Barn Electrical

[HungarianHippo]

Have to say I don’t like the idea of outlets in the stall at only 5ft tall – you really truly won’t use those outlets every day, and I think the protruding plugs will be too attractive for itchy faces, curious mouths. For bucket heaters, run those all on a dedicated circuit so you can switch them off all at once rather than unplug.
ETA- maybe better solution is to have a built-in small step for you, under the outlets. Could be as simple as cutting a 12" length from a 6" or 8" fencepost and secure it to the wall. It’s nothing that the horse would get hurt on. Or get creative and have a fold-down step attached to the wall.

Re: putting switches near barn entrance: if there’s more than one entrance into your barn, make it a 3-way switch so that you can turn the lights on/off from either entrance.

Re: individual stall light switches vs. all together: Only situation I can think of where you’d really want only to light one stall would be a night check for an injured horse or broodmare, and you feel bad about waking them all up. I think I’d get over the “feeling bad” part (it’s not like they have to get up early for work in the morning :lol:). But one idea would be to run them on a single switch/circuit, BUT have switches on each stall also. Default position would be for all the stalls to be switched on, so they all go on from the main switch. When you have those rare cases as above, you could turn all the other stall switches to Off, so they don’t light up when you flip the main switch. Might be overengineering what is not a big problem to begin with, though.

Use covered outlets for the ones by your troughs. I don’t have that and regret it.

[clanter]

[QUOTE=airhorse;8042055]
Be careful as most of the internet switches have very low amp ratings.

Conduit, lots of junction boxes, pull some extra wires so you can add things without hassle in the future. #12 wire and 20 amp circuits. I also leave a loop of wire in each junction box so I can splice in if needed. I also stay way below the rating on any one circuit, wire and circuit breakers are cheap. (Wire has gotten more expensive)[/QUOTE]

the bulbs themself are zway … you just have to have the internet interface

http://www.linearcorp.com/docs/Linear-BulbZ_New_Product_Announcement-LB60Z-1.pdf

regarding the wiring, pull a ground with each circuit if you are using conduct as the conductors will be pulled separately (L1/L2/G)

[Libby2563]

Great thread!

[QUOTE=mountainhorse;8043171]

Running electrical to water tanks in the fields, with waterproof outlets for that water heater in the stock tanks. [/QUOTE]

When my plumbers installed the water line to my field they lay down electrical line too and this is what hubby installed to plug in the heated tank in winter: landscape outlet. Inexpensive, low-profile, and works great.

[clanter]

[QUOTE=Libby2563;8043577]
Great thread!

When my plumbers installed the water line to my field they lay down electrical line too and this is what hubby installed to plug in the heated tank in winter: landscape outlet. Inexpensive, low-profile, and works great.[/QUOTE]

check local codes, normally if you are running both water and electrical power in the same conduct there is a minimum separation distance …usually 18 inches plus a tape needs to be added advising people in the future there is a electrical power line in the same ditch

this is an example of the tape
http://www.zoro.com/i/G5517811/?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Feed&gclid=CIblyNW6lMQCFYQCaQodXmUAtg

[ReRider]

Last year I rewired my barn with LED lights. They look like fluorescent lights (use same housing with out the balast), are plastic, produce no heat and have reduced the electric bill considerably. The amount of light you get from them is terrific. It’s a wonderful thing!!! Also, I have plugs up high designated for fans and heated buckets. The extension cords for these are appliance extension cords meant for high wattage and resistance. Much safer. They are on their own switch by each stall. I agree the conduit is the best but I have a barn built in 1902 so the challenges are great. Each stall has their own switch for stall lighting and the aisle lights are at the main entrance and each auxiliary door. I also encourage ample, and easy to select outdoor lighting. My best advice is that you can never have too many lighting options. People never complain about having too much light! Good luck!!
Cheers.

[shakeytails]

I like my always-on cheap jelly jar like fluorescent night light over the wash rack. It’s just enough light to get to the main switches no matter how dark it is or which end of the barn we enter from.

Do all your electric when you build the barn. Sure, I have extra junction boxes and extra circuits available, but I should have bought and put up those floodlights I wanted when I ran the electric. Now I can’t find the time/ambition to dig out the ladders and tools to hang more lights.

[FitToBeTied]

I would say no outlets that a horse can reach.

I disagree with the conduit everywhere. Armoured cable is cheaper and easier to install. You only need conduit within reach of the horses.

Barn outlets should be on a GFI breaker unless they are primarily used to run fans then use an AFCI breaker.

[airhorse]

[QUOTE=FitToBeTied;8044547]

I disagree with the conduit everywhere. Armoured cable is cheaper and easier to install. You only need conduit within reach of the horses.

Barn outlets should be on a GFI breaker unless they are primarily used to run fans then use an AFCI breaker.[/QUOTE]

Conduit IMO, is way easier to deal with than cable. Cable is very difficult to pull wires through after installation.

AFCI breakers can be very finicky with electric motors from what I have read. Tried one on a baseboard heater and the thermostat switch kept tripping the AFCI, ended up with a GFI and no issues.

[vxf111]

Wish I’d done one little outlet down LOW and near the door. On the outside, in the winter, I have a plug in heated tub. That way I wouldn’t have to have a cord stretched down.

[shakeytails]

[QUOTE=FitToBeTied;8044547]
I disagree with the conduit everywhere. Armoured cable is cheaper and easier to install. [/QUOTE]

MC cable isn’t cheap. And you can run more than 1 circuit though conduit. I ran my own electric and priced it out both ways. I went with PVC conduit. I can bend regular metal conduit, but the PVC is so much easier to work with.

It might be cheaper if you have to pay labor, but if you’re talking materials only, then conduit and solid wire is the way to go.

[TurboCharged]

For my outside outlets my SO who is an electrician installed GFCI outlets with covers like these. They work great because they keep the plug and outlet dry but still allow a spot for your cords to come through. Ill be following this thread and making a list for him for when the barn goes up, right now its just a run in with attached tack room.
http://www.smarthome.com/intermatic-wp1110c-weatherproof-outdoor-single-gang-vertical-or-horizontal-mount-receptacle-cover.html

[clanter]

[QUOTE=airhorse;8044621]
Conduit IMO, is way easier to deal with than cable. Cable is very difficult to pull wires through after installation.

.[/QUOTE]

you do not pull wire through the BX cable, the conductors are warped in flexable steel while it is made

About the wash racks, use liquid tight junction boxes, fittings otherwise water will/or at least could enter the conduct then just run where ever as the conduct is a pipe

[gumtree]

[QUOTE=clanter;8045048]
you do not pull wire through the BX cable, the conductors are warped in flexable steel while it is made

About the wash racks, use liquid tight junction boxes, fittings otherwise water will/or at least could enter the conduct then just run where ever as the conduct is a pipe[/QUOTE]

It can be bought “empty” in long runs. As with conduit it can be more cost effective to buy "single strand " color coded wire in rolls/reels. Because it is being run in conduit it is not necessary to use the more expensive Romex. Running single strand is easier to “tap into”, splice. So when running supply wire to stall lights down the aisle it is easy to tap and install a switch at each stall with a master switch at the barn entrance. You can also run more wire in smaller conduit if adding outlets at various points along the aisle. If want to add a switch at the other end of the barn after the fact you only need to add one more wire in the conduit.

I don’t use BX I find it a hassle to work with and it will rust, get unsightly. And it requires purchasing a another tool to cut cleanly.

[Jim_in_PA]

@airhorse;8042055

Be careful as most of the internet switches have very low amp ratings.

This is easily handled by implementing contactors (a relay switch) that you control with the “Internet switch”. The control circuit is minimal current and the other side of the contactor is rated for the voltage and current necessary for the actual circuit. I use this method with the dust collection system in my woodworking shop so I can use a simple switch to turn off and on the high-current device that is installed in a sound-retarding closet.

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Absolutely employ conduit (or armored BX) for barn wiring to protect it from both the environment and from critters.

Circuits to paddocks/fields for heated water troughs, etc., must be installed using either direct burial outdoor rated cable in a trench or similar rated cable in conduit. Code requires these to be well underground, too. Outlets should be in weather resistant boxes with covers and GFCI protected.

The one thing I’ve seen in more than one barn is “not enough” electric to actually do the job over time…don’t be stingy with the service drop, especially if you have high current devices like metal halide light in an indoor, an electric clothes dryer, an electric water heater, electric heating in bathroom/tack room, etc. Having more power available than you need is better than not enough and it actually doesn’t cost you much more, if anything over inadequate service.