Quick question. I need to run electrical out to a shed about 50′ away. It is my plan to add a J- box in lieu of the sodium light that is currently installed on the fascia and bring the power down the wall in Rigid, change to PVC and go underground about 18″ and pop up inside the wall before I pour the slab.
What type of wire should I be using to go this distance, or am i looking at it all wrong?
ML
Replies
You are on track for just a single circuite.
You can use type UG NM (underground romex) or individual stranded or solid wire (THHN) of the appropriate size for the circuite amperage for the existing circuite.
You can run the whole thing in schdl. 40 pvc. No need to run rigid down the wall and then transition to pvc.
Is the existing sodium light switched or on a eye?
It is type UF (not UG) for underground feeder. And while people might call it "romex" it is completely different constructin.And underground conduit is a wet area and THHN can't be used. However, much, if not all THHN, is also rate and marked THWN which is wet rated.Where the conduit is subject ot abuse it needs to ridgit, intermmediate, EMT, or sch 80 PVc OR EQUIVALENT.Of couse that leave "subject to abuse" and "equivalent" up in the air. I would think that equivalent would allow the use of a guard..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Edited 9/7/2008 8:23 am by BillHartmann
I have 250' of type 12/2wg type UG.
StrangeI have the 2005 Handbook in PDF. That is the full NEC Code, but commentary, illistrations and background.Did a search for UG and did not get one hit in 1956 pages.Lots of hits for UF.And googling I did not seem to get anyplace looking for UG cable other than a bunch of false hits.Might it have been someones "brand name" or something and that it was also marked UF.Or I an wonder if it was maybe Canadian or something. They used slightly different desginations for NM and UF cable.But I should have found that on google search..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Fell off the back of one of our overhead trucks about 10-15 years ago. I was behind them and stopped and picked it up. I tried to return it the next morning and the guys said keep it, they already had another box.
It is marked type NM/UG 12/2 WG. Looks like UF and is just as big a PITA to work with. I might have used 15-20 feet of it in all that time. I've even tried to give part of it away to some DIY ers I know. Most of them were putting in yard lights on 15 amp circuites, so I still got it.
I'll see if I can get the manufacture name off the box.
Well it is not Canadain.They use Type NMD90 for NM-BAnd NMW90 for UF.When I searched the NEC I did see that note that said for the first time (2005) that the UF cable was required to be LISTED.So I am guessing that it is an older designation for UF and possibly at one time it was listed as a subset of the NM section. Like USE is include in the SE section..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I forgot to dig out that box today.
I'm working 4:00 pm to 2:00 am this week. Was a little foggy this morning when I got up. Just stumbled around untill I found the tractor and moved 15 tons of limestone dust from pile A to pile B, so I can run the underground conduite to the pool this weekend,
The things we do for grandkids.
I'll try agian tomorrow.
No problem. More for historical interest than solving world hunger..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
the sodium is switched. ML
Edited 9/7/2008 10:21 am by MSLiechty
Then you will have to remember to turn the switch on before you go to the shed :)
Thinking of deleting the switch and just wire nutting the two together inside the box.ML
Sounds like a good plan for a limited[One circuit] amount of power to the shed.
Instead of GRC [galvanized rigid conduit], I would run PVC the whole distance. The inspectors in my locale would require that the exposed PVC be enclosed [for protection] or run in schedule 80.
Eighteen inches of cover is deep enough unless you are crossing a drive-way, when 24 inches of cover is required.
Thhn/ThWn wire will be OK. Make sure the wire is dual rated [most thhn is]. The w in thwn refers to the wires suitability to be used in wet locations. Underground conduit is , by definition, a wet location.
Don't scrimp on the size of the conduit. A 1 inch conduit will be easier to fish and pull your wires in than a 1/2 inch.
Besides, you may want to increase the size of your feeder in the future.
Chuck
"Eighteen inches of cover is deep enough unless you are crossing a drive-way, when 24 inches of cover is required."Residential driveways only need 18" cover.Other streets, highways, and parking lots need 24".But under airport runways only 18"..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
out to a shed...
Old extention cords will work just fine for that, there was an earlier thread on that <G>
Yep. I ran an extension cord to dad's 10'X16' shed/shop in 1976, plugged into an outlet on the patio.
Still used 'most every day.
Forrest