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