alternative power to water well

[2barmcattle]

The electrical coop wants several thousand dollars to run 1200 ft of power to my well house. Is there an alternative that anyone uses out there. I use a generator now - don't live out there by the way - to water my cattle. Just burned up the second one in 4 yrs. I am aware of the solar wells but.....I have an existing 1hp well pump. Is anyone aware of wind, solar etc that would be less expensive than the thousands that the elec. coop wants?

Thanks!!

 

[backhoeboogie]

Solar chargers with a bank of deep cycle batteries and an inverter would be your only choice. A 220 volt inverter is expensive and difficult to find. Battery technology is not very good yet either.

A year and a half ago I went with the 1750 foot of power and ate the cost. Essentially I was in the identical situation. After weighing all the issues, I brought in power.

 

[dieselbeef]

yep..in the long run the elec co always seems to be most economical..nuthin else is cheap enuff

 

[john250]

It's going to add big $ to your property value.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

The electrical coop wants several thousand dollars to run 1200 ft of power to my well house. Is there an alternative that anyone uses out there. I use a generator now - don't live out there by the way - to water my cattle. Just burned up the second one in 4 yrs. I am aware of the solar wells but.....I have an existing 1hp well pump. Is anyone aware of wind, solar etc that would be less expensive than the thousands that the elec. coop wants?

Thanks!!

In 2008 we purchased quarter section of pasture in Childress County, TX., 13 miles West of Hollis, OK. Our Collingsworth County, TX., Coop had a powerline about mile or so from our new property. They wanted little over $50,000 to bring in a line. We said "no thanks". Then, we contacted the Harmon County, OK., Coop (Hollis, OK.) to see if they were interested. They said "yes" and brought in a 200 Amp service (think the run was about mile or less) and they only charged us about $4,000. Go figure...pays to shop around. This new line supplied our new 125 gpm well with 7.5 hp pump and other power uses.

[On a sidebar, the property already had a shallow well supplied by a solar pump with 75 watt solar collector which was about 1,000 ft from where we needed power...only put out about 1.5 gpm and is still being used for one of our 10' dia. stock tanks. We also investigated a new solar service for the new well and for other uses. Was going to cost over $30,000 plus new expensive batteries every few years.]

 

[2barmcattle]

Thanks guys. I guess what really gets my goat is that there is a REAL wealthy guy a couple of miles down the road that was GIVEN $25,000 worth of work for no charge. And I am stuck with several thousand bucks to run much less than he did. I guess I'll just git r done though.

Thanks!!

 

[novaman]

Ever looked into a wind charger? I know nothing about them but have heard of a few people around here using them to water cattle in remote locations.

 

[Floyd]

Get a trencher & put the wire in yourself. It will still cost for the hook up but not as much as them putting the wire in.

Bet they want to hang it on poles,eh?

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Unless I'm mistaken, Oklahoma puts all rural agricultural lines on poles.

For 1200 ft of line (3 wires: Hot, Neutral, Ground), you are looking at some BIG wire. Lot of loss with that long of run. When you consider the cost of large capacity copper wire...the several thousand $$ the Coop would charge you could be a real bargain...lol.

Voltage drop, amp capacity stuff.

;-)

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Thanks guys. I guess what really gets my goat is that there is a REAL wealthy guy a couple of miles down the road that was GIVEN $25,000 worth of work for no charge. And I am stuck with several thousand bucks to run much less than he did. I guess I'll just git r done though.

Thanks!!

Sounds like the wealthy guy is part of the "good ole boy's network" or has someone in his back pocket...LOL!!

 

[backhoeboogie]

Get a trencher & put the wire in yourself. It will still cost for the hook up but not as much as them putting the wire in.

Bet they want to hang it on poles,eh?

That aint happening. Don't know why they have the rules they do here but they won't let you. I've got and backhoe. Believe me, underground was what I begged for with me doing the trench. You have to use their contractor and it will cost you more to go underground.

 

[novaman]

That aint happening. Don't know why they have the rules they do here but they won't let you. I've got and backhoe. Believe me, underground was what I begged for with me doing the trench. You have to use their contractor and it will cost you more to go underground.

Is there some sort of law preventing you from doing underground? I've put several underground lines in myself, although not that large of a distance.

 

[backhoeboogie]

That aint happening. Don't know why they have the rules they do here but they won't let you. I've got and backhoe. Believe me, underground was what I begged for with me doing the trench. You have to use their contractor and it will cost you more to go underground.

Is there some sort of law preventing you from doing underground? I've put several underground lines in myself, although not that large of a distance.

I don't know. Just know the power company said absolutely no to letting me do it.

Edit: It would have all be on my own land BTW

 

[2barmcattle]

Ever looked into a wind charger? I know nothing about them but have heard of a few people around here using them to water cattle in remote locations.

I'm looking into those now. Funny how none of these folks will call you back. Maybe they are just that busy. There is a company that ...if I can ever get a total price.....seems cheaper than running elec.

 

[2barmcattle]

Thanks guys. I guess what really gets my goat is that there is a REAL wealthy guy a couple of miles down the road that was GIVEN $25,000 worth of work for no charge. And I am stuck with several thousand bucks to run much less than he did. I guess I'll just git r done though.

Thanks!!

Sounds like the wealthy guy is part of the "good ole boy's network" or has someone in his back pocket...LOL!!

Yep.....Very wealthy oil man.

 

[2barmcattle]

Get a trencher & put the wire in yourself. It will still cost for the hook up but not as much as them putting the wire in.

Bet they want to hang it on poles,eh?

That aint happening. Don't know why they have the rules they do here but they won't let you. I've got and backhoe. Believe me, underground was what I begged for with me doing the trench. You have to use their contractor and it will cost you more to go underground.

Same here. Have to use them for all service up to the main.

 

[dun]

I'm glad I'm in MO. Here the only thing they do is come out to make the final connection if you have everything else already done.

 

[upfrombottom]

I'm glad I'm in MO. Here the only thing they do is come out to make the final connection if you have everything else already done.

Same here.

 

[dun]

I'm glad I'm in MO. Here the only thing they do is come out to make the final connection if you have everything else already done.

Same here.

I guys the hillbilly states have something to recommend them after all. That's besides still seeing trucks with gun racks in them that actaully have guns in the rack.

 

[Angus Cowman]

That aint happening. Don't know why they have the rules they do here but they won't let you. I've got and backhoe. Believe me, underground was what I begged for with me doing the trench. You have to use their contractor and it will cost you more to go underground.

Is there some sort of law preventing you from doing underground? I've put several underground lines in myself, although not that large of a distance.

I don't know. Just know the power company said absolutely no to letting me do it.

Edit: It would have all be on my own land BTW

around here if we supply the ditch dug to their specs they will put it in underground
I also contract some of the digging for the coop here also

some co-ops will supply everything including the meter loop and disconnect box where others require the customer to buy the loop and disconnect box and have it at the site before they will run the lines and some of them will sell you the loop and disconnect at a much lower price than you can get it anywhere else