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Hoping for some advice on splicing 4/0 alluminum 200 amp service 4-4-4 underground

still learning

Plastic
Joined
May 1, 2006
Location
southern missouri
Hi, I just had a 24x50 double wide blocked leveled and tied down in the middle of 6 acres of pasture land, (not a tree bush or rock on it,)I had the electric company come out and set a pole meterloop box ect.. Didn't realize that the 4-4-4 alluminum underground entry wire was $2.69 a foot, and that the Elect, co. could'nt put a pole any more than 100ft out from the main power line,,, so I'm having to splice my cable about 30ft from my breaker box. any tips on how to do this the right way would be greatly appreciated.

I asked the guys setting the pole if it would be ok to splice my entry service cable.

((He looked at my trailer... and then at me... and then at my car....And laughs with his redneck buddy for a while.... And said SURE WE Splice them all the time, and basically suggested that I call them back out to do the job.))
I just spent $520 bux to get the pole set with a box on it). I'll do the rest myself If at all possible. I'm just not sure what my options are and what the right way to go about it is. :confused: thanks for reading, and have a good day.
 
Maybe I am missing something -- why don't you put the meter box on your double wide and have the power company do the splicing and make the final run to the box.

You stated that the power company wouldn't run a line from the main power line more thna 100 feet -- is that on their own dime? My power comes in over 300 feet, but I had to pay for it.
 
already cost me $520, and they wont put the box on a mobile home for some reason. since I already need to rent a ditchwitch to run my septic and water lines I figured it wouldn't be any big deal to bury my power line also. ( and it wouldn't have been a problem if the electric company would have brought the pole 30ft further. the problem is the entry service cable was purchased and put in conduit waiting to be attached to the pole. That was 80 feet at $2.69 a foot, Roughly $230 bux. so I can either splice on another 30ft for about $90. or replace the entire run for $320
 
In the UK, underground splicing components come as a kit. A thin plastic mould, bits of bus bars and a big pot of pouring resin. If you can't get this kit you can't do the job. But if you find someone who will sell you the kit, I am sure they will advise you of the correct one.
frank
 
After 35 years in the Water Well Business I really don't like Al Wire. Consider that if you burn up an air conditioner or Well pump as a result of using Al wire the cost of copper wire dosen't look that bad. With that said If I were going to splice the wire I would do it above ground in a Pedastal. This way you know where it is and can get at it. In a make do situation I have spliced Aluminum with Kernie nuts and sealed with rubber then pvc splicing tape. There is an OX Guard grease that helps cut down on corosion in connectors. The primary failure with Aluminum splices seems to be that over time with temperature variations there is some relaxation of the compressive force of the lug screws.
 
If your water table is anywhere near the surface of the ground, be careful of underground power and, especially, splices. I lived in a development in coastal Florida where the water table was normally around five-to-six feet. In seventeen years, the power company replaced the 80 foot underground run from the transformer to the house three times. (As luck would have it, we always lost one phase at the most inopportune times -- before a dinner party, Easter Sunday, etc!) At least it was on their dime. (One of the linemen said is all it takes is the smallest of pinholes in the insulation for moisture to get to the aluminum and start the corrosion process.)
 
It sounds like you are intending to put the splice(s) in the conduit. As I recall that is not permitted. Even if it was, aluminum wire tends to extrude from connection when it heats up. You would never be able to inspect or repair the splice without pulling it out of the conduit. The splice will have to be made in an accessable box, an above ground, rain-tite one would be best.
 
Loop the cable at the splice so that you will have plenty of cable if you have to redo the splice at a later time.
 
Reggie is right--splicing in the conduit is not allowed by the NEC. All splices need to be accessible after installation, with the exception of direct burial splices in direct burial cable.
 
As Still Learning stated in his second post, the service is in pipe. Hopefully in PVC and not in Galv. conduit, so it will be easier to add the sweeps and additional conduit to bring it into above ground spice box.
If possible, it would be better to have your electric utility set a second pole, even if you have to pay for it and the additional ariel cable. Then bring three conduits to that pole, one for power, second for phone, third for cable/spare.
 








 
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