Know About Underground And Overhead Service Feeders

by Steve Thompson Electrical Pty Ltd Underground Electrical Power Supplier and Electric

When dealing with service cables for new homes, a question often arises about underground and overhead service feeders.

Are underground feeds better than overhead feeds?

The short answer is, yes, underground power is preferable when compared with overhead, mostly due to the protection feeders get from being buried.

Although, underground service equipment can be more expensive than similar overhead feeds, both come with significant safety concerns.

While older homes have an overhead service connection, new home underground power services are now the standard favourite amongst homeowners for several reasons.

These buried power cables are more appealing to the eye and the surrounding landscape than power poles and overhead lines draped across the yard.

Underground power cables do not have to contend with tree branches, that often causes extreme problems for overhead lines during inclement weather.

If you are still confused between underground and overhead service feeders and which power line is best suitable for you, then listed below are some of the pointers that will help you in the process of choosing the best service cables for your new home.

Cost of underground vs. overhead feeders

Overhead feeds use triplex aluminium wire that is inexpensive and less time-consuming to install when compared to underground wiring, which can cost about $1.50 per foot for the materials alone.

On a larger scale, utilities report that it often costs five times more to install underground power cables than overhead cables. The conclusion, in terms of cost and other impacts, comes when severe weather conditions cause significant damage to overhead power cables, requiring expensive repairs and economic hardship due to prolonged power outages.

The safety factor of underground vs. overhead feeders

With overhead power cables, you have to watch that tall trucks, farm implements, augers, and other tall pieces of equipment don’t get tangled in them. On the other hand, with underground feeders, you have to watch out when you are digging.

It is always better to hire a well-known electrical contracting company that has a team of are fully qualified electricians to carry out all underground works, including residential underground power services and more.

Switching from overhead to underground feeders

When a person wishes to switch from overhead to underground service, they typically hire a renowned electrical contracting company that has a team of highly-skilled, experienced and licensed electrical professionals who digs a hole in the front yard of the home at the location of the transformer base, near the utility pole. Later, they dig another near the home. Afterwards, they install the service cabling by using a boring machine that drills underground from one location to another, without disturbing the ground above.

The boring machine drills through the ground and is led by a remote device that an electrical professional moves in a predetermined path from hole to hole. Once the drill gets to its destination, a pull-tip is installed in place of the boring bit, then the cabling is pulled back through the hole and final connections are made.