Direct burial and liquid electric tape

[woodlandfarms]

#10 (some of it Stranded)

I am sorry, I should have never said wire nut. I meant this as I am splicing into a longer run.

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[tulenutn2o]

In nearly 30 years of construction and electrical i have never used liquid electrical tape...heck i never even heard of it.

I dont believe in direct burial of any wires, but in the few cases i was forced to use it all of my connections were made with encased epoxy fittings like the electrical co-ops and utility companies use.

These devices use a plastic encasement and is completely filed with liquid 2 part epoxy which sets in about 5 minutes.

This would be my preferred method. But I have, in a pinch used liquid tape, real tape and heat shrink, then covered in tar and buried.

 

[TRR]

If you can't get the heat shrink tubing with the "stuff" inside, I'd use a silicone tape. It seals to itself and makes the seal weather proof. Lowes has it under a different name and I suspect Home Depot carries it. Here's the 1st site I found when I googled "silicone tape"

Welcome to Rescue Tape!

 

[ol'oilburner]

Like most have already suggested, I would stagger the splices, use a couple coats of your liquid electrical tape and then encase it in the marine grade adhesive lined heat-shrink tubing and you should be fine.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I do not believe any splice no matter how its done is code approved except in an acsessable location. For direct bury cable that means a handhole set at grade. It can be as small as an irrigation valve box available at the big box stores. I would never put a splice somewhere I would not be able to get to, in the future. Any splice is a vunerable element and would probably mean digging up a lot of dirt if it failed. Those valve boxes are cheap by comparison. Then use an approved wet location splice method of which there are many; several mentioned already.

Ron

 

[LarryD]

I do not believe any splice no matter how its done is code approved except in an acsessable location. For direct bury cable that means a handhole set at grade. It can be as small as an irrigation valve box available at the big box stores. I would never put a splice somewhere I would not be able to get to, in the future. Any splice is a vunerable element and would probably mean digging up a lot of dirt if it failed. Those valve boxes are cheap by comparison. Then use an approved wet location splice method of which there are many; several mentioned already.

Ron

I see all kinds of problems with this plan. You're going to shave back the outer jacket on an existing UF cable, shave back the conductor insulation, and make a split bolt connection underground. Then seal it all up with liquid tape and bury it?

Putting aside any code violations, I don't see this connection having a long lifespan.

 

[ray66v]

In nearly 30 years of construction and electrical i have never used liquid electrical tape...heck i never even heard of it.

I dont believe in direct burial of any wires, but in the few cases i was forced to use it all of my connections were made with encased epoxy fittings like the electrical co-ops and utility companies use.

These devices use a plastic encasement and is completely filed with liquid 2 part epoxy which sets in about 5 minutes.

I second this, use the epoxy filled splice.

I really hesitate to splice in-ground wire, unless it is low voltage.

If you have a leak to ground, you will be paying for electric you never knew you used.

 

[k0ua]

I do not believe any splice no matter how its done is code approved except in an acsessable location. For direct bury cable that means a handhole set at grade. It can be as small as an irrigation valve box available at the big box stores. I would never put a splice somewhere I would not be able to get to, in the future. Any splice is a vunerable element and would probably mean digging up a lot of dirt if it failed. Those valve boxes are cheap by comparison. Then use an approved wet location splice method of which there are many; several mentioned already.

Ron

If I have a vote, I would vote with this advice.. I have made many underground splices in the Telephone industry , and of course we always used the 3M splice cases that you fill with the 2 part "goo" and bury. But even they can fail if not prepped properly. A handhole and an approved underground splice "goo" filled connector would be my choice... Of course your mileage may vary, for all I know you live in the sahara desert but where I live if water can find a way to get in it will.

James K0UA

 

[Illini22]

I've rarely seen the epoxy filled protective splices here in illinois. When I did it was from contractors that had a once a decade repair. As others have said a good heat shrink with mastic in it will last for pretty much ever. Makecsurevyou heat all the way around the tube, starting in the middle, workingbyourvway out. Make sure you get the mastic to ooze out all around the diameter of the end of tube. Feel te tube to make sure their are no flat spots, if their are you need to heat it some more as it wasn't shrunk totally. I would use compression connectors not wire nuts. A splice box is also not a bad idea

 

[hr3]

No code problems if done right..By code you have to use something that is ul approved for the purpose.. " split bolts are not"

UF Direct burial cable splice kit, 14 - 8 awg wire on eBay!

Use one of these and be done with it..