Direct Buried Wire for my Garage

[EddieWalker]

When cleaning up my late brothers place, I came across a lot of direct bury 12/2 wire. Hundreds of feet of it. I'm sure that I'll find a use for it in the future, but as of right now, I can't think of any use for it.

I'm running wire for my garage addition and I'm out of the regular yellow 12/2 romex. I know it's a pain to work with, but is there any reason that I cannot run the grey 12/2 direct burial wire through my attic space, from the panel to my first outlet on the far end of the garage? From there, I'll use the yellow 12/2 for the rest of my outlets because it's just so much easier to work with. This would be where my workbench is going to be. The run is about 80 feet that I would use the Direct Burial 12/2.

Thanks

 

[repete]

If it were up to me I would offer to sell it for the cost of the equivalent NM-B wire. Two people benefit.
I really do not like working with underground wire, especially if I do not have to.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I've used it in several above ground locations around the place. No reason it won't work, just a pain to work with. The present cost of copper wire makes the extra effort worth it IMO.

 

[CliffordK]

Are you running any outside outlets? Porch outlets?

Consider places you might want it before you just use it as "wire"

 

[EddieWalker]

Nothing will be run from the garage to anything outside. I just need to get power from the breaker to the far side of the garage for some outlets by the workbench.

 

[grsthegreat]

Theres nothing in the NEC code that prohibits it use within framed wall, but its not supposed to be subject to direct sunlight. Personally…i cant stand the stuff. Too hard to work on and all my underground work is always done in conduit with separate thhn wires.

 

[super55]

I've used UF wire in locations where typically NM-B is preferred. It is a little harder to work with but the one benefit of it is that since each wire has the insulation and the protective shield between wires it is more resistant to rodent damage. It's still not rodent proof but a step up.

 

[grsthegreat]

I had a rident eat thru my fuel tank (plastic). Uf cable sheathing wont stop them. All my exterior wires are either in pvc conduit or in emt conduit. Some light whips are mc wires. No exposed romex for me. Even my garage was done in metal conduit. But i drywalled that last year.

28 years ago when i built my house, all interior wiring was steel flex conduit. Reason was….i had a trailers worth of it from electrical jobs from the past.

 

[JPRambo]

The temp rating on the UF wire may make it against NEC in attics in Texas. The insulation becomes brittle.