what to use for underground wiring for lights

Information technology's not uncommon to want to run 120V electrical wiring underground. You may want to send ability to your shed, workshop, or garage. Another common employ is running ability to a lamp postal service or an electric gate motor. In either example, you should be aware of a few undercover wiring requirements in order to meet most current building codes. We show you how to install underground electrical wiring from i location to another.

Underground Wiring Requirements – How Deep Exercise I Bury the Wire?

The first question we always go asked is "How deep practise we bury the wiring or cable?" That'due south a great question. And the answer is that information technology depends on what wire you lot use and whether you run it within a conduit or not. Since almost people ask the question so that they can meet a particular desire for maximum burial depth, let's start there. Breaking it downwards by how deep you bury the hush-hush electrical wiring when yous install it, we have the following options:

24-inches Deep Burial Depth

• Use direct-burying secret feeder cablevision at 24-inches deep (or more). You don't demand to use conduit at this depth with UF cablevision, however, you do need to provide PVC conduit on your vertical feeds starting at 18-inches.

18-inches Deep Burial Depth

• Yous can run THWN-2 conductors within of PVC conduit at just 18-inches deep in the ground. This protects the wire from impairment in the event someone digs overtop of the cable. THWN-ii is basically water-resistant THHN (Thermoplastic High Rut-resistant Nylon-coated wire)

12-inches Deep Burial Depth

• At 12-inches deep, you lot can run direct-burial feeder cable wire that is GFCI-protected. Protect it with PVC where it pops upwardly at the firm, garage, or store.

6-inches Deep Burial Depth

• If yous use galvanized rigid EMT (metal electrical conduit) with private conductors within, you lot tin can bury it just 6-inches deep. The idea here is that the EMT tin withstand a shovel or other pregnant potential cause of shorting the wiring.

General Notes on Burial Wire

If y'all ever want to apply metal EMT conduit in identify of PVC, y'all tin can. Typically, we apply grey 3/iv-inch PVC for a single line. In add-on, while the required burial depths listed to a higher place should be by and large accurate—cheque local edifice codes first. You want to be admittedly certain you're in compliance before you become started. Nosotros typically prefer using PVC conduit when running power to a remote location underground. That gives you a lot more protection over direct burying cable in the long run.

In the end, only understand your options and have the safest or simplest road depending on your state of affairs. If yous can get away without conduit and the wiring is in an expanse that isn't liable to get in the way of future excavation, then direct-burial cable might be all-time. If you're running through the middle of your yard, a PVC or metallic conduit might seem the ameliorate choice—even if it's overkill.

Steps to Installing Underground Electrical Wiring

We don't provide a ton of steps to installing underground electrical wiring. Installing the wiring or conduit takes a lot of work—but not a lot of detailed instructions.

Telephone call Before You Dig!

Don't forget to plan alee and phone call earlier you lot dig. You don't desire to hitting any buried water lines, electrical lines, sewage drains, or anything else. In nigh municipalities, they will check your holding within a day or two for gratuitous and when you telephone call. Marking out disquisitional lines with flags before yous start actually saves y'all a lot of hassle and headache. Don't skip this step!

Digging the Trench

We've dug a lot of trenches using shovels. Don't exercise it if you value your time. If you take someone you desperately want to torture, or y'all're but going several anxiety, then using a trenching shovel works just fine. If, however, you need to go a good amount of altitude with your buried electrical cable, we recommend renting a trencher.

You can rent a 24-inch trencher in well-nigh places for less than $200 a 24-hour interval. Yous can even pay less if you only need it for a few hours. Information technology saves you countless hours and hassle, so if you tin can beget it, grab ane at your local tool rental store.

Using the trencher, plan your form and dig the trench where you plan to run your direct-burial cable or PVC pipe.

Cut Your Ingress or Egress Holes

Cut your egress and ingress holes from the starting indicate (for example, your electric console) to the end of your run.

It helps to use what'due south known as a PVC conduit outlet trunk (LB).

These arrive easy to feed wire into a building (either the source or the destination garage or shop). You just remove the plate using the 2 screws and feed the wire equally needed without having to worry about making a abrupt correct-bending plough at the point of entry.

Pro Tip: Use a heat gun to curve PVC conduit if you demand to make a bend to become upwards against the house, garage, or workshop with your pipage.

Feeding Your Wire

Many times you can but push button your cable through minimal runs of PVC conduit. If needed, yous can employ a metal fish tape or even vacuum a pull line though the pipage and use that to pull the wires through a long run.

Finish Off Your Connections and Conduit Fittings

After pulling your wire, make your connections to the electrical panel and finish your conduit fittings. That includes securing the plates on your PVC conduit outlet bodies. Examination your run, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!

Final Thoughts

Nothing beats getting much-needed ability to a shed or garage. Assault this type of project with gusto and reap the benefits. As always, consult or use a licensed electrician if things seem to exist across your level of expertise.

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Source: https://www.protoolreviews.com/how-to-install-underground-electrical-wiring/

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