Direct Burial 200 AMP - 250 FT runs

carl wessler · Nov 18, 2021

This is my first post... I am not an electrician and I am trying to build a house in the Hudson Valley. The quote for 200 amp underground wire IN conduit came in very very hight. The electrician (good guy) said that these covid days conduit has tripled in price. So MY questions are A) is it OK to run direct burial for 240 Feet surrounded by sand and (no rocks)? and if that is OK... what is considered the strongest longest lasting Direct Burial wire made for 200 amp service? Thanks. Carl.

carl wessler · Nov 18, 2021

This is my first post... I am not an electrician and I am trying to build a house in the Hudson Valley. The quote for 200 amp underground wire IN conduit came in very very hight. The electrician (good guy) said that these covid days conduit has tripled in price. So MY questions are A) is it OK to run direct burial for 240 Feet surrounded by sand and (no rocks)? and if that is OK... what is considered the strongest longest lasting Direct Burial wire made for 200 amp service? Thanks. Carl.

westward10 · Nov 18, 2021

This is a UK based forum but we have US members so you may have to wait for @Megawatt to come online, our US correspondent.

Megawatt · Nov 18, 2021

carl wessler said:
This is my first post... I am not an electrician and I am trying to build a house in the Hudson Valley. The quote for 200 amp underground wire IN conduit came in very very hight. The electrician (good guy) said that these covid days conduit has tripled in price. So MY questions are A) is it OK to run direct burial for 240 Feet surrounded by sand and (no rocks)? and if that is OK... what is considered the strongest longest lasting Direct Burial wire made for 200 amp service? Thanks. Carl.

Carl you will need to go to your local electrical store to get tray cable wire which is good for direct burial and sunlight resistant. This wire is going to be costly but @ 240’ I would use 3/0 copper. You really don’t need to add sand, you want the ditch to be clean. Your electrician is correct everything has went up in price and the parts house are struggling to get panels and PVC conduit.

carl wessler · Nov 26, 2021

Megawatt said:
Carl you will need to go to your local electrical store to get tray cable wire which is good for direct burial and sunlight resistant. This wire is going to be costly but @ 240’ I would use 3/0 copper. You really don’t need to add sand, you want the ditch to be clean. Your electrician is correct everything has went up in price and the parts house are struggling to get panels and PVC conduit.

Thanks much... C