Install Outdoor Electric Wiring - How to Guide

Methods to get power from inside your home to another point outside (ie: pole mounted lantern), or other point that requires passing through the outside

Direct burial of cable under soil, PVC electrical pipe (PVC) buried under soil with conductors installed in pipe, or aerial method. Each has its own benefits and detractors. Please read the entire article to help you decide which method will work best for you!

It provides for hot(s), neutral and grounding conductors all inside a durable, sunlight and moisture resistant encasement or "jacket". UF type cable looks very similar to "NM" (Romex) cable, but differs in that the individual conductors are "flooded" with the jacket material found on NM cable. Thus, there is no thin, easy-to-remove outer jacket like NM cable, but rather the conductors and their insulation must be removed from the "jacket" (learning to do this may take a little time - practice with left over cable before attempting on installed cable). Direct burial cable requires at least an 18 inch (45.7 cm) deep trench in earth between the origin and termination of the lateral run. Most trenches should be dug to a depth that is below the frost line. Check with your inspector in your area to determine the minimum depth required.

Place smooth rocks on top of the cable to keep any high spots down.

It does not need to be supported in the trench. This cable must be supported when run over concrete. This can be accomplished by securing wood (pressure treated if exposed to outdoors) to concrete and then securing the cable to the wood. If the cable may be subjected to physical damage, it should be "sleeved" in "Schedule 80" PVC pipe and terminated with proper pipe fittings (couplings, "LB" fittings, clips, expansion joints, etc).

Do NOT backfill the trench until the electrical inspector or "authority having jurisdiction" (AHJ) has checked the work.

By installing pipe a size or two larger than required for the current project, or providing a 2nd pipe at the same time, there will be enough room to pull in additional conductors later. Speed future installations by always leaving an extra "pull wire" or string for use to connect either a rope or directly to a new cable when the time comes to expand the number of circuits. Multiple pipes must provided for other services - low voltage and signal services such as: communication (telephone or network), cable TV, satellite television, intercom, etc. services are not permitted in pipes that contain power. These cables must either be installed in a separate pipe or buried directly within a cable labeled as suitable for direct burial in earth. It should be obvious that there is a great deal of flexibility offered by the (multiple) pipe method.

"Schedule 40" for the portion under soil, and "Schedule 80" for those portions of the pipe run above ground. Layout the pipe run adjacent to the trench. Make sure you have a "snake" or fish tape long enough to go from end to end. Glue the pipe together with approved fittings and adhesives. Place the pipe into the trench.

Secure the pipe where it rises above ground at 30 to 36 inches (76.2 to 91.4 cm) intervals with approved supports for the pipe.

Do NOT backfill the trench until the wiring inspector has checked your work.

Expansion joints allow for changes in grade that can result from frost heaves and must be employed where required. Check your local code for this requirement. Expansion joints are available at most home centers that sell PVC electrical pipe.

Protect any existing wires from damage from the snake by placing cardboard or other insulator between the snake and wires at the opening of the pipe. Steel snakes will conduct electricity if allowed to rub through insulation of an energized wire, so shut off power if possible before installing the snake or pulling wire.

Have a helper "feed" and guide the wires as you withdraw the snake from the pipe. Do not pull fast or hard; slow and steady tension is the key. Do not allow the new wires to constantly rub existing wires in the same place as they are pulled into the pipe, as doing so they may wear away insulation and expose harmful voltages present on the conductor(s) when energized.

Additional clearance requirements must be observed when passing over roofs or near windows and doors.

The strain relief and support fittings should be secured to the building framing members, not just to plywood sheathing of the structures. These fittings are seldom found in home centers, but are available at most full-line electrical distributors. This wiring method should be used only if the other two are not suitable. Keep in mind that these cables will stretch a bit when under high electric load or in direct sunlight. They will also be strained under the weight of snow and ice build up, and could break mid-span or rip from supports.