Best way for this 200 foot run?

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GerryB

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woodbridge, ct. USA
I have to get a circuit for an automatic gate at this condo now apartments. It is an L shaped building, 9 units, 6 then 3. The house panel is on the outside next to the meter bank, which is of course the absolute furthest point away from the driveway. If I pipe it outside I would pipe around the corner, then over each garage door and under porches, around a jog(2 extra 90's and an lb), then another corner to get to the gate location. 200 feet, about 4 lb's and 5 90's. I was going to use 3/4 and #10 wire for voltage drop and they want a light on the side of the building. I'm thinking it will be pretty unsightly, pvc might sag, ridgid is harder but I could probably span the jog I mentioned (about 3 feet, make a nice chin up bar), and I don't know about emt and comp couplings. The other choice is to go through each unit. There is some kind of chase because they ran ser to each unit to the panels. Each unit has a garage that I would have to open up sheet rock and find my way. I suppose this is better. Any problems code wise with this? Thanks
 
Thanks for the replys. No attic, no ug, but thinking about it I think I can pipe straight down the long side and right through one garage, then it would be an lb and straight to the gate. I have never used the pvc expansion fittings but that sounds like the way to go. Actually the run is not really in direct sunlight either, so extra straps and expansion fittings. Thanks for helping me think!
 
augie47 said:
why no underground ?
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This L-shaped building is on a corner, side walks and entrances, steps etc in the front and the completely paved parking lot in back. If you picture an "L" at the end of the long part of the L are the meters and the house panel. At the end of the short end is the entrance to the parking area, and if you made it a square the rest is all asphalt.
 
Battery operated gate and a solar powered charger? Good chance you don't need to change the operator at all, it probably already is battery operated, and you just need a different charging unit.
 
+1 on the battery operated gate. Most of them are 12-24volt systems anyway and just wall-wart down from line voltage.
A solar panel and a battery box = power failure proof system.
There are quite a few of those on oilfield roads around here.
 
How do solar panels work up north in the snow?
Are they tilted due to your latitude such that snow slides right off?
I can see for low useage that a solar charger on a dc battery is the right thing to do, for example, on a single family home.
But how will it hold up in heavy traffic? Heavy traffic at night? More batteries and bigger pv panel?
Probably still cheaper than running all that wire.
 
mgookin said:
How do solar panels work up north in the snow?
Are they tilted due to your latitude such that snow slides right off?
I can see for low useage that a solar charger on a dc battery is the right thing to do, for example, on a single family home.
But how will it hold up in heavy traffic? Heavy traffic at night? More batteries and bigger pv panel?
Probably still cheaper than running all that wire.
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Well here in wide open "God's country" we don't really have that many of these gates to begin with.

Ranchers have gates to keep the cattle in more so then to keep people out. You could put in some fancy gate on a roadway, but if someone really wants to enter your property it is usually much easier to go offroad and go around it then to mess with the gate.

Gates only stop honest thieves around here:happyyes:
 
kwired said:
Well here in wide open "God's country" we don't really have that many of these gates to begin with.

Ranchers have gates to keep the cattle in more so then to keep people out. You could put in some fancy gate on a roadway, but if someone really wants to enter your property it is usually much easier to go offroad and go around it then to mess with the gate.

Gates only stop honest thieves around here:happyyes:
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Thanks for the 411.
The question was really about performance of solar up north? Do you get good results all year long or is it diminished performance in winter? (which is what you'd have to design to)
 
mgookin said:
Thanks for the 411.
The question was really about performance of solar up north? Do you get good results all year long or is it diminished performance in winter? (which is what you'd have to design to)
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I would assume it is diminished. Most solar powered things I have run into are pretty limited loads.

A gate like in the OP is not all that common in the first place around these parts. If there were one solar powered it would likely be in a place that is not all that practical to run power to it, and would probably not be operating all that frequently either to be concerned about the battery and a solar charger being able to keep up with power needs. Besides there is probably enough wind - especially in winter months that that may be better route if the power demand were high enough to be a concern.

If you are concerned with snow build up on solar panels - they would be angled enough to get the best sun in winter months that snow wouldn't accumulate very easily on them. Just need to make sure they are not too close to the ground or they may just end up completely buried in the snow.:happyyes:
 
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