Depth for buried DC cables

[Beelbeebub]

Does anyone have a reference for the depth that DC cable needs to be buried - I assume the same as armoured AC (0.5m in general) but wanted to double check.

 

I was going to use the specific armoured stuff 

[JohnMo]

If you don't really need to bury l wouldn't - would surface run, then you can see them.

[Beelbeebub]

3 hours ago, JohnMo said:

If you don't really need to bury l wouldn't - would surface run, then you can see them.

For at least some of the run they will go across an agricultural field (sheep) that is occasionally flail mown and then also across a lawn which is regularly mown and trafficked.  Also across a tarmac drive.  It's (hopefully) a single ground mounted array that serves several houses.

 

The other alternative is overhead poles but that has issues too. 

[JohnMo]

You need to bury below deep plow depth. Although sheep today, you have no idea what will occur in year. So that is 910mm to 1000mm

[Beelbeebub]

9 hours ago, JohnMo said:

You need to bury below deep plow depth. Although sheep today, you have no idea what will occur in year. So that is 910mm to 1000mm

Good point.

 

Though I can guarantee the field isn't going to get ploughed anytime due to the slope and it also being an orchard.

 

It's a short run from the array site to the edge of the field so I could mount it above ground on some timber rails.  If I run it behind the hedge in a similar manner I could minimise the distance underground as @JohnMo suggests.

 

Looking at the site I realise there already is a telephone line overhead along the fence.

 

I wonder if I could run the cables overhead for a good chunk.

[Dillsue]

If it's an armoured cable and you have a route along a fence, why not clip it to the fence rails or tywrap it to a strand of fencing wire.

[Beelbeebub]

8 hours ago, Dillsue said:

If it's an armoured cable and you have a route along a fence, why not clip it to the fence rails or tywrap it to a strand of fencing wire.

I don't have a fence only a hedge, and at one point I have to pass a gate and another a drive way.  In the field I could see effectively building a fence to carry the cable - i'll probably do that.  at least the buried sections will then not be in a field.  the biggest bugger is there are a ton of other services around, gas, mains, water and sewage plus some telephone.

 

Potentially I could go overhead the whole way, it's just passing over the drive way and gate are a bit untidy.

[Nickfromwales]

For this distance, sending DC back is nuts. Abandon this is my 2 cents, as you'll need huge CCA of the cables.

 

Put the inverter out with the array and send AC back; same we did a while back on a ground mount some 135m away from the house, where the client wanted the array in a meadow vs the untouchable roof of his listed home.