Re: Electricity to pond

[snyderbyter]

Is alright to run a outdoor extension cord to a pond. The cord run
about 15 feet to a gfi . And can I place the cord underground..about
inches. Dont have the cash right now to do it right
-
snyderbyte
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk

[Iguana]

snyderbyter wrote:
> Is alright to run a outdoor extension cord to a pond. The cord runs
> about 15 feet to a gfi . And can I place the cord underground..about
> 6 inches. Dont have the cash right now to do it right.

You may be breaking a bunch of codes, but the basic answer is Yes. Make sure
it is a high quality, good gauge outdoor extension cord.

I did this the first year I had my pond. The following year, I re-did the
electrical to code.

[Benign Vanilla]

"snyderbyter" > wrote in message
s.com...
> Is alright to run a outdoor extension cord to a pond. The cord runs
> about 15 feet to a gfi . And can I place the cord underground..about 6
> inches. Dont have the cash right now to do it right.

You can't bury an extension cord safely, not meet code in doing so. In fact,
I am sure you can't bury anything but low voltage 6 inches down and be
legal. I recommend keeping the cord above ground, and route it through a
flower or landscaping bed. If it's there and you can see it, you are less
likely to put a shovel through it.

BV.

[Lloyd Branum]

On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 11:44:42 UTC, "Iguana" >
wrote:

> snyderbyter wrote:
> > Is alright to run a outdoor extension cord to a pond. The cord runs
> > about 15 feet to a gfi . And can I place the cord underground..about
> > 6 inches. Dont have the cash right now to do it right.
>
> You may be breaking a bunch of codes, but the basic answer is Yes. Make sure
> it is a high quality, good gauge outdoor extension cord.
>
> I did this the first year I had my pond. The following year, I re-did the
> electrical to code.
>
>

put the cord through pc pipe. Then it will be much safer
underground.

--

Lloyd

[k conover]

Or cover it loosely with bark or pine straw...
Kirsten
"Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
...
>
> "snyderbyter" > wrote in
message
> s.com...
> > Is alright to run a outdoor extension cord to a pond. The cord runs
> > about 15 feet to a gfi . And can I place the cord underground..about 6
> > inches. Dont have the cash right now to do it right.
>
> You can't bury an extension cord safely, not meet code in doing so. In
fact,
> I am sure you can't bury anything but low voltage 6 inches down and be
> legal. I recommend keeping the cord above ground, and route it through a
> flower or landscaping bed. If it's there and you can see it, you are less
> likely to put a shovel through it.
>
> BV.
>
>

[[email protected]]

YUP!!!!!!

"Lloyd Branum" > wrote:
> put the cord through pc pipe. Then it will be much safer
>underground.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Andrew Burgess]

snyderbyter > writes:

>Is alright to run a outdoor extension cord to a pond. The cord runs
>about 15 feet to a gfi . And can I place the cord underground..about 6
>inches. Dont have the cash right now to do it right.

UGF Romex is pretty cheap. Putting it deeper is just more labor, which
is free if you do it yourself. PVC conduit is cheap too.

If its the electrical connections at the ends that put you off, many
of your friends & neighbors can advise you... collect everyones advice so you
weed out the bad ones. Or buy a Sunset/Ortho/etc electrical wiring book.

HTH

[Benign Vanilla]

"Andrew Burgess" > wrote in message
...
> snyderbyter > writes:
>
> >Is alright to run a outdoor extension cord to a pond. The cord runs
> >about 15 feet to a gfi . And can I place the cord underground..about 6
> >inches. Dont have the cash right now to do it right.
>
> UGF Romex is pretty cheap. Putting it deeper is just more labor, which
> is free if you do it yourself. PVC conduit is cheap too.

But does PVC at 6inches meet local code?

BV.

[tg]

"Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Andrew Burgess" > wrote in message
> ...
> > snyderbyter > writes:
> >
> > >Is alright to run a outdoor extension cord to a pond. The cord runs
> > >about 15 feet to a gfi . And can I place the cord underground..about 6
> > >inches. Dont have the cash right now to do it right.
> >
> > UGF Romex is pretty cheap. Putting it deeper is just more labor, which
> > is free if you do it yourself. PVC conduit is cheap too.
>
> But does PVC at 6inches meet local code?
>
> BV.
>
>

No, it must be rigid steel conduit. Still cheap though. If you already have
an outdoor outlet, it is relatively easy to tap into and run UGF 2 feet
underground or in rigid conduit at 6 inches underground.

[Andrew Burgess]

>But does PVC at 6inches meet local code?

No I ment bury it deep too. I just like conduit better than UGF, more
shovel proof.

[George]

"snyderbyter" > wrote in message
s.com...
> Is alright to run a outdoor extension cord to a pond. The cord runs
> about 15 feet to a gfi . And can I place the cord underground..about 6
> inches. Dont have the cash right now to do it right.
> --
> snyderbyter
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk
>

You can certainly do this as a temporary measure, but I think if you check your
local ordinances, you will probably find that it is a building code violation
the way you are atrempting to do it. It doesn't cost that much to run a
permanent, dedicated line. I did it myself for under $30. You should check the
building codes in your area. I suspect they conform with the National Electric
code (NEC).

[Mosfunland]

>But does PVC at 6inches meet local code?

I don't think running an extension cord no matter where it is will meet the
local code....not for a permanent installation. My electrician took one look
at mine, and didn't like it, but I didn't have the money to have him to fix it
at the time. That's how it was.

When I did, he came back and installed lines to code.

Maureen

[matrix j]

I have been doing the old cord thing also for years. I usually make my
pond bigger every two to three years "yea I got the disease" so
anything permanent is a no no at least for me lol ;-)

But I do replace all cords every 2 years.
Also try to get the heaviest gauge possible.

[dkat]

When I asked my electrician to run a line out to my pond he told me to do it
myself by just trenching down as you would for a lawn sprinkler system and
put the outdoor extension cord through PVC. I may do that some year.... He
did not seem at all concerned about it as an issue. In the mean time my 50'
outdoor extension cord does just fine laying under the grass a couple of
inches at most. One year I did cut my cord in two with my persistent
attempt to dig a hole in the grass (could not for the life of me figure out
what my shovel would not go through.... which is really why you want to have
your cord in PVC pipe...). I now know not to shovel casually in the grass.
My husband mows the yard and he is well insured :) (we discuss how we are
going to spend each others insurance money when the other keels over.... so
far we seem to find that neither of us is worth killing off). My shovel vs.
electric cord experience made me realize how important it is for all outdoor
outlets to be GFI.

"Mosfunland" > wrote in message
...
> >But does PVC at 6inches meet local code?
>
> I don't think running an extension cord no matter where it is will meet
the
> local code....not for a permanent installation. My electrician took one
look
> at mine, and didn't like it, but I didn't have the money to have him to
fix it
> at the time. That's how it was.
>
> When I did, he came back and installed lines to code.
>
> Maureen

[Benign Vanilla]

"dkat" > wrote in message
t...
> When I asked my electrician to run a line out to my pond he told me to do
it
> myself by just trenching down as you would for a lawn sprinkler system and
> put the outdoor extension cord through PVC. I may do that some year....
He
> did not seem at all concerned about it as an issue. In the mean time my
50'
> outdoor extension cord does just fine laying under the grass a couple of
> inches at most. One year I did cut my cord in two with my persistent
> attempt to dig a hole in the grass (could not for the life of me figure
out
> what my shovel would not go through.... which is really why you want to
have
> your cord in PVC pipe...). I now know not to shovel casually in the
grass.
> My husband mows the yard and he is well insured :) (we discuss how we are
> going to spend each others insurance money when the other keels over....
so
> far we seem to find that neither of us is worth killing off). My shovel
vs.
> electric cord experience made me realize how important it is for all
outdoor
> outlets to be GFI.

*he he*. Reminds me of the time a few weeks back when I was tearing out a
wall, and thought I had shut the breakers off. Snip, snip, POP,
AHAHHHhhhhh!!!

BV.

[RichToyBox]

BV,

That is a modification on the way I determine which breaker to turn off.
Deliberately short circuit hot to ground. Quite a sound and flash, which is
still scary. I think it would be far scarier, not knowing it was hot than
when I know it is hot.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html
"Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
...
>
> "dkat" > wrote in message
> t...
> > When I asked my electrician to run a line out to my pond he told me to
do
> it
> > myself by just trenching down as you would for a lawn sprinkler system
and
> > put the outdoor extension cord through PVC. I may do that some year....
> He
> > did not seem at all concerned about it as an issue. In the mean time my
> 50'
> > outdoor extension cord does just fine laying under the grass a couple of
> > inches at most. One year I did cut my cord in two with my persistent
> > attempt to dig a hole in the grass (could not for the life of me figure
> out
> > what my shovel would not go through.... which is really why you want to
> have
> > your cord in PVC pipe...). I now know not to shovel casually in the
> grass.
> > My husband mows the yard and he is well insured :) (we discuss how we
are
> > going to spend each others insurance money when the other keels over....
> so
> > far we seem to find that neither of us is worth killing off). My shovel
> vs.
> > electric cord experience made me realize how important it is for all
> outdoor
> > outlets to be GFI.
>
> *he he*. Reminds me of the time a few weeks back when I was tearing out a
> wall, and thought I had shut the breakers off. Snip, snip, POP,
> AHAHHHhhhhh!!!
>
> BV.
>
>

[Benign Vanilla]

"RichToyBox" > wrote in message
news:Gotxc.18128$4S5.11049@attbi_s52...
> BV,
>
> That is a modification on the way I determine which breaker to turn off.
> Deliberately short circuit hot to ground. Quite a sound and flash, which
is
> still scary. I think it would be far scarier, not knowing it was hot than
> when I know it is hot.

I usually use a screw driver for that. LOL.

My best 'lectric story...

I was putting a new outlet in our new bathroom and tapped off an existing
line that went from the breaker to a CF light. What a waste. Anyway, I did
not have wires nuts large enough, so I turned the breakers on (don't know
why) and went to the store. I got back climbed the ladder (was working in
the ceiling) and began working on the wiring. The SO was sitting there
talking to me as I went. Everynow and then, I'd get a slight tingle in my
hands, but just barely noticeable, so I kept going. Apparently I was well
grounded on the ladder and not suffering the juice. I guess at some point I
touched a pipe or something as I twisted a few wires together. WHAM!!!

I think my SO needed to go to the emergency room as a result...busted a gut
laughing at me.

BV.