, that helped.

 

[mbrooke]

Is the shed near any roads? It might be cheaper in this case to simply have the local power company run a new feed to the shed.