"HK" wrote in message
...

18" sure ought to work here, since our freeze is a lot less than your
freeze.

Nothing to do with freeze depths. It's to avoid driving a horseshoe stake
into the wire.

Eisboch

Code varys wildly with locality as to the accepted depth so find out before
you dig. Many allow a shallower depth if you put wire in that gray plastic
conduit.

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"HK" wrote in message
...

18" sure ought to work here, since our freeze is a lot less than your
freeze.

Nothing to do with freeze depths. It's to avoid driving a horseshoe stake
into the wire.

Eisboch

If it's a light duty, 120v pump only drawing a few amps, I'd use direct
burial wire, #10 (due to the length) and tie it through an outdoor switch
or timer to a GFI protected outlet.

Eisboch


Ahh...direct burial wire...that's what she can use to tie up my casket
after I dig the ditch! 18" sure ought to work here, since our freeze is a
lot less than your freeze. I have an exterior GFI outlet...is it safe to
assume an electrician can wire an outdoor timer to it? As you might guess,
I don't "do" electricity.



Either direct burial or wire in conduit will work here in Missouri, but must
be 36" deep. This is a safety thing, since our freeze level rarely
approaches 12".

CATV= 18" min (6" house drop)
Phone & Gas = 24" min (12" house drop phone, 24" gas)
Water= 36" min (always 36")
Power= 36" min (always 36", risers in conduit)

I would follow code. There's always a possibility that a shallow A/C wire
could come back to bite you if someone else digs into it.

On Sat, 5 May 2007 09:00:25 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"HK" wrote in message
...

I have an exciting day: my wife wants to buy a "fountain" for the garden,
to take advantage of the fact that I have an electrician coming next week
to do some wiring for my kitchenette. I think she thinks I am more than
willing to dig the 50' long, two foot deep trench it will take to bury the
wire. Right. First thing, I'll call the rental store for a Ditch Witch.

Outdoor "house voltage" wiring is a mystery to me. Can it be tapped off an
existing outdoor plug, or will it have to go to the panel?

I will get to the Greek festival this weekend. Dammit.



Sorta depends on how much power the fountain pump requires. Is it 120v or
220v?
Around here, the "ditch" is supposed to be 18" deep minimum.

If it's a light duty, 120v pump only drawing a few amps, I'd use direct
burial wire, #10 (due to the length) and tie it through an outdoor switch or
timer to a GFI protected outlet.

Eisboch


one thing... 14 ga can handle 15 amps, and a 50ft run is not far
considering how long most cable runs can be in a house. The pump will
likely only draw a few amps, so that makes the guage requirement even
less of a concern.

You'll be more than fine with 14, use 12 if you want. 10 would be WAY
overkill unless you're planning to rival the Bellagio.

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 5 May 2007 09:00:25 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"HK" wrote in message
...

I have an exciting day: my wife wants to buy a "fountain" for the
garden,
to take advantage of the fact that I have an electrician coming next
week
to do some wiring for my kitchenette. I think she thinks I am more than
willing to dig the 50' long, two foot deep trench it will take to bury
the
wire. Right. First thing, I'll call the rental store for a Ditch Witch.

Outdoor "house voltage" wiring is a mystery to me. Can it be tapped off
an
existing outdoor plug, or will it have to go to the panel?

I will get to the Greek festival this weekend. Dammit.



Sorta depends on how much power the fountain pump requires. Is it 120v or
220v?
Around here, the "ditch" is supposed to be 18" deep minimum.

If it's a light duty, 120v pump only drawing a few amps, I'd use direct
burial wire, #10 (due to the length) and tie it through an outdoor switch
or
timer to a GFI protected outlet.

Eisboch




Let me put my electrical inspector hat on (fl lic BN2102)

Barring a local rule (none in Florida the "NEC" is code, state wide)
The NEC 300.5 says direct buiral cable (UF) shall be 24", Rigid
non-metalic conduit (the grey stuff) shall be 18" and rigid metal
conduit (threaded steel) shall be 6" minimum depth.
There is an accomedation for residential, 15 or 20a, 120v, GFCI
protected that says it can be 12" and that includes rigid nonmetalic
and direct burial cable. Rules change when you go under the driveway
or a public street.
I agree that unless this is more than a 1/2 HP pump this can share the
regular GFCI outside outlet circuit and 14ga should be fine (assuming
15a circuit) Most small fountain pumps are smaller than that.

I've learned my lesson having been married for 37 years. That small pump
today won't be big enough in a year or two. So, I always run bigger rather
than smaller, just in case. g

Eisboch

"HK" wrote in message
. ..
Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
Heading out in a hour or so to test a boat.

Should be fun - repowered 23' Hydrasports CC - bolstered stern with
twin 250 Verados. A lot of work done on this boat - came from
Mississippi after Katrina.

Haven't really wrung out a pair of Verados yet - should be fun. It
will be interesting to see how they compare to ETECs.

I'm going into this with an "open" mind. ~~ snerk ~~



500 hp on a 23' fishing boat?
Lunacy.

True. More would be better. A little underpowered for some people.

On May 5, 6:58 am, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
Heading out in a hour or so to test a boat.

Should be fun - repowered 23' Hydrasports CC - bolstered stern with
twin 250 Verados. A lot of work done on this boat - came from
Mississippi after Katrina.

Haven't really wrung out a pair of Verados yet - should be fun. It
will be interesting to see how they compare to ETECs.

I'm going into this with an "open" mind.

~~ snerk ~~

Not me. This week it's been too rainy, with pop up showers pouring
with no real given notice. Plus, I have a bit more prep work to do.

Eisboch wrote:
"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

Sorta depends on how much power the fountain pump requires. Is it 120v or
220v?
Around here, the "ditch" is supposed to be 18" deep minimum.

If it's a light duty, 120v pump only drawing a few amps, I'd use direct
burial wire, #10 (due to the length) and tie it through an outdoor switch
or timer to a GFI protected outlet.

Eisboch


BTW .... all above is assuming the existing outlet is on a 15 amp breaker.

Eisboch (not an electrician)





Thanks. I'll follow the electrician's directions for the ditch. Took
three guys to get the damned fountain in my vehicle, and of course there
was only one at this end to get it out. One of the pieces weighed 265
pounds. No handles.

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
Heading out in a hour or so to test a boat.

Should be fun - repowered 23' Hydrasports CC - bolstered stern with
twin 250 Verados. A lot of work done on this boat - came from
Mississippi after Katrina.

Haven't really wrung out a pair of Verados yet - should be fun. It
will be interesting to see how they compare to ETECs.

I'm going into this with an "open" mind.

~~ snerk ~~


Hope you had a good time. Ours is sitting in my drive with the winter cover
off and the batteries charging. Will take it to the marina tomorrow to
start working on it.

Used our Fuel Perks points (30 gallons max) and filled up my wife's
Highlander (16 gallons), put 10 gallons in the boat topping it off and the
remaining 4 gallons in a gas can. All for the price of a little over $5.

http://www.gianteagle.com/main/artic...der_id=1127873

JimH wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
Heading out in a hour or so to test a boat.

Should be fun - repowered 23' Hydrasports CC - bolstered stern with
twin 250 Verados. A lot of work done on this boat - came from
Mississippi after Katrina.

Haven't really wrung out a pair of Verados yet - should be fun. It
will be interesting to see how they compare to ETECs.

I'm going into this with an "open" mind.

~~ snerk ~~


Hope you had a good time. Ours is sitting in my drive with the winter cover
off and the batteries charging. Will take it to the marina tomorrow to
start working on it.

Used our Fuel Perks points (30 gallons max) and filled up my wife's
Highlander (16 gallons), put 10 gallons in the boat topping it off and the
remaining 4 gallons in a gas can. All for the price of a little over $5.

http://www.gianteagle.com/main/artic...der_id=1127873





I paid $2.87 a gallon earlier today in Waldorf, MD, at a WaWa. As the
meter ran, I genuflected in the direction of Dicque Cheney.