Underground Wiring Installation | eHow – eHow | How to Videos …

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Tom Lutzenberger

Since 2009 Tom Lutzenberger has written for various websites, covering topics ranging from finance to automotive history. Lutzenberger works in public finance and policy and consults on a variety of analytical services. His education includes a Bachelor of Arts in English and political science from Saint Mary's College and a Master of Business Administration in finance and marketing from California State University, Sacramento.

Running wiring throughout your backyard, particularly under a patio area or a hot tub for example, requires some planning and protection. If the wiring is not properly encased it will degrade from exposure to the soil, and it will eventually get crushed or broken by weight. To avoid this, underground wiring involves running the wire through conduits that basically function as tunnels. This protects the wiring with an outer casing. However, the process needs to be thought out since it can't be easily replicated after the fact when the backyard is in place.

Plan where your backyard lighting will be located using a pen and paper design replicating your current backyard dimensions. Anticipate all the electrical units that will be necessary prior to starting any work. Draw these items on your design page to use later for counting up supplies needed.

Mark the backyard with wood stakes where the entry and exit points will be for the wiring underground. Provide sufficient clearance for the entrance and exit points from where the patio cement will sit. Dig with a trench shovel the corresponding trenches the wiring will sit in at least two feet deep into the dirt.

Hire an electrician to install a dedicated GFI connection to your house electricity if one is not available on the outside of the house. Make sure he connects an internal switch to turn power on and off to the socket.

Obtain enough PVC pipe to run the lengths of the trenches you dug in Step 2. Insert or fish the wiring through the PVC pipe for each wiring distance needed per your plan.

Lay the wiring-PVC in the trenches, leaving sufficient wiring length sticking out of both ends. Fill the trenches up with dirt so they are firmly packed. Position a wiring box at the end of the wiring that will be used to plug your lighting into. Install a connector plug or prong at the opposite end of the wiring that will be used to connect to the house electricity.

Install a plug cover on the house socket so that it won't be exposed to the elements. Secure the cover to the house socket with a screwdriver. Plug in the wires for the lighting to the house socket. Turn on the lights in the garden to test that they work properly.

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