2 wiring q's: stranded wires; post-install conduit
 

Hi,

I have 2 unrelated electrical wiring questions I am hoping someone can
help me out with.

1. Is there any kind of outdoor conduit that might installable AFTER a
service entrance has been installed? I don't really wan't to have my
meter pulled, but the previous owner just ran the feed from the meter
through a hole about 15 feet away, and didn't use any kind of
protection or what not. Looks a bit uglier/messier than a conduit
would, and also I worry a little about just accidentally bumping the
thing with a ladder or shovel or things, since it is right at waist and
knee height.

2. Can anyone tell me anything about stranded wire used where I would
normally use romex? I am hooking up a garage/shed that has long been
disconnected, and the entire thing is wired using an unmarked, gray
stranded cable (2conductor+ground). It looks basically like a 12ga
extension cord. Is this permissable? Should I rip it all out, and/or
maybe just convert some of it to have a plug on one end. There is an
outside light in particular that would be very hard to rewire, but I
could chop the cord and put on a plug, and then install a conveniently
placed switched outlet to plug it in to. Of course, that really don't
change the situation, and is just a silly workaround...)

Thanks,
Kevin

In article . com, "kevin" wrote:
Hi,

I have 2 unrelated electrical wiring questions I am hoping someone can
help me out with.

1. Is there any kind of outdoor conduit that might installable AFTER a
service entrance has been installed? I don't really wan't to have my
meter pulled, but the previous owner just ran the feed from the meter
through a hole about 15 feet away, and didn't use any kind of
protection or what not. Looks a bit uglier/messier than a conduit
would, and also I worry a little about just accidentally bumping the
thing with a ladder or shovel or things, since it is right at waist and
knee height.

You're right to be worried about it. Best way to handle this is to do it
right: pull the meter (need to talk to the power company about that), pull the
wires back, install conduit, reinstall wires (or install new).

2. Can anyone tell me anything about stranded wire used where I would
normally use romex? I am hooking up a garage/shed that has long been
disconnected, and the entire thing is wired using an unmarked, gray
stranded cable (2conductor+ground). It looks basically like a 12ga
extension cord. Is this permissable?

No.

Should I rip it all out, and/or
maybe just convert some of it to have a plug on one end. There is an
outside light in particular that would be very hard to rewire, but I
could chop the cord and put on a plug, and then install a conveniently
placed switched outlet to plug it in to. Of course, that really don't
change the situation, and is just a silly workaround...)

If you want to do it *right*, rip it all out, and install Romex.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?