For the folks that do center pivot and similar work...do you all use CIC cable? How long can you get it in one piece of, say, 1/0-3 plus EGC? 4000 feet?
I have used CIC and find it depends on circumstances as to what is best method.
For typical 1400-1500 lengths of 4/0 aluminum I can come out maybe roughly same cost as getting quad URD and installing it in 20 foot lengths of thinwall PVC. Takes more labor to do the thinwall and pull quad through it, but after figuring cost per foot of materials, the fact that my regular supply house will deliver to me at no extra charge Vs the fact that the place I buy CIC from is about 75 miles away and I have to pick it up myself makes it not worth it in most cases. If you had the machinery needed and could plow it in, it may well be worth it though, but that is not machinery that is easy to find for rent and if you own it you better find enough work to keep it busy or it will not pay back very fast.
Here is where I have bought CIC from
http://www.paigeelectric.com/Untitled.html. They have warehouses around the country one happens to be in Columbus NE which is around 75 miles from me, but from what I see on their website that same warehouse may be closest one to you also, don't know if it is worth it for the miles you would need to travel though they probably can ship to you also.
I don't know how long of a piece you can get of 3 conductor plus ground 1/0 but am guessing 4 or 5000 feet is about all that could fit on the reels that I have had before which are about 8 feet in diameter.
ETA: I will also say you better have some heavy equipment for handling these reels, otherwise it turns into a much bigger job than you wish you ever took on .
