Getting power to camper

[Mustang51js]

I have a small camper setup and I would like to get power to it. I was told that I have to install a pole since the power is on the other side of the road. Does the power company install poles if I buy the pole,I am an electrician so would do the service myself. Also does anyone know who to call about the power,I am in Montgomery county next to sharon springs. Thanks for any help

[Dinsdale]

Mustang51js, on 23 Jan 2014 - 1:18 PM, said:

I have a small camper setup and I would like to get power to it. I was told that I have to install a pole since the power is on the other side of the road. Does the power company install poles if I buy the pole,I am an electrician so would do the service myself. Also does anyone know who to call about the power,I am in Montgomery county next to sharon springs. Thanks for any help

 

If its a new service to the property, the power company is responcible to supply one road crossing pole that they install.

 

You'll need to put in an application that'll be on the companies web-site for what you are doing (size of service etc). You can get a site meeting with a rep where you can talk about options of locations and what you'll need on your end.

[growalot]

with our home...the power company had to have a pole at the road...then several yards from that we have our own pole..1/2 pole that the line goes to and their meter sits on...Then our line is buried from there to the house....any thing from the road to your camp is your responsibility ...as far as repairs...Our line melted just before the house and we had to have it found ...dug up and repaired....will be reinstalling a whole new underground service ...the original owner didn't do the best job...but that was years ago and it was originally a summer "camp"......The new service will be underground from their pole to the house on the reinstall...

Edited January 24, 2014 by growalot

[Mustang51js]

Thanks for the replies,does anyone know what power company covers the Montgomery county area,last time I called who I thought it was they said they don't cover that area. I do remember talking to someone on the phone a while back and them telling me it would be $12 a foot to run the power from one side of the road to where I put the pole. I just thought it was strange that I have to install the pole

[Doc]

We actually had several poles supplied up our 1000' driveway with a transformer on their last pole. When we only had a house trailer and a barn, we were responsible for supplying the terminating pole complete with guy wires and the meter. The power company made the final wire termination at the pole. A few years later when we built the house, the power company put in another pole near the house and the wires were terminated at the meter on the house wall. That all was 42 years ago, so maybe things have changed a bit by now.

[Merlot]

Looks like you are in National Grid territory. Call their 800 number and make application for Overhead pole service. Paperwork will be prepared and a service rep will be assigned to your job. Field visit will be arranged. Try to be there when design rep will be there to stake out the job. 

There may be a need for National Grid to set a road crossing pole, or maybe not..all depends on field conditions.

Be aware of possible construction charges from National grid for service to a camper if that is all you have to work with. Company protects itself with charging for "temporary service charges" for its work to connect to your pole service should you not construct a permanent residence.  

Also consider the distance from National Grid facilities to your camper and calculate voltage drop now for your camper and for the future, should you decide to construct permanent residence.

Hope this helps.

 

[Merlot]

I worked for national grid (retired) and did the field planning for customers for many years...ahhh the memories....

[Fantail]

As an alternate to the nat-grid costs and headache, I run my camp completely off grid. Refrigeration, vents, lights, laptop, charge power tools. 

[Mustang51js]

As an alternate to the nat-grid costs and headache, I run my

. Refrigeration, vents, lights, laptop, charge power tools.

Can you tell me about your setup, seems the biggest thing is the batteries when you get into solar. I won't have to much electrical use but would like to dig a well and have some sort of heat so the pipes don't freeze. At some point I would build a small cabin and at same time don't plan on using a lot of electric, it will be a get away for hunting and a place to take the kids to get them off the computers when they get older.

[Mustang51js]

Saw the video after I posted before,did you end up getting new batteries yet. I have the 3panel kit from harbor freight but haven't hooked it up yet. I just figured having power on the land would be easier for heat and water in the future

[growalot]

We have family that built a cabin "getaway " on their farm...they have a bank of batteries and a small wind turbine...they built the cabin in an area that gets good wind...actually back ... not far from their house is one of several commercial wind turbines ...any ways between the wind and a set of solar panels the cabin has lights ..and runs the TV and water pump...there is no bath they have an out house...I think it cost them....turbine ...panels... batteries... control box in all 3,000

[Merlot]

Saw the video after I posted before,did you end up getting new batteries yet. I have the 3panel kit from harbor freight but haven't hooked it up yet. I just figured having power on the land would be easier for heat and water in the future

All depends on how elaborate you want to get.  I like the idea of being off the grid if you're only around camp sporadically, but the convenience of  24/7/365 power is tempting. Things are quite different after National Grid bought out Niagara Mohawk nowadays...has gotten more centralized and harder to deal with telephone reps answering the phone in Syracuse and them not knowing where the hell Montgomery county is....again the memories of frustrated applicants finally getting through to me and I having to setting the customer down after the mis-information given ....memories. ...By the way, does National grid have Overhead facilities across the road from your property?

[t_barb]

My camp is in Livingston County (NYSEG territory)...

 

I built about 8 years ago..  They put the pole at the road for me to connect to..  That said, they would not do anything on thier part until I established "permanancy" on the property.   they provided a definition for me.  At the time, I had a travel trailer there and that did not meet the test.    It wasn't until I got the building permit and they started construction that they would do their part.

 

Hopefully it is different where you are.

[thphm]

Put in the largest service you can afford to put in now as 200 amp or more.You might deside to build latter on and it will be a good selling point if you want to sell.It is not going to get cheeper as years go by.

[Mustang51js]

All depends on how elaborate you want to get. I like the idea of being off the grid if you're only around camp sporadically, but the convenience of 24/7/365 power is tempting. Things are quite different after National Grid bought out Niagara Mohawk nowadays...has gotten more centralized and harder to deal with telephone reps answering the phone in Syracuse and them not knowing where the hell Montgomery county is....again the memories of frustrated applicants finally getting through to me and I having to setting the customer down after the mis-information given ....memories. ...By the way, does National grid have Overhead facilities across the road from your property?

Yes,there are power lines that are across the street because the closest house is on the other side of the road. When I first got the land I called someone and that's who told me about the $12 a foot thing. I tried to find same number again and ended up with someone else that said they don't serve my area, so I will have to look around. I hope there won't be any problems because I see a couple other campers on my way up that have power to them. I am an electrician in nj but I know ny does things different, I was figuring on putting a 100 amp service on the pole and then run a extension cord as temporary power to camper. I have the camper about 70 yards off the road

[Fantail]

Saw the video after I posted before,did you end up getting new batteries yet. I have the 3panel kit from harbor freight but haven't hooked it up yet. I just figured having power on the land would be easier for heat and water in the future

 

I'm going to replace the battery bank this year with 4x6v CG2's series-parallel, should be about 1/2 grand. Having used the h/f panels for a few years now I can say this, they are trickle chargers at best. Amorphous panels simply are not as efficient as mono or crystalline. Their advantage is having some shade tolerance. With the h/f kit or two and a 12v marine battery you could probably do well with lighting and keeping your pda/cell charged, maybe a radio, jazz like that. Down the road though if your going to depend on more off grid power, you'll need mono-poly crystalline panels. That's the jazz. Yes the key is the battery - bank & disciplined use. Use as much dc as possible, meaning without an inverter on a smaller / compact system. Having said that try not to drain your battery - bank down under 12v - 50% state of charge. Most charge controllers lvd - low voltage disconnect will help protect at 11.1+v be aware the h/f controller is lower. True deep cycle batteries can handle more abuse but dual purpose or 12v marine batteries won't.

Solar works, if the user doesn't demand more than it can give. If you want refrigeration & have an absorption-propane fridge and don't mind dragging tanks to camp that is also a good off grid alternative. Good luck.

[Merlot]

Yes,there are power lines that are across the street because the closest house is on the other side of the road. When I first got the land I called someone and that's who told me about the $12 a foot thing. I tried to find same number again and ended up with someone else that said they don't serve my area, so I will have to look around. I hope there won't be any problems because I see a couple other campers on my way up that have power to them. I am an electrician in nj but I know ny does things different, I was figuring on putting a 100 amp service on the pole and then run a extension cord as temporary power to camper. I have the camper about 70 yards off the road

The cost per foot varies. If National Grid needs to extend poles, conductor down the road from the last house you mention to reach your property/driveway entrance, the first 500 feet of overhead extension will be free of cost, as long as you have proven you have developed permanent facilities to the property, such as well, septic and home. If not, all work will be charged and collected. If you built a home, septic, well, then you will receive a refund of a portion of what you paid for.

If you go through with obtaining service, make sure you or someone else meets with a rep on site to discuss the matter and look for the best way to bring service to your property.

12dollars/foot is a number tossed out by phone reps and is not to be taken as gospel. excessive tree cutting of ROW can add up, plus any extra guying/anchoring required, affecting the cost per foot. It isn't cheap anymore.

It was mentioned that 200 amp would be wise to install...no sense in going 100 amp then changing it out because of future needs.

[Mustang51js]

Yeah I'm not sure if I will ever put up a decent size house and if I did it won't be any tIme soon. I will prob build a small cabin with a small septic system and that would be it. I will have to find the phone number and meet with the guy. I plan on having the pole a couple feet in on my property and for now have a small outdoor panel on the pole. Then I can just run a cord to the camper and over time dig a trench to run underground power

[BornToHunt]

When i set my camp up the electric company charged me $3 a foot to run line and poles where needed. I was 900 feet from the closest pole. But they gave me a $1,500 credit since i was a new customer. I just had to show that i was building so i needed to have a septic and well first. I installed a 200 amp meter/breaker panel myself, the electric company just ran their lines to it.

[Merlot]

Yeah I'm not sure if I will ever put up a decent size house and if I did it won't be any tIme soon. I will prob build a small cabin with a small septic system and that would be it. I will have to find the phone number and meet with the guy. I plan on having the pole a couple feet in on my property and for now have a small outdoor panel on the pole. Then I can just run a cord to the camper and over time dig a trench to run underground power

Good to call first. Also, please do not assume anything as far as the location of your meter pole, and anchoring. Also, if it is hard to meet up with a planner and you plan to be at your camp ahead of a planners visit, PLEASE take the time to stake out your preferred pole service location and clearly mark the stake as "pole service. Drive the stake into ground...do not just stick in the snow and use a longer stake to stick out and be seen. flag with bright orange tape, etc.. After the planner visits the site and finds your preferred staked pole service location, he/she can then stake out for company poles, anchoring, plus stake out for your pole service location as near to your requested location as is practical.

Just a heads up for you. Believe me, I have seen everything imaginable, so do what you can to help the planner out.