Not-buried power cable?

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60wag

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New member here, I've been searching for an answer to my question but haven't found anything definitive.

We build an instrument system that is installed on wind turbine farms. The instrument is powered by the wind turbine but is usually 100-300 ft from the turbine site. Currently we trench the ground and bury the power cable. The instrument needs 120VAC 10A. In some locations, trenching is rather difficult - usually due to rock. To decrease the installation cost, the question is: can we run a power cable along the ground? I've found some MC and other armored cable suitable for wet locations that would likely work. What I can't find is any standard that says this practice is allowed. We can add protection to the cable when crossing a roadway (dirt road) or close to the turbine for other service activities. But out in the sagebrush, is a tough cable suitable to run on the ground?

thanks in advance
 
I guess I can see you questioning this in some places. Here if you run that on top or even in shallow trench that far from the tower, the guy farming the ground in the area is going to plow through it in his normal operations. unless you keep it along the access road to the tower where he isn't farming that land.

I'm guessing they were able to install the power conductors taking power away from the tower underground so apparently it is not impossible to get things underground, just maybe more costly than some places.
 
If these wind turbines are owned by the utility the NEC does not apply.
Cables have to protected from physical damage so running on the ground would be an issue.
Rigid conduit can be run on the ground, Typically will see it run on pavement.Rigid can be buried quite shallow if covered by concrete. See table 300.5
 
one option for such situations is the brown bed edger. Works great with a 1" rotor and 3/4 fits perfect and snug. Only goes 9" deep so not compliant for PVC if subject to the NEC without concrete cover,, but if RMC/IMC then only needs 6". I used it to run a 3/4 PVc 1900 feet thru my woods. Super low impact. I would rather run a PVC 6" down than run something on top of the ground anyday.

TrenchMaster

brownproducts.com brownproducts.com
 
electrofelon said:
one option for such situations is the brown bed edger. Works great with a 1" rotor and 3/4 fits perfect and snug. Only goes 9" deep so not compliant for PVC if subject to the NEC without concrete cover,, but if RMC/IMC then only needs 6". I used it to run a 3/4 PVc 1900 feet thru my woods. Super low impact. I would rather run a PVC 6" down than run something on top of the ground anyday.

TrenchMaster

brownproducts.com brownproducts.com
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So make a 1 inch wide trench 9 inches deep and fill with concete? Guess it technically complies with code, bet it mostly only offers physical protection from hand digging though.

Bet that 1900 feet went pretty fast. That is situation where you need to plow it in.
 
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