The first step in getting the wires into the pipe is to run an electrician’s fish tape from one end to the other.With some grass seed, mulch straw, water, and time, the excavation will blend back into the lawn. With all the conduit installed, the trench is backfilled using the dirt that came out of it.In one spot where the trencher encountered ledge and couldn’t dig deep enough, a 2 inch thick layer of concrete is placed over the conduit, sand, and caution tape.On top of the sand, Scott lays red caution tape to alert anyone digging here in the future that there’s underground power. With all the conduit laid in the trench, it’s covered with a protective layer of sand.Once the conduit cools, the new shape is permanent. Where gentle bends are required, heat from a special propane torch is used to soften the plastic pipe enough to be bent.Special glue is used to secure the joints. Using 1 ½ inch PVC conduit will allow plenty of room for pulling wires.It’s important to have dug the trench deep enough so that even with his additional material, the conduit will be 18 inches or more deep. To protect the conduit from sharp rocks, a couple of inches of sand is placed in the trench.Even this machine can’t get through ledge, or bedrock, though, so another step will be required later on. Digging a trench deep enough (For 240v power, code requires the conduit to be at least 18 inches below the surface) goes much faster with a trenching machine.Not only is this service free, it’s legally required. This service sends out a technician who’ll locate and mark any existing underground utilities so they aren’t damaged by digging. Before doing an earthwork, Scott calls 811, the universal Call Before You Dig number. Moving outside, it’s time to dig the trench.Adding a subpanel next to the house’s main breaker simplifies the wiring connections.Find the house’s main panel and determine whether there’s enough power coming in meet the outbuilding’s needs, as well as if there’s enough space left to add the new circuit breaker.Will it need 240v power, or is 120v enough? What kind of electrical loads will there be? This determines the size of the feed wire, as well as the size of the new circuit breaker needed at the house’s main panel. Determine what the power needs of the outbuilding will be.In this video, This Old House’s electrician Scott Caron shows us how he does the job. From determining how many volts and amps that a shed needs, to knowing whether the existing electrical service can provide that, to digging a code-compliant trench for conduit, powering an outbuilding is probably a job for a pro.
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