Extreme distance voltage drops

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I would go with solar if it is possible. Did you say what the load is?

If solar wont work can you use Chaper 9 Table 8 note2 to calculate a multiplier for K to use the actual soil temp at 2 Ft or whatever your depth is?
My guess is you would have 18° C or a k= 10.5 for copper or 17.2 for aluminum.

If your load is around 1000VA for eaxmple
#4 AL USE/XHHW-2 Aluminum @6500 FT with a K =17.2 would be around 468V

For medium sized loads like 7-12kw you could use a 1000V nominal system and PV wire:
http://hvac.southwire.com/wp-conten...TOVOLTAIC-WIRE-1000-VOLT-TYPE-RPVU-–-BLACK.pdf
I am looking into that for water pumping on a large farm now.
 
Yes very important. Not panel size, not breaker size, not article 220 load, preferably not even nameplate load - ACTUAL load.

I am guessing the actual load for something like this is quite small, but being a roadway project, there are probably many people willing to waste lots of money.


I wouldn't be worried about voltage drop. I'd be worried about someone getting killed or injured from a breaker that does not trip. Breaker size is the governing factor here.
 
For medium sized loads like 7-12kw you could use a 1000V nominal system and PV wire:
http://hvac.southwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/PV-PHOTOVOLTAIC-WIRE-1000-VOLT-TYPE-RPVU-–-BLACK.pdf
I am looking into that for water pumping on a large farm now.

I know you are familiar with my 2.4kv system I mentioned here because you replied: https://forums.mikeholt.com/threads/my-solar-system.148865/ but for others reading this: PV wire goes up to 2KV, which is of course better for wire size/VD issues, but the issue with going above 1kv is then the installation would have to fall under 300.50(A)(3) which requires RGC/IMC or PVC encased in concrete which may very well make it a deal breaker. The NEC is not very friendly to unshielded cables.
 
Whats the best practice for ensuring the OCPD works for a long run like that? Since the OP is gone for now lets say the load is 1kw @ 6500 FT
 
Lived it.

Not everyone does. The thing that gets my panties in a bunch is the CMPs know it, and instead of making a simple rule limiting how far a any particular wire gauge can travel they're slowly mandating various GFCIs and "special circuit protectors" which is great for manufacters but not how you would go about fixing a loop hole in the code.
 
My point
Whats the best practice for ensuring the OCPD works for a long run like that? Since the OP is gone for now lets say the load is 1kw @ 6500 FT
For Short Circuit Analysis of 1kw / 277vac / 1.732, my point-to-point SCA shows ~41 Amps, which trips 20A breaker on #8, 6500 ft away, 2.9%vd.

Setting power factor to 85% matches "C" table results, published by IEEE Std. 241-1990, IEEE Recommended Practice for Commercial Power Systems.

Overload protection should be integrated within fused utilization equipment.
 
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My point

For Short Circuit Analysis of 1kw / 277vac / 1.732, my point-to-point SCA shows ~41 Amps, which trips 15A breaker on #8, 6500 ft away, 2.9%vd.

Setting power factor to 85% matches "C" table results, published by IEEE Std. 241-1990, IEEE Recommended Practice for Commercial Power Systems.

Overload protection should be integrated within fused utilization equipment.
Interesting thanks! 277 is L to G fault probably worst case?
 
Tried it on an iPhone app, selected 480vac L-L, 75 kva xfmr 1%Z, 6500ft of #8, got SCA of 66 Amps.
EATON Bussman series FC2 fault current calculator
 
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