Electrical / romex mess

[buckeyefarmer]

If that is direct bury uf cable, and not romex, you can dig backwards both directions and use accessible junction box . Place 1 j box at both ends. No problem using underground rated weatherproof wirenuts. Totally legal. Now if the wire is plain old house romex...THATS ANOTHER ISSUE.

I would do this I think. Ground level j box.

 

[the old grind]

If there are light switches at both ends of the run one cable would be NM3-WGUG or something. M first look said UF by lack of paper and the crease/groove in the jacket that indoor wire would not have. I like the idea of pulling the wire from one end & routing back from the other end to a single splice. Phone man used a bryable setup with a canister to enclose the splice and a two-part mix that expanded sealed, and oozed out the ends. Multiple lines in conduit risk inductive coupling/anomalies.

I have nothing bad to say about how the original work was done. I've dug into jobs that were a real 'mess' from the git but lasted for decades w/o failing. This doesn't look like a sticky one at all. If you plan to add anything, now's the time if you're 'going in'. (light sw at both ends, second 110v line, etc) btw, our 'frost depth' is 42" for footings, posts etc. For single UF cable deeper than 10" seems to be plenty from what I've laid/dug in 25 yrs.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Gray UF on right

 

[JPRambo]

Second wire that's hot is GFCI protected for outlet on light pole?

 

[plowhog]

More info: I believe it is UF romex-- there is no paper and it looks just like the pictured one. I can excavate the exposed wire back to the inner wall, then turn it up into a (new) box with no splicing.

Both romex wires are connected to the same breaker. One is switched (the former light circuit) and one is always hot. Both are connected to the same breaker-- a 15amp Square D arc fault breaker.

 

[MossRoad]

More info: I believe it is UF romex-- there is no paper and it looks just like the pictured one. I can excavate the exposed wire back to the inner wall, then turn it up into a (new) box with no splicing.

Both romex wires are connected to the same breaker. One is switched (the former light circuit) and one is always hot. Both are connected to the same breaker-- a 15amp Square D arc fault breaker.

Yikes.

 

[plowhog]

Yikes.

Correction: both are switched by the same breaker. I didn't mean to imply there were multiple leads coming out of the breaker ...

 

[MossRoad]

Correction: both are switched by the same breaker. I didn't mean to imply there were multiple leads coming out of the breaker ...

Whew. Good. In our current (there's a pun there) house, I found a couple breakers with two wires shoved in them. Grrrr...

 

[the old grind]

Moss, it can be another way of adding low demand circuits w/o tapping in or branching lights or wall outlets down-line of the original connections. As long as the fuse protects any wire therein there isn't necessarily any hazard. Upgrades can look 'messier' than they truly are in good practice or code acceptance. That said, it's always better to be cautious than at room temperature within an hour of guessing what's safe or not sans knowledge.

 

[4570Man]

Whew. Good. In our current (there's a pun there) house, I found a couple breakers with two wires shoved in them. Grrrr...

If that doesn’t work just strip back a wire without cutting it and then wrap the second wire around it. Wrap with asbestos electric tape and it’s as good as it gets. Lol. I’m kidding about the splice job but I’m kinda upset I can’t buy any asbestos tape. That stuff was awesome. I’ve seen it on work from the 40s or possibly earlier and it still looked good.