Continuing Length of Undergroup 110AC Power Line 10'

Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA) (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time) Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"Depend upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the commonplace." -- Sherlock Holmes, in "A Case of Identity"

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If you want a fire or some electrocuted children, not to mention voided insurance and a code violation citation, go right ahead. You need to get your goddam wallet out and pay a qualified electrician.

On Sun, 28 Jan 2007 08:10:32 +0000, W. Watson Has Frothed:

That wouldn't be safe and could be a violation of local code.

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Pierre Salinger Memorial Hook, Line & Sinker, June 2004

COOSN-266-06-25794

Well that sounds a bit harsh. But I agree, I would not make any underground connections. If I were you, I would do these few things.

1) Pull out the short wire, coil it up, and save it for another project. 2) Get a 250-foot roll of #12 UF Romex, and string that through the pipe. "UF" means "underground feeder" - this wire is suitable for direct burial in the ground, so the pipe simply adds some extra mechanical protection against nicks and abrasion - and inadvertent digging.

1. When you assemble the pipe, make a waterproof seal at each joint, and be sure that each end is terminated either indoors, or with a drip loop and neck. This doesn't guarantee that the pipe won't get some water in it - but if it does, the unspliced UF wire can handle it. Spliced wire would be a disaster in this case.
2. When you bury the pipe, backfill the first 12" of depth of the trench, then run yellow warning tape "WARNING - BURIED UTILITY LINE BELOW" for the full length of the trench, then backfill the remaining 6" up to grade.

By the way, 250 feet sounds like a whopper of a run for #12 wire. I hope you aren't planning to use it at its nominal 20-amp rating? If you need that sort of current, you ought to consider moving to #10.

Bill

If this is 110 V or above:

All connections must be accessible after construction. This means they must be made in a junction box whose lid can be removed and is readily accessible.

Soldering wires is not an approved connection method - use wire nuts (marrettes).

If it is 12 Volts do as you wish.

You'll want to check your local electrical code but I don't believe it's legal to have inaccessible splices. You can get weatherproof junction boxes that sit flush with the surface though.

I've been away for several days. Just a couple of things. First, I can happily end this by saying that there was more wire at each end, so there is no need for putting an extension on either end. Second, yes, no solder, wire nuts, and a junction box. I would think a satisfactory box would easily be available for such an instance.

I have to go to the h/w store this morning, and I'll inquire about the existence of such a box, which I do not need.

Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA) (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time) Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"Depend upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the commonplace." -- Sherlock Holmes, in "A Case of Identity"

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Look at it this way - if the power is going into the wires at one end and not coming out at the other end where would YOU first suspect the problem was?

And that's why an accessible junction box is required.