Cost for establishing Electricity Supply

[dinga]

We are presently arranging for the electricity supply (single phase) to our recently purchased block.  Summary details are:

*  a shack on the property was connected to the electric supply through the neighbour's land.  The neighbour wants this arrangement to cease (fair enough too!)

*  that supply needs to be disconnected, and the meter moved (so a new meter is not required)

*  wires need to be run from the main supply line along a (now) public road for about 100 metres.  There are existing poles along this road that were privately purchased by another neighbour before the road became public (we've very kindly been given permission to use those private poles)

*  Once at the entrance to our property, the wires need to be run some 130 metres down the fence line to the proposed site for a new bungalow.  Understand, this requires the purchase and installation of 6 poles (each 6 metres in length)

*  Connection box - I think with a breaker - will be installed on the final pole.

 

Appreciate estimates (based on experience) of the likely cost for doing the above [we've been quoted 55,000 baht but this seems high to me - although I have no experience in such.  The local hardware store sells the 6 m poles for 3,000 baht]   

[KhunLA]

Hard to follow your post, but PEA at, Muang, PKK, the first 140m from their line is/was free.  Any extra and need to pay 50% of cost.  Luckily that took it right up to our wall, almost, so no extra was charged to us.

 

What you describe, 'shack', I believe is a temporary line & meter, charged at a higher rate.  Once house is done, blue book issued, then they will install pole/lines & new meter.  That's how our 3 builds went at 2 different  province.

[Crossy]

Task A is to go along to your local PEA office with a Thai speaker.

 

Take along photos and a decent map (Google maps will be your friend) of what the current position is and what you want to do. 

 

Take a photo of the existing meter (they will want the reference number).

 

They will tell you where they can/will place the new meter. This may not be where you expect depending upon the actual ownership of the poles on the (now public) road (they may actually have reverted to PEA when the road was adopted).

 

Anything that happens after that meter is on your coin. Although you will likely be able to get a moonlighting PEA crew to do the job. Our poles were installed on a Sunday by a crew driving a PEA truck, wearing PEA uniforms, the poles are marked "PEA". Pay cash to the supervisor and everyone goes away happy.

 

[dinga]

12 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Task A is to go along to your local PEA office with a Thai speaker.

 

Take along photos and a decent map (Google maps will be your friend) of what the current position is and what you want to do. 

 

Take a photo of the existing meter (they will want the reference number).

 

They will tell you where they can/will place the new meter. This may not be where you expect depending upon the actual ownership of the poles on the (now public) road (they may actually have reverted to PEA when the road was adopted).

 

Anything that happens after that meter is on your coin. Although you will likely be able to get a moonlighting PEA crew to do the job. Our poles were installed on a Sunday by a crew driving a PEA truck, wearing PEA uniforms, the poles are marked "PEA". Pay cash to the supervisor and everyone goes away happy.

 

Thanks Crossy.  You've pretty well nailed where we are at (it's a side-job by PEA folks - that's where the 55k quote has come from).  To further clarify:

*  PEA said they are private poles - with any arrangement to be between us & the neighbour who installed & paid for them

*  I know where the meter will go - and expected everything thereafter would be at my cost

 

The main cost items should therefore be the supply and install of  1. some 230 metres of wire (for single phase supply);  2.  6 electricity poles, with connection box and breaker.

 

How does the 55k sound to you????  

[Crossy]

7 minutes ago, dinga said:

How does the 55k sound to you????  

 

It actually sounds pretty OK.

 

You have some rather long runs so you need to ensure that the cable is sized adequately, do you have an actual cost breakdown of the job showing exactly what will be supplied?

 

EDIT What size meter will you be having, 15/45 or 30/100??

[dinga]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

It actually sounds pretty OK.

 

You have some rather long runs so you need to ensure that the cable is sized adequately, do you have an actual cost breakdown of the job showing exactly what will be supplied?

 

Great - thanks.  I'm relaxed now about the costs.

 

Cost breakdown was requested but not supplied - just the 55k quote for the total job.  I'll get details of the cable size -  what should it be????

 

 

 

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, dinga said:

Great - thanks.  I'm relaxed now about the costs.

 

Cost breakdown was requested but not supplied - just the 55k quote for the total job.  I'll get details of the cable size -  what should it be????

 

What size meter??

[dinga]

14 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

What size meter??

Consumer/Meter Type is 1115 - which I think is a Household user -  230V and max 5 Amps

[Encid]

We had 9 x 8m high poles @ 30m centres run from the PEA supply across farm land to the site of our new house and it cost 100,000 baht.

That included the supply and install of the poles, concrete, cables, and connection box with breaker.

So 55K for your project sounds reasonable.

Here are some photos of ours...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dinga]

4 minutes ago, Encid said:

We had 9 x 8m high poles @ 30m centres run from the PEA supply across farm land to the site of our new house and it cost 100,000 baht.

That included the supply and install of the poles, concrete, cables, and connection box with breaker.

So 55K for your project sounds reasonable.

Here are some photos of ours...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GREAT - THANKS!

[Encid]

1 hour ago, dinga said:

this requires the purchase and installation of 6 poles (each 6 metres in length)

As 20-25% of the poles will be buried in a hole and backfilled with concrete you should consider utilizing 8m poles instead of 6m, thus keeping the cables well elevated.

 

1 hour ago, dinga said:

the wires need to be run some 130 metres down the fence line to the proposed site for a new bungalow

Will it be a straight run or will there be changes in direction?

If a straight run then the final pole will need a guy wire to hold it upright against the strain/weight of the cable run.

If you have changes in direction then you will need guy wires to brace the poles against the strain/weight of the cable run.

 

(Speaking from bitter experience here!)

[KhunLA]

51 minutes ago, Encid said:

As 20-25% of the poles will be buried in a hole and backfilled with concrete you should consider utilizing 8m poles instead of 6m, thus keeping the cables well elevated.

Since yours / OP's land, could put the lines in the ground, from meter placement.  We did, though very short run.

Edited August 24, 2022 by KhunLA

[Crossy]

2 hours ago, dinga said:

Consumer/Meter Type is 1115 - which I think is a Household user -  230V and max 5 Amps

 

Do you really want a 5/15? That's a shed sized supply.

 

Most homes would go with a 15/45 which is good for the "average" home. I'd size the cable with that in mind anyway.

 

For a 15/45 to keep the volt drop in order you're looking at 50mm² copper ($$$) or 75mm² aluminium (far less $$$ and it will have less chance of wandering off in the night).

 

If you are really having a 5/15 then 16mm² copper or 25mm² aluminium would do.

[Encid]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Since yours / OP's land, could put the lines in the ground, from meter placement.  We did, though very short run.

In our case we had to cross rice farming land first, and the cables had to be elevated so that farm machinery could get through.

Also the bund walls between the rice paddies are regularly broken down and reinstated in order to control water level and flow during the rainy season, so routing cables underground in conduit was not an option.

Having said that now that we have a power pole on the edge of our building site (approx 1.5 rai), we will be running the power underground to the building locations.

 

As the OP has stated that he needs to run "some 130 metres down the fence line to the proposed site for a new bungalow" then an underground solution may be a good option.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, Encid said:

As the OP has stated that he needs to run "some 130 metres down the fence line to the proposed site for a new bungalow" then an underground solution may be a good option.

An underground supply is unlikely to be a good choice. As for that you need a larger supply cable and may not be able to use aluminium. 

[Crossy]

10 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

An underground supply is unlikely to be a good choice. As for that you need a larger supply cable and may not be able to use aluminium. 

 

Yeah, Al underground is specifically prohibited in consumer installations (the supply authorities can use it of course).

 

[dinga]

10 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Yeah, Al underground is specifically prohibited in consumer installations (the supply authorities can use it of course).

 

Apparently possible in Rayong, but for me cost prohibitive (rough guesstimate was over 100K.

 

 

[dinga]

22 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Do you really want a 5/15? That's a shed sized supply.

 

Most homes would go with a 15/45 which is good for the "average" home. I'd size the cable with that in mind anyway.

 

For a 15/45 to keep the volt drop in order you're looking at 50mm² copper ($$$) or 75mm² aluminium (far less $$$ and it will have less chance of wandering off in the night).

 

If you are really having a 5/15 then 16mm² copper or 25mm² aluminium would do.

Just went to check out the meter but it's been removed already.  PEA guy told the missus that he'll supply a new 15/45 meter -  I'll get confirmation about the new cable specs (am pretty sure it will be aluminium).

 

Tks again Crossy  

[dinga]

On 8/24/2022 at 2:49 PM, Encid said:

As 20-25% of the poles will be buried in a hole and backfilled with concrete you should consider utilizing 8m poles instead of 6m, thus keeping the cables well elevated.

 

Will it be a straight run or will there be changes in direction?

If a straight run then the final pole will need a guy wire to hold it upright against the strain/weight of the cable run.

If you have changes in direction then you will need guy wires to brace the poles against the strain/weight of the cable run.

 

(Speaking from bitter experience here!)

Thanks - two straight runs.  Tomorrow, I'll see if the final pole has a guy wire.

 

BRs 

[dinga]

On 8/24/2022 at 1:09 PM, KhunLA said:

Hard to follow your post, but PEA at, Muang, PKK, the first 140m from their line is/was free.  Any extra and need to pay 50% of cost.  Luckily that took it right up to our wall, almost, so no extra was charged to us.

 

What you describe, 'shack', I believe is a temporary line & meter, charged at a higher rate.  Once house is done, blue book issued, then they will install pole/lines & new meter.  That's how our 3 builds went at 2 different  province.

Thanks - in my case:

 

*  seems everything after the meter is on me

*  the old meter to the shack was a permanent - not temporary - one.  Blue Tabien Baan issued many moons ago - now transferred into my wife's name

*  electricity to the shack now disconnected, and the old meter removed 

*  looks like the poles have been installed and the cabling is next (I'm checking tomorrow)

[Encid]

20 minutes ago, dinga said:

*  looks like the poles have been installed and the cabling is next (I'm checking tomorrow)

Don't forget a guy wire on the final pole.

I cannot stress how important this is, especially as the cables (two wire single phase like ours?) are being run immediately after the poles have been planted and the excavated holes and surrounding soil will still be soft.

 

Here is a photo of our final pole 1 week after planting.

See the guy wire?

Note the lean towards the cable strain/weight already?

 

Fortunately for us and despite the heavy rain over the recent months the angle of the lean has not increased.