Innovate1
Well-known member
Got asked to help a elderly lady who is a friend of my wife with a pool pump. I know... I should have run the other way. Anyway, the motor is locked up - looks like it may be just a bad bearing which I can replace. But while I was there I saw a run of UF cable running across the ground from the pool equipment to a post with an outlet and light on it. Owner said it had been that way for 20 years and the landscapers had cut it before by accident. It was probably under the landscape rock to start but is laying on top now and has the outer jacket ripped in places. 
told her it was a serious danger and needed to be in conduit and buried. It's all outside the pool fence not that that makes any difference in the danger and not being to code but at least it isn't right next to the pool. The wiring between the timer and other pool equipment is in flexible plastic conduit. Got me to wondering if there is anything other than burial that would be acceptable in this situation. As far as I know any above ground run would need to be supported at regular intervals and protected from damage which would mean some sort of runner board which wouldn't look great and not sure that is even acceptable. The run is about 12 feet. From the looks of it the light post was added after the original pool install. I am not repairing the wiring but am going to try to convince her she needs to get it fixed. She is likely to need to sell the place in the next few years and that will have to be dealt with then so might as well get it fixed now and avoid the chance someone will be hurt.
told her it was a serious danger and needed to be in conduit and buried. It's all outside the pool fence not that that makes any difference in the danger and not being to code but at least it isn't right next to the pool. The wiring between the timer and other pool equipment is in flexible plastic conduit. Got me to wondering if there is anything other than burial that would be acceptable in this situation. As far as I know any above ground run would need to be supported at regular intervals and protected from damage which would mean some sort of runner board which wouldn't look great and not sure that is even acceptable. The run is about 12 feet. From the looks of it the light post was added after the original pool install. I am not repairing the wiring but am going to try to convince her she needs to get it fixed. She is likely to need to sell the place in the next few years and that will have to be dealt with then so might as well get it fixed now and avoid the chance someone will be hurt.