Splicing underground wire

[aczlan]

On joints that are not possible to get a good heat shrink seal on there is a product called liquid tape that works very well.
It will get into places that can't be taped or heat shrunk well and protects the connection and wiring very well.

For something like this, I would only use the heat shrink that has glue on the inside, that stuff is almost impossible to get off once it's installed and does a really good job of filling in the cracks between multiple wires.

Aaron Z

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Please cite the section of the NEC that prohibits using UF in conduit.

Reading Article 340 I find:

Nothing about not putting it in conduit.

Aaron Z

Aaron,

I probably have been wrong, I do not have a copy of the code anymore much less the current one. Somewhere I picked up on, probably from an electrician friend that if you put any of the sheathed cables in conduit you have to use the 60 degree ampacity tables. You never want to overlook the table notes either. I used to be involved in a lot of electrical work but it has been awhile and codes change.

More in the back of my mind was the cost factors involved in combining cable into conduit especially UF or USE. Agreed it has value for future replacement purposes. The discussion on an access box for splices if not code is common practice. You can do end to end splice and still have the box called "Hand Hole" in underground work.

Thanks for the clarification, Ron

 

[ovrszd]

I put my underground electrical in conduit from the meter pedestal to my shop (50ft) and to the house (75ft) so that in a couple years when I'm digging a post hole for some decorative thing in the back yard for my wife I don't pierce my underground electrical cable.

 

[Carl_NH]

I put my underground electrical in conduit from the meter pedestal to my shop (50ft) and to the house (75ft) so that in a couple years when I'm digging a post hole for some decorative thing in the back yard for my wife I don't pierce my underground electrical cable.

I do the same thing now when installing underground electrical with UF and 3/4" PVC conduit with a digital photo of the trench and exact location.

22 years ago I ran 2 10-2 UF circuits to the barn, no conduit and yes I know within 2' where not to dig based on my property map, but installing with conduit would have been so much smarter - live and learn!

 

[ovrszd]

I do the same thing now when installing underground electrical with UF and 3/4" PVC conduit with a digital photo of the trench and exact location.

22 years ago I ran 2 10-2 UF circuits to the barn, no conduit and yes I know within 2' where not to dig based on my property map, but installing with conduit would have been so much smarter - live and learn!

I took Drone videos of my utilities as I installed them. Also took physical measurements.

My conduit protection is for when I am old and forgetful and "think" I know where it is without looking at all the data I saved...…..

 

[Carl_NH]

The drone is definitely the way to go for mapping. Most of my stuff was "pre-drone era" but I was an early adopter of the Parrott AR Drone in 2012 timeframe with primitive controls and flight time of a few minutes, and after flying it into the trees getting it stuck etc., I gave up on drones.

 

[pmsmechanic]

You guys, underground power lines are so easy to locate. You just hook up a spark plug wire from an old running truck to the ground wire and listen for the static in an old transistor radio. Who needs maps!

Actually it does work but I like the idea of maps better!

 

[Bedlam]

Thanks for all the info and suggestions. I ended up using these.


They have silcone inside that gooshes over the wire nuts.but I also wrapped it all with rubber tape.

We shall see. lol

 

[tallyho8]

I just spliced a 10-2 wire I had going to my barn that I hit with the backhoe. Being in a hurry and not wanting to wait for delivery or to take a trip to Home Depot, I used what I had on hand. I spliced the wire and cut a piece of pvc pipe that was just big enough to go over the splice then I filled it with silicone. Added a short piece of wire, put the pvc over the wire, spliced it and filled with silicone.

Maybe this is not the best thing to do but I bet it will last for many years.

 

[LouNY]

I hear people calling for silicone for wiring splices.
I would use a latex caulk compound or just a dielectric grease then lots of tape.
"Silicone" is corrosive if you can smell the acetic acid smell it will corrode.