An issue for the sparkies: In 2010 I had to decommission my outdoor (deck/garden) low-voltage illumination system as I tore down outdoor stairways and moved the location of our garden path. I unhooked the transformer and rolled up the low-voltage (12V) cables to the lamps to get them out of the way. It’s now time to reinstall the outdoor lighting and I was wondering: is it okay to reuse outdoor cable after the “quick-clip connectors” for the lamps have been removed once? They pierce the cable insulation, but they weren’t exactly waterproof to begin with. Also, the cable will be planted underground in a couple of spots.
Quick-clip connector
http://www.homedepot.ca/wcsstore/HomeDepotCanada/images/catalog/HD223522_4.jpg
Replies
Once you pierce the insulation, it is not waterproof anymore. Eventually enought water will get in there to corrode the wire away. How long depends on where you live (soil, amount of rain, humidity etc)
piercing
Thanks, Greg. My problem is, I can't see how those quick clip connectors were ever waterproof, even when first installed.
Reuse it.
If ya gotta go underground, glop some roofing cement on the pierced spots.
I have some old frayed extension cords buried for power to sheds, covered the bare spots with roof tar, some are now 40 years old, no problems.
Even though bare copper in the ground usually would not corrode, the main concern in soil (other than physical damage) is a bare spot will be subject to electrolysis and can eat thru the wire in a matter of only a few days.
So, dont miss getting a tar covering on any spot on the wires you bury.
Thanks, jh. Just about what I was thinking.
Yeah, I'd agree with JH on this -- use a good, gloppy coating of some sort on the pierced spots that get buried, to prevent electrolysis. Roofing glop is probably good.
Thanks, Dan
Don't have any roofing glop, and wouldn't know what it's called in Japanese if I had to buy some. I'll probably use some kind of synthetic caulk--which is easily available. Once I get the cable stretched out an in position, I don't anticiate much movement.
The problem with caulk is that it doesn't stay gooey. But whatever you can find.
Thanks for the Japanese lesson, jh :)
I didn't have much luck with ordinary タール in google; almost all the returns were references to "coal tar" which may be the same thing, and I do think I've seen it for sale in home centers, but only in large, 16-liter cans. (http://www.komeri.com/images/goods/000/554/89/55489.jpg). In fact, that's the problem with all these things; I need a few ounces to cover tiny holes in the cables, but the glop to cover the holes only comes in jumbo sized cans. But I'll wager that in cases not exposed to movement, a silicon caulk/sealant will work equally well.