Cost of transformer installation, need for structure

[islandguy]

Looking for any comments from experienced posters (and the experts kind enough to help us electrical newbies) about the transformer installation on my wife’s property. it is a 50Akv line with the last pole put onto the edge of the property. The hardware and installation cost quotes were 20,000 (soon raised), 40,000 (felt it was far away), and 62,000. The last was a very professional quote from an electrician an hour away who usually works putting systems into new resorts. Since this kind of thing is a major safety and reliability concern, I don’t seem to have much wiggle room on the quote, but the second part of this is harder to feel good about. That is the recommended structure to weatherproof (and protect against flying tree limbs and vandals, potentially) the circuit boards and associated hardware. I am looking at a small concrete block building costing about 40,000 bath. That brings it up to over 100,000 baht. Any thoughts on a cost effective (cheaper) housing or structure for the electrical hardware? Also, this is just the step down, and doesn’t include the next installation for use on the property. Will I want to put another circuit board for that in the same structure? It is not very close to house and other future use points. Thanks!

[kamalabob2]

You might consider taking the written price quotes, which must include ALL of the hardware, and the license number of the electrician to the PEA office. I paid for a transformer and six poles on private property in a small Buriram town in 2008. I paid a licensed private contractor. The electrical plan for the transformer and poles was over 30 pages.  It was similar to a home building plan in details. Once it was approved by the PEA, I was able to have the licensed private contractor do the installation at a lower price than I had been quoted by the PEA. The PEA still made a modest fee to connect PEA 3 phase power at a point on a government road. I still paid a refundable meter deposit for the 3 phase PEA electric billing meter.  The contract and PEA service is in my name. 

[RichCor]

There are a lot of previous threads here on ThaiVisa created over the years that may be of help.

 

google search: site:thaivisa.com install transformer

 

And don't be shocked when you come across mentions that PEA would then 'own' the transform. 

[islandguy]

Thanks for the link, instructive reading and mention of theft highlights the possible need for a building around the expensive hardware. Glad to find a product name for underground cable. The three quotes are all from private contractors, will ask the wife to review her interactions (probable but not certain) with PEA about them doing it. Before I posted I tried to do a search on this topic in the forum, will try again and hope for better results.