Electrifying a Desert fence.

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ShockedOneinAZsun

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Yuma, Arizona
I have been given the task of designing and estimating a system that brings 95 watts of power to electrical breakout points along a fence. The problem is that there are 350 breakout points along a 13.5 mile long fence! In addition, the desert floor gets between 120-128 degrees faranheit in the shade, between June-October. :cool:

I was told I can surface mount the rigid conduit along the fence, going under any roads I encounter. Assuming I can start with 480 volts, 3 phase, how do I deal with voltage drop, and compensate with the high ambient temperature over 13.5 miles? :cool:
 
Re: Electrifying a Desert fence.

Why not contact an electric fence manufacturer and explain what you are trying to accomplish?


Roger
 
Re: Electrifying a Desert fence.

What is a "breakout point"?
Why 95 watts of power?
What will this installation be use for?

buck and boost transformers come to mind for the voltage drop. But a bigger trouble will be expansion and contraction of the conduit. I have had experience with similar conduit systems on fences of about 1 mile and the conduit would "walk" several inches and even crushed the side in on an 8x8 galvanized box used as a pull box.. UNBELIVEABLE but true. Don't skimp on the expansion couplings.
 
Re: Electrifying a Desert fence.

A breakout point is a point where I have to install receptacles for cameras and motion and vibration sensors. This installation will be on a very highly secured military installation.

I know exactly what you mean about expansion joints, especially in the heat of the Arizona sun. I will, also, have to highly derate the wire size for both voltage drop and ambient temperature.

I am curious, though, how often, and what size buck boost transformer I will have to use over a 13.5 mile expanse in order to keep the voltage up to 120volts at each break out point.
 
Re: Electrifying a Desert fence.

Ahhh Perimeter Security I have been manager of a Group dealing with fence detection systems for several years. I am curious, who is the security intergtrator, do you know whos product you will be using. Buck and boost xfmrs are used to keep the voltage at the level they are rated. I cannot say how many or at what intervals. The manufacturer of the security equip. should be able to help with that.
 
Re: Electrifying a Desert fence.

If the fence returns to the same point it originates from you can use a loop feed that will lessen the voltage drop But 13.5 miles? WOW I haven't done any caculation's But I would think that you would need 1200 volt or higher feed. The total load is 33250 watts so even at 480 volts that's over 69 amps. since you have to transformer down from 480v why not save more on wire size and go higher with the primary voltage by stepping up at the source. then just ring feed the circuit like any POCO would do it. Here is one voltage that would be easy to get a transformer for 7200 and the current would only be 4.6 amps. For even more security use under ground vaults that would be un detectable by a intruder.
 
Re: Electrifying a Desert fence.

A thought, Why not go solar? If not then in cases where we have customers who need to go great distances to get power; we usually put in primary then at each location a transformer to a service to feed what is needed
 
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