http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=353x1906mexicoxpat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-03-08 03:48 PM
Original message
A question about electric power.
I recently purchased 10 acres in western Arkansas. It has a barn is ill repair, a well with no pump and an electrical pole with access to electricity at the pole. It appears that at one time there was electricity into the barn, but the circuit box, etc are long gone. I am hopeful to sell my house in Georgia in the next year or two and to be able ato move out to the "farm" and live. At present, I plan to go out and camp out in late August for a month or so and get together a plan for the place. I am hopeful to get a 10 by 12 shed put up, barn repairs completed and hopefully one of the new and wonderous generations of hand pumps on the well.
What I do not want to do is connect to the grid, do wiring and circuit boxes, etc. but would like to have temporary access to electricity for tools to do building and repair. If one gets temporary power to a pole for this purpose, what else must I do to actually access electricity(usable electricity) for the use with electical saws, etc.? Can This be done without a circuit box? Could one plug in right at the pole? As you can tell, I know nothing. Any help I can get to understand this would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Oh my. One wonders how a primitive can afford to buy real-estate in this Bush economy, the worst economy since the Great Flood.
amerikat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-03-08 08:43 PM
Response to Original message
1. You can get a temporary power drop from the utility
They will require a meter box and some sort of sub panel rated for outdoor use(weatherproof). You will also need a permit.
On the other hand if you used all cordless tools you could recharge them using an inverter powered by your car.
Or you could use a gas powered generator which would probably be less expensive than the temporary power drop.
mexicoxpat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-03-08 10:26 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Thanks!
All good ideas! Thanks too for the temp power info to the pole...I really had no idea how that would work.
Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Jun-04-08 10:13 AM
Response to Reply #1
3. The generator would have been my idea especially since it's an immediate solution that doesn't require waiting 6 months for a lineman to show up and do the power drop and install the meter.
I dunno what the warped primitive's talking about.
I've lived a lot of places, and never had any problem getting electricity installed, usually within hours of the request.
mexicoxpat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Thu Jun-05-08 10:56 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. I agree after thinking it over.
The generator does seem the best option..and probably, in the long run, the least expense. Plus a good item to own for the long run.
