I want to set up a fountain but ran into a problem. In between the fountain and the electrical outlet there is a 2feet walkway, is there a way I can run a wire under the 2feet walkway? When we bought the house, there was a landscaping light already installed, and I saw a wire ran under the walkway. How did the landscapers do that?

skiberger

The wire was probably installed before the walkway was. You can dig under the walkway. Start at each side and meet in the middle. If possible install a section of plastic conduit and run your wire threw that. Make sure the wire you install is UV/underground rated. It is gray in color. Worse comes to worse, get a diamond saw and cut the walkway,run the wire and patch were cut,

caibuadday

the wires may be there before the concret ..... if the walk way is only 2 ft and nothing is uder it you could still run wire under the concret; by dig 2holes below the concret and use water to wash out the dirt (power washer??)... 120V wire need proper protection( there a guy in the electrical post); it best to run the wires in galvenize or aluminum pipe ( not tubing =EMT)

labman

I would be a little careful not to dig out too much dirt. Us a length of conduit, or maybe better yet, real pipe. Dig down and then try to pound it through. If it won't go, try adding water. If there is a layer of pea gravel under the cement, it may slip right through. Then thread the wire through.

happybisaya

I tried using a pvc pipe, and I was not going anywhere. I dug about six inches from both sides and used my hose to flush some dirt out, and it took only a minute. It was that fast. Next I threaded the pvc pipe through the hole and taped my outdoor extension cord at the tip of the pipe, when I pulled the pvc pipe back out, out came the extension cord. Thank you for your advice. Now my next question is, how to seal the bottom of the pot that I am going to use for the fountain? I greatly appreciate everybody's help.

labman

Glad something worked. What is the pot made of and how big is the hole? Is it where the wire will enter? Many caulks and sealants say not for immersion in water. You could try one anyhow. If it fails, your water would just run out on the ground.

happybisaya

The pot is made of light colored clay, and it is glazed on the outside. There are two holes that are 1/2 inch in diameter, one of which a water tube from the pump (which is under the pot) is going to go through. The pot will be sitting on a few bricks in the middle of a pond liner which is buried flush to the ground. What I want to happen is for the water from the fountain to overflow from the pot and go straight to the pondliner which is covered by river rocks. I wonder if this can be done.

labman

Buy a rubber stopper at a hardware store to fit the unused hole. Buy some rubber of soft plastic tubing about 5/8'' OD. Force it through the other hole and use it for the water. You may need to cut it at an angle and pull the end through with a pair of pliers.

tkrussell

Extension cord?

Installed directly in earth?

Is the cord rated to be direct buried?

I doubt it.

There a several approved methods to install wiring in earth. As previously mentioned, one is to use an electrical cable rated for direct burial, UF, stands for Underground Feeder, usually a thick gray cable with the three separately insulated wires. Or you can use Sch 40 UL listed PVC conduit,UL Listed Steel Galvanized Rigid conduit, and UL Listed Aluminum conduit.

These various methods have their own min depth requirements, however, most can be superseded if the installation is residential, one or two family, is GFI protected, and no more than a 20 amp 120 volt circuit, can be installed at a minimum of 12 inches deep.

And extension cord is not listed as an approved wiring method for being directed buried in earth.

What I have done to cross walkways is to dig the trench on both sides of the walkway, and use a steel rod, conduit, bar and drive thru the dirt to create a bored hole thru the earth, and push the cable or conduit thru the hole, no fuss and no mess with water and mud.

I do sure hope you heed my advice and replace the extension cord with an approved method in earth, imagine your son, daughter, grand kids playing in the lawn, wet from the rain yesterday, and the lawn is energized because you saved a few dollars.

happybisaya

I will do just that. You know what? I did not even think of that. I thought outdoor extension cord is good enough. Thank you for your advice.