Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Running electric or air uphill

Hi there. I have multiple questions, thanks in advance. We had a 2/3 acre pond built last year and we want to add an aerator this year. Last fall we ran electric back to a shed on the property with the intention of installing the aerator there and then running the air line up the hill to the pond. While trying to pick out an aerator and talking to several vendors they have suggested this was not the best situation and we were going to have condensation issues and need to greatly increase the size of the hose to push the air up the hill and then down into the diffuser plate. We don’t mind the work of running electric to the pond. It would be a hair more than a 600 foot run to the location where we want to put the aerator if we run Electric wire up the hill. If we go straight up to the pond it’s a 500 foot run but I don’t want to cut into the dam face. We only need 1/4 hp aerator with a single diffuser. The pond is pretty much a circle and 20 feet at the deepest point. My question is can we use 12 gauge direct bury wire for a run that long or should we look at something heavier like 10 or 8 gauge. I ran the calculations and I believe 12 will be fine even with the loss of voltage with that length of wire. At this point the only load on the electric run would be the aerator pump. Has anyone else had experience with running electric that far to the pond and have any suggestions or tips? We have looked at solar and wind, but feel like setting up with electric is the best long term option for how we want to manage the pond. Right now it’s mainly stocked with forage fish and a few bluegills.

I suggest you run as heavy a wire as you can afford, and send 220v to the pond. Some points to consider:

1. Any chance you'll want electric for anything else at the pond in the future? Lights? Bug Zapper? Refrigerator?

2. I once ran 12 gauge about 150 feet to my machinery barn. Delivered voltage ran about 95 volts (this was undoubtedly lower than it would have been with a straight run, as there were three places along the way that the electric was also supplied, and all those splice joints added resistance.

3. I have 6 gauge running 220v/50a about 650 feet to the shed at my 1st pond where the aeration compressor is located. Small single phase motors (milk house heater) don't like running there unless the load is balanced to the other phase.

4. Whatever you run, GET A 220V COMPRESSOR. This cuts the required amperage (and line loss) in half. My 3/4 hp compressor has been running with the electric supply defined in #3 above with no problems since 2008.

5. Too light a wire and hence more line loss equals low delivered voltage, which may not be good for some motors.

Be mindful of starting it up slowly. Don't want to take all that bad water on the bottom of the pond up at one time or you will stress/kill the fish. Slowly increase run times over a couple of weeks.