Kaʻū district - Oceanview and Ranchos (doing our research) (Kailua: Home Depot, neighborhood)

[traveler105]

Originally Posted by Arktikos

Regarding fiber internet, you should be able to see it flying in from the street to homes in the area if it's available.

Amusing enough, I looked at photos of houses on realtor.com and Google Maps. I see either 1 or 2 or 3 wires going from the street pole to houses. I assume thickest wire is electricity and two other are internet and phone? When one wire goes in I only see the breaker box on that house, when two or three wires go in I see one or two additional smaller boxes next to the breaker box. See attachment. Anyhow, useful info. You can see a lot via realtor.com and Google Maps combined about power/internet.

---

Is it possible to have solar power with fiber internet without connecting power from the grid?

[Arktikos]

The smaller gray box sort of looks like my internet connection.

Yes, I am off grid with internet. You can either have a dedicated, small inverter for internet only when going old school 12 volt, or just plug into a wall outlet as in a normal house if a large inverter is converting your DC solar voltage to household 110V AC.

[terracore]

Originally Posted by traveler105

Amusing enough, I looked at photos of houses on realtor.com and Google Maps. I see either 1 or 2 or 3 wires going from the street pole to houses. I assume thickest wire is electricity and two other are internet and phone? When one wire goes in I only see the breaker box on that house, when two or three wires go in I see one or two additional smaller boxes next to the breaker box. See attachment. Anyhow, useful info. You can see a lot via realtor.com and Google Maps combined about power/internet.

---

Is it possible to have solar power with fiber internet without connecting power from the grid?

Hawaiiantel doesn't care who provides your power. What they do care about is distance from the nearest utility line to your house. If one has grid power, they are set, because they will follow the connection, if not, one might have to add pole(s) for them to string the fiber on. If you call for service, know how many feet it is from the easement to where the fiber is going to terminate. They will tell you if you need poles or not. The pole requirements are pretty severe for a fiber line. I believe it's 4 inch diameter minimum, sunk crazy deep (but they have no way of measuring how far the poles are sunk so the metric is irrelevant) for a fiber optic line that could be held up with a broom handle.

[traveler105]

Originally Posted by Arktikos

The smaller gray box sort of looks like my internet connection.

Yes, I am off grid with internet. You can either have a dedicated, small inverter for internet only when going old school 12 volt, or just plug into a wall outlet as in a normal house if a large inverter is converting your DC solar voltage to household 110V AC.

Good to know!

[traveler105]

Originally Posted by terracore

Hawaiiantel doesn't care who provides your power. What they do care about is distance from the nearest utility line to your house. If one has grid power, they are set, because they will follow the connection, if not, one might have to add pole(s) for them to string the fiber on. If you call for service, know how many feet it is from the easement to where the fiber is going to terminate. They will tell you if you need poles or not. The pole requirements are pretty severe for a fiber line. I believe it's 4 inch diameter minimum, sunk crazy deep (but they have no way of measuring how far the poles are sunk so the metric is irrelevant) for a fiber optic line that could be held up with a broom handle.

Alright! Thanks for info. So if driveway is too long we may need an extra pole on our property?

[Grassyknoll]

Originally Posted by traveler105

Alright! Thanks for info. So if driveway is too long we may need an extra pole on our property?

Due to most OV lots being narrow and long, unless you want to situate your house close to the road, you'll need a few poles installed (I've got four additional poles to carry utilities to the back of my 2 acre parcel).

[traveler105]

Originally Posted by Grassyknoll

Due to most OV lots being narrow and long, unless you want to situate your house close to the road, you'll need a few poles installed (I've got four additional poles to carry utilities to the back of my 2 acre parcel).

Wow, good data point. I read that easement with electric company may take 3-4 months but could could not find cost to install extra pole. Does anyone know the cost to install extra pole?

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by traveler105

Wow, good data point. I read that easement with electric company may take 3-4 months but could could not find cost to install extra pole. Does anyone know the cost to install extra pole?

It ain't cheap. I believe you have to hire someone besides the utility company. A neighbor had one put in, plus a bit of carpentry work done at their place by a contractor, and the price paid was $3800. After getting that bid she asked me if this was reasonable. I really had no idea.

Another important factor is whether the line running along the street is on your side of the road or the opposing side. I was lucky to have it on my side, so my pole is a ground contact 4x4 8 feet tall, placed in a concrete saddle by myself. From there the cable is run inside plastic conduit through the jungle to my house. You can either bury the conduit or not. Must run a string through the conduit as you put it together so the cable can be pulled through with it later.

This scheme may not be an option in HOVE, ask the provider in the area. The Hawaiian Tel workers who came to scope my install were the ones who suggested this method to me. About $200 worth of materials plus my labor was far more agreeable aesthetically and financially than hiring someone to install an industrial grade pole. No way the average Joe can do that.

Edit: To be clear, if you're on opposing side of the street the entry pole has to be much higher, naturally, for the cable to clear the road at a safe height. Hence the need for a bronto, steel pole set deep into concrete.

[traveler105]

Originally Posted by Arktikos

Another important factor is whether the line running along the street is on your side of the road or the opposing side.

Something to keep in mind when investigating lots!

[Grassyknoll]

Originally Posted by traveler105

Wow, good data point. I read that easement with electric company may take 3-4 months but could could not find cost to install extra pole. Does anyone know the cost to install extra pole?

I can't speak to cost or what the current SOP is for installing a pole. Mine are pressure treated logs, about 45' that were simply placed in excavated holes and back-filled with boulders. My property is on a (relatively) recent lava flow and no soil means no worries about rot on the end placed in the hole. A property with soil would likely require a diffrent aproach.