Need electrical advice

[Alarry31]

Ok so here is the scenario.
Picture one I plan to install at the chicken coop to run a water heater in the winter as well as recirculating pump. Both will be winter only. If possible I would like to leave it up year round. But I know these extension cords are not meant to be leaft out year round. So this might just be a winter installation. With leaving the guide wire installed and extension cord removed during warmer months.

So that was the reason why. Here’s what I want to do. I wanna run a 12 to ten gauge extension cord overhead. Bout a 100 or so feet overheard from my shed to my coop is there a wire I can use and put three pong ends on to fit these plugs. I’m all open to ideas. And of course I will be using a gfi outlet on the outside of the shed

 

[Happy hen lover]

They make a metal shielded 8, 10 12 gauge wire . It has 3 wires in it it's called ( armored cable, flex conduit ) comes in rolls. We ran this exact type wire from our GFCI outside of garage to my she-shed about 10 feet. My hubby wired it into outlets on both ends . We have left it outside overhead for years now. I have a stock tank heater (made for plastic) and circulating pump in my trash can waterer to prevent the freezing that happened last year. Hope this helps.

 

[neo71665]

Licensed electrican

First thing that comes to mine is the gauge of wire you state you want to use sounds on the small size. That said not knowing the exact load of the circuit it's hard to guessimate just knowing it's gonna run a heater and a pump and be 100 feet long. Need to know the exact load draw on both to safely calculate wire size. Even then depending on the size of both you might not even be able to run them off one circuit. Heaters and motors are both huge draw devices. Even a tiny heater is still just basically a direct short resulting in the desired heat. Motors normally have a big start up spike to get them turning.
Second I wouldn't suggest running anything overhead for long term usage that distance. I'd either get direct burial wire or even better run it in conduit. If done in conduit can be done overhead but I still suggest putting it in the ground. Depending on local ordinances it might be required to be in the dirt, they might not approve direct burial wire, or all other kinds of things.

 

[Shezadandy]

I would look up your local building codes and make sure it's done to code - and while annoying, have it blessed with an inspection. Anything that's going to house living critters needs to be 100%. Around here I think they'll let you do the work yourself so long as it is inspected (like the trench/conduit have to be inspected before you refill the dirt, the interior building stuff has to be inspected before the interior walls go up).

 

[raingarden]

Look on your heater and pump and add up the number of amps you are using. Then go to a voltage drop calculator on-line and see what the voltage drop will be with your amp draw, wire size and wire length. You do not want your voltage to drop more than about four volts.

I'm cheap and careless and would just use direct bury romex wire. Bury it as best you can to keep sunlight off the plastic sheath. Don't be running the lawn mover over it and don't let the chickens dig it up.

 

[Alarry31]

This will not be a year round thing. Just for the winter months ran only when it is close to freezing temps and I plan to use a thermo regulated plug so that they only kick on at certain temps for the heater and the pump will continue to run. To keep the water moving.

 

[aart]

Why the pump?
Got pics of your water set up?

 

[Alarry31]

Why the pump?
Got pics of your water set up?

the pump is to keep the water circulating through the pvc peice of pipe and back into the barrel. i dont have the waterer built yet just brain storming

 

[aart]

the pump is to keep the water circulating through the pvc peice of pipe and back into the barrel. i dont have the waterer built yet just brain storming

I thought a long time about this type of system, decided to keep it simpler.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples.67256/

 

[mowin]

I did the lead cord overhead thing taking it down and storing it in the summer. Hated it. I also wanted a light in each coop to make it easier to handle the gals to check them over after dark. Ya, I know there's headlamps, solar ect, but I wanted power. Rented a trencher to run the 75' from the shop to the coops. It's 14” deep so I can run my tractor, quad and 72" mower over it without issues.