Underground wiring questions

[Gadgetmonster]

I am bringing new 200 amp service to my cabin in Owen county.
I installed the meter base on a pedestal (see picture) and the installation has been approved so I can continue on.
The power company, SCIREMC says for further guidance just follow the NEC.
I have some answers but I was hoping someone here could give me some guidance.
I intend to trench from the meter base, under my gravel driveway and continue to the corner of the cabin. (see other picture)
Per NEC table 300.5, I should lay PVC conduit with a depth giving a minimum cover of 18" then cover the conduit with a 12" layer of dirt and a caution ribbon.
Is 18 cover deep enough? Trenching about 22".
Does it have to be schedule 80 PVC?
Is 2" pvc conduit OK?
From meter box/disconnect, through the conduit and up into the fuse box I will need 75 ft of wire.
What should the wire type and size be for power wires, neutral and ground? All will be copper. Per Table 310.15 the two feeders should be a red and black 2/0 awg . White neutral 4 awg plus a bare ground.
One 1/2" x 8' ground rod bonded to breaker box?
Ground rod at meter had to be over 12" below grade. Same outside the cabin?

Anything I am missing?

Thanks for the help.

 

[red_zr24x4]

2" conduit will work but can get tight.
Pay attention to which way you will be stuffing the wire, it will hang up in the bells.
We use schedule 40pvc.
As to wire size, we install what the engineers tell us, so I can't help there
Edit to add- we install min of 3' deep

 

[Rookie]

Schedule 80 is thicker, the thicker the better. 18 inches is plenty. It's required to go 24 inches under a public road, so you could overkill just a bit and go 24.

A little trick is to blow string through your conduit with an air compressor and use the string to fish your wire.

 

[cburnworth]

Always better to go with a bigger pipe, ditto with the air or shop vac on the other end to suck it out. And if your doing one pvc pipe you may want to do a second also for future proofing.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

Might consider some wire lube if the run is long.

https://www.homedepot.com/s/wire%20lubricant?NCNI-5

 

[Andyccw]

Always better to go with a bigger pipe, ditto with the air or shop vac on the other end to suck it out. And if your doing one pvc pipe you may want to do a second also for future proofing.

I totally agree with putting in a second conduit in the trench with a pull rope already inside it for future proofing. Reason being, if you ever want to run a phone or data line from the pole the conduit will be already there and buried.
Tie a small price of foam or a sponge to the pull rope, and use a shop vac to suck the the pull rope thru to the other end of the conduit.

 

[LeverGunFan]

.....the two feeders should be a red and black 2/0 awg . White neutral 4 awg plus a bare ground.....

The neutral conductor caries the return current for the 120v equipment and any unbalanced current from 240v equipment, don't think that 4 awg is anywhere close to what you need. Usually a service calculation is performed to determine the neutral current and required wire size.

 

[churchmouse]

The neutral conductor caries the return current for the 120v equipment and any unbalanced current from 240v equipment, don't think that 4 awg is anywhere close to what you need. Usually a service calculation is performed to determine the neutral current and required wire size.

Every panel I have ever seen (many more than I can ever remember) always had a like and same sized neutral to supply wire size.

 

[JettaKnight]

What should the wire type and size be for power wires, neutral and ground? All will be copper. Per Table 310.15 the two feeders should be a red and black 2/0 awg . White neutral 4 awg plus a bare ground.

Where'd you get that?

And I'm not sure you need to run the ground through there - can't that be connected to a rod at the cabin rather than at the meter?

 

[JCSR]

String is a must. Saves a lot of headache. And if you can't make a "mouse" to blow or suck through the conduit with a sandwich bag then you not a real electrician.

 

[churchmouse]

Where'd you get that?

And I'm not sure you need to run the ground through there - can't that be connected to a rod at the cabin rather than at the meter?

The neutral is a good idea. Along with the rod. I have done this on both our places.

 

[radar8756]

A little trick is to blow string through your conduit with an air compressor and use the string to fish your wire.

I learned that trick with a Vacuum Cleaner they had a rubber thing looked like a Badminton shuttlecock the size of the conduit that was tied to the string then the Vacuum Cleaner could suck it through to the end ... it was about 250 feet - worked like a champ

 

[Dirtebiker]

Schedule 80 is thicker, the thicker the better. 18 inches is plenty. It's required to go 24 inches under a public road, so you could overkill just a bit and go 24.

A little trick is to blow string through your conduit with an air compressor and use the string to fish your wire.

shop vac works great too.
ETA: I should read the whole thread before commenting!

 

[Gadgetmonster]

2" conduit will work but can get tight.
Pay attention to which way you will be stuffing the wire, it will hang up in the bells.
We use schedule 40pvc.
As to wire size, we install what the engineers tell us, so I can't help there
Edit to add- we install min of 3' deep

3 foot deep... is that out along the street? That is really deep. I am hoping the depth from a meter to a structure at a private residence can be less than that. Thanks for your comments.

 

[Gadgetmonster]

Where'd you get that?
Mike Holt's illustrated guide to 101 essential NEC rules

And I'm not sure you need to run the ground through there - can't that be connected to a rod at the cabin rather than at the meter?

I think you are right. Just the 2 hots and a neutral.
I believe there are two ground rods. One at the remote underground pedestal and another outside the cabin that wires up to the breaker box.

 

[Gadgetmonster]

Every panel I have ever seen (many more than I can ever remember) always had a like and same sized neutral to supply wire size.

I think you are right Mouse.

 

[Gadgetmonster]

Schedule 80 is thicker, the thicker the better. 18 inches is plenty. It's required to go 24 inches under a public road, so you could overkill just a bit and go 24.

A little trick is to blow string through your conduit with an air compressor and use the string to fish your wire.

NEC table 300.5 agrees with you. 24 under road, 18" otherwise. The string tip, shuttlecock, sponge and sandwich bag are all good ideas. Thanks guys.

 

[edwea]

Don't need to pipe the whole thing. You could just run 4/0 URD wire (underground residential distribution) and just pipe the rises to the meter and disconnect. WAYYY less of a headache, code compliant, and probably cheaper too. Of course it would need to be in a conduit under the drive, but it doesn't need to be the whole way.

 

[red_zr24x4]

3 foot deep... is that out along the street? That is really deep. I am hoping the depth from a meter to a structure at a private residence can be less than that. Thanks for your comments.

Utility company regs up here.
From supply to meter 3' minimum

 

[JettaKnight]

Utility company regs up here.
From supply to meter 3' minimum

Yeah, but he's going from the meter to a panel.