So I want to wire a back studio, have a family friend whose going to do the electrical but said hed charge just for labor if I get the supplies. My father owns a well drilling business and we have plenty I mean plenty of 12awg submersible pump wire. I see around his shop(which is a old shop) that he used this for electricity. Is this okay to use in my "shop/ studio/man cave"??
12awg submersible "pump" wire
- Thread starter Jdickey03
- Start date
Speedy Petey
Well-known member
Absolutely NOT!!
I would not even pull that in conduit.
Use NM/AC/MC cable for the branch circuits.
I would not even pull that in conduit.
Use NM/AC/MC cable for the branch circuits.
anyone??? definately not disagreeing with Speedy, I was just curious. I guess a little explanation would help.. about 200' away from my main box, would have to run conduit under my yard to the building.was planning on making it a man cave/work shop kind of thing. (12wide x 38long) I mean realistically i'd like to have more then enough power, like enough power a studio apartment would need, with all the man cave goodies 
.. sorry extremely unexperienced in the electrical area.
.. sorry extremely unexperienced in the electrical area.
Last edited:
Speedy Petey
Well-known member
I thought you mean to wire the building. If you meant to run the feed to the building then #12 is not NEARLY enough power. The best you'll get is one 20A circuit. And @ 200' the voltage drop would be severe with that kind of load.anyone??? definately not disagreeing with Speedy, I was just curious. I guess a little explanation would help.. about 200' away from my main box, would have to run conduit under my yard to the building.was planning on making it a man cave/work shop kind of thing. (12wide x 38long) I mean realistically i'd like to have more then enough power, like enough power a studio apartment would need, with all the man cave goodies
As far as wiring the building, you'd have to run it in conduit everywhere. That will FAR outweigh the cost savings, and blow away the work factor, especially since you don't know anything about electrical work. How would you propose to run conduit inside the whole building?
The pump wire is rated for direct burial, so it has much thicker insulation than typical THHN wire. This will fill conduit much quicker and make it a bit harder to work with.
Haha my first question was about wiring the building with it. But alright sounds good, just was curious why the wire shouldn't be used. The recommended wire for building electricity is romex correct? I might have some out back too but not nearly enough for the whole building
Highbeam
Well-known member
First read the wire to find the rating. Is it just NM or is is THWN? Is it UF? We can't tell you what code allows if we don't know the rating.
I've been in plenty of barns where the old well wire is used. I've personally replaced 200 foot lengths of it that failed while being used in a well. Most of it was good so the owner kept it.
I've been in plenty of barns where the old well wire is used. I've personally replaced 200 foot lengths of it that failed while being used in a well. Most of it was good so the owner kept it.
nehog
Well-known member
See http://www.southwire.com/support/BldgWaCDesig.htm for a description of various wire types including THW.
If you are planning on getting the "cave" inspected then I don't believe the wire is code compliant.
That being said, the short answer is there is nothing wrong with the wire inside the building. 12 gauge wire is rated for 20 amps. Wire the building as if you were using romex. The electrons do not care what the color of the wire is, what the brand name is, or where you got it from. They will travel down a piece of 12 gauge wire just the same.
That being said, the short answer is there is nothing wrong with the wire inside the building. 12 gauge wire is rated for 20 amps. Wire the building as if you were using romex. The electrons do not care what the color of the wire is, what the brand name is, or where you got it from. They will travel down a piece of 12 gauge wire just the same.
Submersible pump cable is usually black,red,yellow & newer cable also has a green grounding conductor, & 12 AWG is too small to qualify for being OK to reidentify the conductor, IMO scrap it & use the proceeds to help pay for the proper materials.
Speedy Petey
Well-known member
It's fine. You're right, it's 12ga so it'll be fine to use.
Good thing you would save ALL that money.
Code requires neutrals to be white (or grey) and grounds to be bare or green, green/yellow. Also a cable has a jacket on it and these are just twisted conductors. Not even code compliant if pulled in conduit. Get get some romex - nm/b. (electrons could care less, but you either want to be code compliant or not.)
ericburns4
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2011
- Messages
- 47
You can use the wire that you have for submersible there shouldn’t be any harm in using it.
Highbeam
Well-known member
Are you suggesting that it is illegal to pull a jacketed cable in conduit? Better check your source on that one.
Docholiday
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 14, 2012
- Messages
- 72
Not an approved or safe method
Statement has nothing to do with jacketed cable and conduit - but it is all about the color requirements of which this pump cable does not meet.