I just put 200' (black, white, green--12 gauge) of wire in a grey electric
pipe that will be buried underground 18". I probably need another 10' to get
it back up the surface. Should I just solder 10' lengths onto wires onto the
wire and wrap it with electrical tape, or is there a smarter way?

Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"Depend upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the
commonplace." -- Sherlock Holmes, in "A Case of Identity"
--
Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews

Repaired misspelling of underground in Subject.
W. Watson wrote:
I just put 200' (black, white, green--12 gauge) of wire in a grey
electric pipe that will be buried underground 18". I probably need
another 10' to get it back up the surface. Should I just solder 10'
lengths onto wires onto the wire and wrap it with electrical tape, or is
there a smarter way?

Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"Depend upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the
commonplace." -- Sherlock Holmes, in "A Case of Identity"



Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"Depend upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the
commonplace." -- Sherlock Holmes, in "A Case of Identity"
--
Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews

If you want a fire or some electrocuted children, not to mention
voided insurance and a code violation citation, go right ahead. You
need to get your goddam wallet out and pay a qualified electrician.

contrex wrote:
If you want a fire or some electrocuted children, not to mention
voided insurance and a code violation citation, go right ahead. You
need to get your goddam wallet out and pay a qualified electrician.

Well that sounds a bit harsh. But I agree, I would not make any
underground connections. If I were you, I would do these few things.
1) Pull out the short wire, coil it up, and save it for another project.
2) Get a 250-foot roll of #12 UF Romex, and string that through the
pipe. "UF" means "underground feeder" - this wire is suitable for direct
burial in the ground, so the pipe simply adds some extra mechanical
protection against nicks and abrasion - and inadvertent digging.
3. When you assemble the pipe, make a waterproof seal at each joint,
and be sure that each end is terminated either indoors, or with a drip
loop and neck. This doesn't guarantee that the pipe won't get some water
in it - but if it does, the unspliced UF wire can handle it. Spliced
wire would be a disaster in this case.
4. When you bury the pipe, backfill the first 12" of depth of the
trench, then run yellow warning tape "WARNING - BURIED UTILITY LINE
BELOW" for the full length of the trench, then backfill the remaining 6"
up to grade.

By the way, 250 feet sounds like a whopper of a run for #12 wire. I
hope you aren't planning to use it at its nominal 20-amp rating? If you
need that sort of current, you ought to consider moving to #10.

Bill

"W. Watson" wrote in message
. net...

I just put 200' (black, white, green--12 gauge) of wire in a grey electric
pipe that will be buried underground 18". I probably need another 10' to
get it back up the surface. Should I just solder 10' lengths onto wires
onto the wire and wrap it with electrical tape, or is there a smarter way?

If this is 110 V or above:

All connections must be accessible after construction. This means they must
be made in a junction box whose lid can be removed and is readily
accessible.

Soldering wires is not an approved connection method - use wire nuts
(marrettes).

If it is 12 Volts do as you wish.

W. Watson wrote:
I just put 200' (black, white, green--12 gauge) of wire in a grey
electric pipe that will be buried underground 18". I probably need
another 10' to get it back up the surface. Should I just solder 10'
lengths onto wires onto the wire and wrap it with electrical tape, or is
there a smarter way?




You'll want to check your local electrical code but I don't believe it's
legal to have inaccessible splices. You can get weatherproof junction
boxes that sit flush with the surface though.

I've been away for several days. Just a couple of things. First, I can
happily end this by saying that there was more wire at each end, so there is
no need for putting an extension on either end. Second, yes, no solder, wire
nuts, and a junction box. I would think a satisfactory box would easily be
available for such an instance.

I have to go to the h/w store this morning, and I'll inquire about the
existence of such a box, which I do not need.



Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"Depend upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the
commonplace." -- Sherlock Holmes, in "A Case of Identity"
--
Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews

"W. Watson" wrote in message
et...
I've been away for several days. Just a couple of things. First, I can
happily end this by saying that there was more wire at each end, so there
is no need for putting an extension on either end. Second, yes, no solder,
wire nuts, and a junction box. I would think a satisfactory box would
easily be available for such an instance.

I have to go to the h/w store this morning, and I'll inquire about the
existence of such a box, which I do not need.

Look at it this way - if the power is going into the wires at one end and
not coming out at the other end where would YOU first suspect the problem
was?

And that's why an accessible junction box is required.