Buried cable depth

[Sal Bandini]

I am replacing my lamp post cable and live in northwest Illinois. What is the recommended depth to bury the cable?

 

[dcg9381]

Using google, it appears min depth is 24" with 26-36" recommended for direct burial cable.

 

[Sal Bandini]

Using google, it appears min depth is 24" with 26-36" recommended for direct burial cable.

Yes, thank you. I asked an electrician and he said 12" is fine. I don't think it is.

 

[Terry D]

Here in St. Louis it is 18" for direct burial.

 

[rlitman]

24" for direct buried cable. 18" if you put it in conduit.

 

[pattenp]

120V 20A or less GFCI protected at source can be 12".

 

[larry4406]

120v 20a or less gfci protected at source can be 12".

this

 

[Showkey]

Go with LOW VOLTAGE solves all the issues depth, cost, GFCI, conduit ..........

 

[Sal Bandini]

Thank you all for the replies.

 

[Norcal]

120V 20A or less GFCI protected at source can be 12".

One note, this only applies to residential properties, anything else and 24” burial depth applies.

 

[grounded-b]

Yes, thank you. I asked an electrician and he said 12" is fine. I don't think it is.

12" is NEC code compliant. IF it is a residential use AND protected by a 20A or less breaker AND is a 120V or less circuit AND is GFCI protected. It is allowed to be run in UF cable. NEC 300.5(A)

Steve

 

[Sal Bandini]

12" is NEC code compliant. IF it is a residential use AND protected by a 20A or less breaker AND is a 120V or less circuit AND is GFCI protected. It is allowed to be run in UF cable. NEC 300.5(A)

Steve

All the boxes are checked except the GFCI part.

 

[baoser]

Might also be a good idea to bury warning tape above the electric line.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-3-in-Safety-Tape/1000068661

 

[alfredeneuman]

All the boxes are checked except the GFCI part.

Almost doesn't count

 

[Fasthotrod]

Almost doesn't count

Only with horse shoes and hand grenades. Not with the NEC.

 

[Sal Bandini]

Only with horse shoes and hand grenades. Not with the NEC.

Well, the way it is now the wire comes out of the ground with no conduit and goes to a transformer. Then a short piece of cord with plug goes into a receptacle on the house wall. That's how it was when I bought the house.

I just need to figure out how I'm going to add GFCI and conduit.

 

[rlitman]

Well, the way it is now the wire comes out of the ground with no conduit and goes to a transformer. Then a short piece of cord with plug goes into a receptacle on the house wall. That's how it was when I bought the house.

I just need to figure out how I'm going to add GFCI and conduit.

Transformer? So is the buried wire 120V or low voltage (class 2)?

 

[Terry D]

Is this low voltage

 

[Sal Bandini]

It's 120V. The transformer is for some low voltage cable that is not used. The wire coming out of the ground is wire nut to the cable with plug going into receptacle.

That's the way it was when I bought the house, but now that I need to repair it I'm going to do it right.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Using google, it appears min depth is 24" with 26-36" recommended for direct burial cable.

goodle? why not go straight to the horses mouth?