Installing outdoor electrical box

Thus, there is no thin, easy-to-remove outer jacket like NM cable, but rather the conductors and their insulation must be removed from the "jacket" learning to do this may take a little time - practice with left over cable before attempting on installed cable.

Direct burial cable requires at least an 18 inch Most trenches should be dug to a depth that is below the frost line. Check with your inspector in your area to determine the minimum depth required. Select the proper diameter and number of conduits for your planned installation.

There are charts or formulas in the electrical code to assist you in determination of the "maximum fill" diameter of conductors for a given conduit diameter. Over-stuffing a conduit makes pulling the conductors more difficult, may result in excessive heat build-up, and violates the code.

After ensuring the minimum depth along the entire length, lay type "UF" cable in the trench. Place smooth rocks on top of the cable to keep any high spots down. UF cable must be supported every 30—36 inches It does not need to be supported in the trench. This cable must be supported when run over concrete. This can be accomplished by securing wood pressure treated if exposed to outdoors to concrete and then securing the cable to the wood.

If the cable may be subjected to physical damage, it should be "sleeved" in "Schedule 80" PVC pipe and terminated with proper pipe fittings couplings, "LB" fittings, clips, expansion joints, etc. Do NOT backfill the trench until the electrical inspector or "authority having jurisdiction" AHJ has checked the work. Rigid or flexible conduit methods allow for adding circuits at will without the labor or expense of excavating again. By installing pipe a size or two larger than required for the current project, or providing a 2nd pipe at the same time, there will be enough room to pull in additional conductors later.

Speed future installations by always leaving an extra "pull wire" or string for use to connect either a rope or directly to a new cable when the time comes to expand the number of circuits. Multiple pipes must provided for other services - low voltage and signal services such as: communication telephone or network , cable TV, satellite television, intercom, etc. These cables must either be installed in a separate pipe or buried directly within a cable labeled as suitable for direct burial in earth.

It should be obvious that there is a great deal of flexibility offered by the multiple pipe method. A trench 18 inches Use "Schedule 40" PVC for the portion under soil, and "Schedule 80" for those portions of the pipe run above ground. Layout the pipe run adjacent to the trench. Make sure you have a "snake" or fish tape long enough to go from end to end.

You may also thread a "pull string" through each pipe section as you go, simplifying the later wire-pulling task. Glue or fasten the pipe together with approved fittings and adhesives.

Place the pipe into the trench. Secure the pipe where it rises above ground at 30 to 36 inches Some codes may require the conduit to continue up to 8 feet 2. A PVC "expansion joint" is often required between the point the pipe emerges from the ground outdoors and penetrates a wall or enters an enclosure mounted on the wall.

Expansion joints allow for changes in grade that can result from frost heaves, and for thermal changes along the pipe, and must be employed where required. Check your local code for this requirement. Expansion joints are available at most home centers that sell electrical conduit pipe.

As with direct-burial cable installations, your local inspector may want to view your conduit installation before you backfill your trench. Push the "fish tape" or "snake" in one end of the pipe until it exits the opposite end. Protect any existing wires from damage from the snake by placing cardboard or other insulator between the snake and wires at the opening of the pipe. Steel snakes will conduct electricity if allowed to rub through insulation of an energized wire, so shut off power if possible before installing the snake or pulling wire.

Hook the conductors to the snake and tape together. Have a helper "feed" and guide the wires as you withdraw the snake from the pipe. Do not pull fast or hard; slow and steady tension is the key. Do not allow the new wires to constantly rub existing wires in the same place as they are pulled into the pipe, as doing so they may wear away insulation and expose harmful voltages present on the conductor s when energized.

Aerial installations should only be done for short lateral runs, and where they may be installed so that traffic vehicle or pedestrian below will not create a hazard by contact. Additional clearance requirements must be observed when passing over driveways, spas, pools, roofs or near windows and doors.

The strain relief and support fittings should be secured to the building framing members, not just to plywood sheathing of the structures. These fittings are seldom found in home centers, but are available at most full-line electrical distributors. This wiring method should be used only if the other two are not suitable. Keep in mind that these cables will stretch a bit when under high electric load or in direct sunlight.

They will also be strained under the weight of snow and ice build up, and could break mid-span or rip from supports. If it's outdoors, you can use EMT tubing with "rain-tight" fittings - do not use set-screw concrete tight fittings. If it's underground, then you should use PVC. Yes No. Not Helpful 10 Helpful 4. My house is built on piers. It is open air under the ground floor.

The joists are about three feet above grade. I need to run a wire under the floor and will put it through holes in the joist. The wire will not be exposed to sun or rain. Can I use Romex or do I need direct burial cable? The safer bet is to use UF, or ask your inspector what he'd like to see in this situation. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1. How do I run a cable from my house to a building approximately 10 meters away so I can have power for an outdoor fish pond?

Upnorth Here. You may run the cable underground or overhead, as described in the article above. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0. Not all outdoor wiring requires a conduit. However, conduit may offer some advantages, as mentioned in the article above. Many regulations permit direct burial of a suitable cable in a proper trench without conduit, or using an overhead cable. Is encased wiring to an outer garden building allowed to lie on the ground along a boundary fence? Wiring in conduit MUST be supported or buried.

The conduit may be any approved method - but the easiest for most people is Schedule 40 PVC. How could I install a new electric box outside the house for new floodlights on the front of the house?

Find a convenient location inside the house for taking the wires from an existing circuit through the outside wall, whether it's in the attic, basement or at the top or bottom of an existing interior wall.

Drill a hole for the cable and attach an exterior-rated junction box on the outside end of hole. Either attach your lighting to that box or run conduit or UF cable to another exterior-rated box at the desired location.

Tighten the black screw to secure the live wire in place. That way, you don't need to loop the wire around the screw but it will still get power.

Secure the white wire around the silver neutral screw. Bend the end of the white wire into a small circle with a pair of needlenose pliers. Loop the wire around the silver screw on the opposite side of the outlet so it goes clockwise. Tighten the screw with a screwdriver to secure the wire in place. Secure the interior outlet back in place.

Push the outlet and wires back into the outlet box inside your wall. Line up the screws on the top and bottom of the outlet and secure them in place with your screwdriver. Put the cover over the outlet and screw it back in so all the wires are inside your wall. Part 3. Screw an exterior outlet box to the outside wall so it lines up with the hole.

Be sure to get an outlet box that's meant for exterior use. Locate the screw holes in the back of the box and drive screws into your siding to secure it tightly in place. If you have brick exterior walls, position the screws so they go through the middle of the bricks rather than through the mortar.

Buy a GFCI outlet that's approved for outdoor use. GFCI outlets have a failsafe on them so they immediately stop working when they get wet.

Look for a GFCI outlet that's rated for outdoor use or else it may not be safe to use. Make sure that the outlet fits inside the exterior box you attached to the wall so it's protected from the elements. Strip 3—4 inches 7.

Pull the stripper toward the end of the cable to remove the outer insulation around the 3 wires inside it. Pull the wires apart to separate them so they're easier to work with. Remove 1—2 in 2. Pull the stripper toward the end of the wire to remove the insulation and expose the copper wire inside. Repeat the process with the white wire so you can attach it to the neutral screw. Attach each of the wires to their corresponding screws. Wrap the end of the black wire around the black screw and the white wire on the silver screw.

Attach the end of the copper ground wire to the green screw that's either on the top or bottom of the outlet. Make sure the loops go around the screws clockwise so the current can travel at full strength. Once all the wires are attached, tighten all of the screws so they have a secure connection.

Screw the outlet into the exterior box to hold it in place. Hold the outlet inside of the exterior box so the screwholes line up with one another and so the wires are tucked in the back of the box.

Use either wood screws or masonry anchors depending on whether you have wood or concrete exterior walls. Tighten the screws on the outlet to the sides of the box so it's secured in place. Some exterior boxes allow you to screw the outlets directly into them so you don't need to put more screws in your siding. Turn on the power to the outlet to test if it works. Flip the switch on your circuit box so your outlets have power again. Plug your outlet tester into the indoor and outdoor outlets to see if they're working.

Check the key on top the tester to determine if the wiring for your outlets are correct. If the outlets still aren't working or the tester shows the wiring is wrong, turn off the circuit again and check the wires. Ricardo Mitchell. Since existing outlets already have their load maximums calculated, you'll run into less trouble if you install outdoor outlets on their own circuits. Yes No. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Never work on electrical wires while the power is still on since you could shock or electrocute yourself. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Always wear safety glasses while you're working with power tools so you don't get anything in your eyes.

If you don't feel comfortable wiring the outlet yourself, call a professional electrician to do the work for you. You Might Also Like How to. How to. Expert Interview. More References 7. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: 4. Updated: September 30, Categories: Yard and Outdoors. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 32, times.

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