On Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:42:51 -0400, Ecnerwal
wrote:

In article ,
"# 42" wrote:

I'm sure you've done your homework and checked with the local power company,
but I have to mention this. In _most_ areas, the customer provides the
trench and conduit and the power company provides the conductors from the
transformer to the meter.

Chuckle. Vermont is evidently very much not "most areas" as far as power
goes, in many, many ways. If I had overhead to the building the power
company would supply (and charge me for it), for underground it's all
me. Naturally they would not connect if they found it lacking, but they
want nothing to do with it.

Who really cares if they "find it lacking", put in wet string and
let them energize it - if it's before the meter and the underground
feeder shorts out, you don't pay for the electricity... ;-P

The service wires are the one area where it's acceptable to use
aluminum wire if you oversize it properly to counter voltage drop.
This is where that 4" PVC conduit to the pole starts looking like a
smart investment, because it fills up FAST when you bump up two sizes.

In "Civilized" areas where the utility provides the feeder cables
they use aluminum wire almost exclusively, but they would be
UNDERsizing it severely. Where the Book says to use #2 CU they use #4
AL and call it "plenty big".

And remember you can run two conductors in parallel in the conduit
for each phase. Sizes are pulled out of my ass, but if you can get a
full reel of 2/0 AL (to double up) cheaper than a half reel of 250MCM
or 400MCM AL to run a 325A continuous "California 400" service, do it
that way.

If they sell enough of the small wire, it creates a price advantage.
-- Bruce --