Getting power out to driveway lights?

[jayoldschool]

Like many of us, I live out in the country. That means no street lights. My house is set about 60 feet from the road. I would like to put some lights out by the entrance to the driveway. How do I get the power out there? My Main panel is in the garage, on the front wall facing the street.

The power has to go under that stamped concrete walk out to the end of the drive. The panel is right next to the farthest (third) window in the garage. You can see where the power comes in in this shot, too. I've done basic house wiring, and I'm certainly not adverse to hard work, but is this a job for a pro?

I would like lights right out at the entrance:

 

[ddawg16]

Solar powered?

It would beat the hell out of running conduit. And you could use a wireless switch to turn it on and off.

Otherwise, dig a hole on the yard side...get a piece of 3/4" PVC...glue a female hose fitting in it...turn on the water and you water drill under the sidewalk. The rest is regular shovel work.

 

[BoydS]

There maybe another option. Check with your utility provider, as they will typically provide you with a light mounted on their pole. I had that done many years ago, but they will charge you a monthly fee.

 

[Fast Orange]

As Boyd said-you're a perfect candidate for a utility owned/maintained streetlight-almost perfect placement of utility pole to your driveway.At my first house,a 175W Mercury Vapor dusk to dawn light was $9.70 /month,mounted on one of thier poles in an alley behind my home.Presently,I have a pole located in my front yard that has a 250W Metal Halide controled by a photocell.It lights up my entire front yard at a cost of $12.35 /month.

 

[Mr_fixit]

Around here a pole mounted light put up by the utility would cost $15 to $20 per month. They don't use anything but sodium lights here. No contract required. I'd try that first.

Other wise you could spend some serious $$ putting something underground..

 

[oldgoat]

How bright of lights are you wantng? If you just want marker lights I would look at either solar powered light or low voltage lights. Otherwise I'd go with a pole light and pay the extra fee.

 

[Kevin54]

Not hard to do. Just a lot of digging. You'll have to go through the wall, dig to the sidewalk, dig on the other side of the sidewalk, start ramming a pipe back and forth so you can get underneath the sidewalk, then trench down to the road. Get the appropriate connector to go into the wall and run it in suitable conduit down to where you want it.
You'd either have to dig by hand or rent a trencher from the sidewalk to the road. Renting will cost a little bit plus the price of appropriate wire. You may want to check with a local electrician that has a trencher and if may cost about the same minus you having to put out your labor.

 

[kbs2244]

I would go solar.
Do some searching, they have come a long way it performance and style.
They are getting real popular in Florida as night lights at the ends of docks.
They are fiberglass but look like the old cast iron street lights.
They last all night.
And they work when the power goes out.

 

[Junkman]

I like spending other peoples money, so check out this site for ideas of driveway lights. If you are going to put in lighting, you might as well make it look like it was worth the effort.

 

[mrb]

since youre trenching anyways, run an empty 1-1/4" conduit (or 1" if getting the 1-1/4" under the driveway will be a problem) for future incase you ever want any LV for anything out there incase you put in a gate, a camera, etc.