Hello all, I would like to run a new light that will be installed on the front lawn. It has three bulbs, totalling probably 40-60 watts for all three. My question is I would like to run the power off a switch in the foyer, that turns on the two lights by the front door. What size wire should I use? This will be run in conduit, so do I still use direct burial line? Also do you see anyting else I should know about? Thanks a lot!

I would use a number 12 wire with a ground, and depending on the way you can buy wire, like if you can buy the exact amount you want then I would use the direct burial type wire. That way if you ever got a leak in your conduit you would be protected by the better wire.

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Originally Posted by Bailey52

Hello all, I would like to run a new light that will be installed on the front lawn. It has three bulbs, totalling probably 40-60 watts for all three. My question is I would like to run the power off of a switch in the foyer, that turns on the two lights by the front door. What size wire should I use? This will be run in conduit, so do I still use direct burial line? also do you see anyting else I should know about? thanks a lot!

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Thanks! So are there any other concerns I need to know about? I think on this circuit is a couple other lights... I don't think total they would be over 300 or so watts... I know they say not to mix wire types... i.e. copper and aluminum... Im guessing I should use copper? Thanks again!

I would use 1/2" PVC, Yellow, white and green #12 Copper THHN/THWN. If no space for
a switch by the door, you could tie to a constant hot, and have it photocell controlled.
Or an X10 Light Module for control wirelessly, or by keyfob when you drive up.
A 20 Amp circuit can handle 1920 Watts. 60 watts is nothing?

Great.. the switch is already there on the inside.. so I wanted to connect the new wire to this existing switch.. Thanks again!

Ok... here is something else I was thinking... Were putting in a new walkway out front, and I need an outlet out there for some low voltage landscape wire... anyway in the garage I added an outlet for a new work bench off an existing outlet in the garage, which has a freezer plugged into it. My Queston is, can I run a new outlet to the outside, from this newer outlet in the bench which is itself run off an outlet? And from the new outlet wire the new lamp post that will be in the yard? Thanks again for everyone's help!

I wouldn't tie onto freezer, as a problem may include a freezer full of bad food, should an outside circuit trip.
You could pull in a black wire, with the yellow, white and green, the black would be constant hot and feed Outdoor GFI receptacle.

Hmm.. Im kind of confused now.. So where are you saying to get the power from?

Your front door switch box? If a different side of house. You could go from a receptacle through house to a box on side of house, You could use an LB if a receptacle is not needed on side, then run conduit from there. If in conduit to panel you could pull its own circuit through existing conduits. May have to go through several boxes to get there. I am talking about the receptacle inside of house closest to where you want to go.

Ok.. Well the I am ditching the idea of going from the existing switch in the foyer considering it would involve a lot of wire fishing to get it to the outside. So now I am trying to use the garage, because it will be easy to get right out on the other side of the wall, which is where I want the receptical. Anyway, so instead of using the outlet that has the freezer on it, there is also lflourescent lights in the garage. There are two switches for the outlet which these lights are plugged in. One inside the house by the door, the other in the garage near the garage doors to the outside. Can I just tap into one of these switches, and run this new wire to the new GFCI I will put outside? Thanks again!

Sounds good as Biggsie mentions, and yourself. Sometimes the shortest route is not the easiest.

Guys thanks again.. And sorry to keep writing back ha.. Anyway I checked the circuit breaker for the lights in the garage.. and there are a ton of lights on it.. well maybe not a ton but lights from several rooms, including 6 halogen recessed lights that were added to it a year ago. So I don't want to put more of a strain on it. I am thinking that the outlet with the freezed, which is the only appliance on there is my best bet short of running a whole new line from the breaker box.. I know this might not be the best outcome, but If I am careful to make sure it doesn't blow and turn the freezed off, do you see anything wrong with it? Remember the outlet that the freezer is plugged into has another outlet coming from it to my work bench which isn't used, and this is the outlet from which I want to run the new GFCI outlet.. Sorry so long! And thanks again! This place is great!

Do you have conduit run from freezer to panel, if so, it may be easy enough to get 1 or 2 wires through

I don't know what you mean. The freezer is plugged into an outlet, the only think on that outlet. I previously ran another outlet off that one for my work bench, which I don't really even use. I plan on running another outlet off this workbench one to the outside for low voltage lighting and connect the lamp post to the new outlet as well. That be OK?

Houses are usually wired with conduit(pipe), or cable(romex), With conduit, you can push or pull additional wire(s) through switch or light boxes, Switches, lights and recepticles will need to be removed, and power turned off. Removing panel cover will quickly tell if done in conduit. You could look for something that makes more of a straight shot, Washer/dryer usuall go directly to panel, water heater, Outside compressor unit. If I was to pull a pair of #12's to Compressor, I would tie on the Pair of #12's and a green, tie to existing green and pull, you will be removing a green and it will be replaced by Black, white, and green.