Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions electricity is in the ground

Last weekend I layed 650' of wire in the ground down to the pond to run my aeration pump which along with it and a diffuser are on order. I installed 212 feet of 8 gauge the 150 feet of 10 gauge then the rest of the way I used 14-2(was free) with ground and doubled the 2 14 wires as one conductor and ran a single 12 guage wire all the way as the ground wire all splices were set screw butt joined in brass splices, soldered, then siliconed then shrink tubed together, Then after thinking about amp draw I wondered if I should have installed the wire from smaller wire to larger wire to the end. I measured source voltage at 118.2 varies a little bit down to the pond at basically the same depend on the house usage, then under Burgermeister suggestion I needed to see what My voltage drop would be under load so I took a 4" grinder at the source and measured the amp draw free wheeling, then underload(grinding a 6x6 post to load it to 4 amps measured the voltage drop to 115, so at source 118 to 115 at 4 amps draw, now down at the pond I did the same, started free voltage of 117.9 then under load of 4 amps the voltage drops to 113.2 +/- couple 10ths. I think this will be good since the pump is only to draw 1 amp and I can handle more for maybe a bug thumper feeder in the future, like maybe when I can see the water and actually raise fish instead of duck weed and watermeal. I am excited and hope to get my problem pond recovered by next year, With areation and some enzymes for the muck (about 18") on the bottom I can lessen my infestation with the DW and WM I am still very hesitant to buy the sonar and waiting to see if this will help.My Wife gives that smile that every man has seen, you know the one that says I love you and support your ideas on the outside but thinking have you completely lost your mind?!on the inside. Any thoughts or comment welcome and appreciated

The doubled 14 gauge is going to be your limiting factor on this 650 ft length, both by being the largest source of resistance and by being the wire least able to dissipate heat (probably, depends on size and type of insulation and the vagaries of thermodynamics; but if the three different sizes of wire have the same insulation, the double 14 is probably the worst off). I don't believe it makes any difference whether the smaller wire comes first or last (but when I string together 700 feet of extension cords to work up at the end of our driveway, I always plug the heavy cords in closest to the house - at least I don't have to carry them too far.)

The fact that your delivered load and no-load voltages are close to the source voltage is a good sign. I have a medium length, heavily daisy chained temporary supply to one barn which only delivers about 98 volts - you're way ahead of that!

yes I was pleased to see the voltage as high as it is, I think that it helps that the house voltage is high, with higher voltage it helps the amps out, and as long as I dont drag down the welder weld up a dock or something I should be ok Thanks