On 5/11/2013 11:14 AM, Norminn wrote:
Our new-to-us home has a garden and koi pond at the back of the
property. The pond uses a submersible pump and, in winter, a heater to
melt hole in ice. Switch for the present wiring is in garage, which
(I'm guessing) is about 70 feet from the pond. The wire/cable is white,
like two round sections with a flat white section between them. Outlet
(yikes!!) is an outdoorsy looking thing with a metal back and a plastic
cover....it is not fastened to anything for support, just basking on
some rock near the pump/filter. No GFCI. Yike again.

I would like, eventually (fairly soon, like by next spring), install
underground lines for water and for electricity for use at the pond and
the garden. There is a septic field between the house and garden, so
that is (I think) a consideration. When I had a chandelier installed by
an electrician, I asked him about installing underground electric, and
he told me it must be 4' down....I haven't found anything online today
that addresses that....several articles that recommend burying line
12-18", using conduit, RF line, etc.

We had an electric line changed from 220 to 120 when we installed gas
range, so need to re-study what breakers control what in the house, as
those marked on the breaker box may be wrong. Indiana doesn't require
electricians be licensed.... The garage wiring (and pond) may be on the
same circuit as kitchen. Have yet to blow a breaker.

Questions: How deep are gas and electric lines (from utility)
buried..we had 811 mark them, but no idea of the depth. When we had
cable installed (TV and internet), the guy ran a little thing that put
the cable barely into the sod (and cut my puny little 1/4" water line to
the pond). Is cable supposed to be a minimum depth? The cable layout
really screwed my plans for planting shrub and flower beds.


I've got both cable and FIOS lines to the house and neither are probably
more than six inches under ground. Even the cable and FIOS people have
cut each others lines on installs.

Years ago I hit the electric line running up the street when planting a
tree and believe it is only about a foot down.