[Legacyelectric]

Good evening everyone... I got a call today to look at putting a new 100a service on a horse barn/stable. All steel construction. I remember reading on here about livestock being especially sensitive to step voltage and I am soliciting advice for a way to do this with the animals safety in mind. I'm sure here is more to it than two ground rods and bond the steel, just not sure what.

 

[3xdad]

First thing to check for, is if there's gonna be horses standing on any concrete, you need to bond that slab (equipotential plane).

Next, decide on what corrosive environment if any and pipe it accordingly and probably will be at least a damp location.

 

[Legacyelectric]

First thing to check for, is if there's gonna be horses standing on any concrete, you need to bond that slab (equipotential plane). Next, decide on what corrosive environment if any and pipe it accordingly and probably will be at least a damp location.

Dirt floor, and I was considering PVC. thank you! So if it's concrete bond the slab, but dirt floor there's no additional precautions? Thanks again

 

[tates1882]

Dirt floor, and I was considering PVC. thank you! So if it's concrete bond the slab, but dirt floor there's no additional precautions? Thanks again

Correct dirt nothing to bond to. If any of the PVC is going to be in reach of the livestock you should probably look at using IMC, horses like to "crib" or chew especially when stall soured. Also any lighting above feed storage or flammable bedding ect will need to be enclosed. If there is feed storage or dust load, dust tight devices need to be used. Gfi outlets also. I've seen a single volt on water stop a whole herd of thirsty dairy cows and horses are just about as bad.

 

[3xdad]

As always, check if you have local amends on the NEC, but nothing else for dirt floors. i think i would lose my mind if i had to pipe a horse barn in PVC.

i did one not too long ago with thin wall and 3R boxes.

Keep in mind, horses can reach up pretty high in there stalls.

Check out NEC 547.

 

[Legacyelectric]

Thanks a lot guys. This is what I needed!
PVC is extremely common down here. It took some getting use to. You think lower sections in sched 80? Surely they can't chew that up!

 

[tates1882]

Thanks a lot guys. This is what I needed! PVC is extremely common down here. It took some getting use to. You think lower sections in sched 80? Surely they can't chew that up!

I've seen emt chewed flat, the front of a glass pco meter cribbed till it shattered. If you insist on PVC then just avoid the stalls and your good to go

 

[varmit]

I don't think that i would use even sch. 80 PVC exposed. Horses are chewing critters with really strong mouths. Definitely everything would need to be dust tight. Also, think about the mounting locations for outlets, lights and switches: You want everything possible to be out of reach of the animals to prevent damage to the electrical installation or injury to the animal. ( Think about the injury potential to a 1500 pound horse scraping across the corner of a 4 inch square box.)

Also consider that where there is open animal feed, there will be mice and rats.

I believe that there is a Dept. of Agriculture publication for animal barns. i don't recall the publication number.

 

[chicken steve]

Having had the equestrian curse (for my kids sake when they were young) , i can honestly say there just isn't anything horse proof , and yeah, rat proof, raccoon proof, fisher cat proof or whatever critter proof would follow suit.....:laughing:

~CS~

 

[Cow]

I agree with the others. DO NOT put anything where the horses can reach it. I was raised on a farm and now do electrical work for several. I've seen what they can do. Livestock will chew on and rub against anything. Even if you run a conduit down the backside of a post away from the pen they will stick their head through stall divider/fence/gate, etc reach around and rub and chew on it.

It doesn't matter what kind of conduit you use, they will beat on it. Keep it out of their reach, unless you want to come back and fix it later.