ᐅ New Construction Preparation for Future Experience Documentation

Created on: 11 Sep 2016 08:47
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tb111
Hello,

Construction is scheduled to begin for us at the end of October or beginning of November.

We are building a KfW 55 standard house with a gas boiler and a 5m² (54 sq ft) solar thermal system for hot water, installed by a general contractor.

I would like to prepare for a possible photovoltaic system that might be added later.

Is it best to install an empty conduit from the attic to the utility room for this purpose, or should the electrician run a suitable cable without connecting it?

I want to make the house relatively future-proof with simple measures. We have a gas boiler, and I saw in the specifications of another general contractor that they leave two conduits in the utility room for the possible future installation of a heat pump. Are there other things along these lines that can be done now with little effort but could provide significant benefits later?

I would also like to have a 400V (approximately 230-240V 3-phase) line, or at least an empty conduit, installed to the carport, as I expect electric cars to become standard in the coming years or decades.

Thank you!
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tb111
11 Sep 2016 11:26
Pulling the cable shouldn’t be that expensive. Maybe it’s even possible to do it yourself and then have it connected later when the time comes.
andimann11 Sep 2016 15:07
Hi,
tb111 schrieb:
The cost of pulling that cable shouldn’t be that high, maybe it could even be done yourself and then connected later when needed.

Unfortunately, a 400 V line does cost a bit more if done properly. It should be the "full version," meaning 32 A and with each phase individually fused. That will easily add up to 300–400 euros (roughly 320–430 USD). It will probably be more expensive later on...

Best regards,

Andreas
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toxicmolotof
11 Sep 2016 16:28
Just install the empty conduit. This saves a lot, especially when the solar technician can then provide everything from a single source.
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bernie
11 Sep 2016 17:33
Just install two empty conduits. However, I would recommend using 32mm (1 1/4 inches) diameter rather than 20mm (3/4 inches). This will make it much easier later on, especially with thick and stiff cables.
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tb111
11 Sep 2016 17:51
Thank you for the responses. I will start by focusing on empty conduits for now.
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tb111
9 Apr 2017 07:39
On Friday, the electricians finished the rough installation at our place, and I just realized that I forgot to have the conduit pipes installed for the photovoltaic system, even though they were on my list.
Since the drywall panels are scheduled to be installed upstairs next week, there is not much time left.
Do you mean corrugated flexible conduits or rigid conduit pipes when you say conduit? I was just at the construction site, and the rigid pipes will definitely be difficult to install due to the sloping roof.
Can I simply install corrugated flexible conduits, or is that not sufficient?
Thanks