Electricy at the boat dock

[jcummins]

Moved to Creal Springs couple of years ago, and have a 7-8 acre pond. It has a fixed height dock. The former owner ran electricity underground to three spots in the yard, one being about 100+ feet from the dock. He had used extension cords laid on the ground during the winter to run a pump to keep the water circulated around the dock and keep the water from freezing and heaving the dock during the winter.

Last two winters I did the same, and had thought of running more wire to the dock to get this wired right, someday. Now...I bought a small pontoon and I'm using that extension cord to run battery charges in the summer. Well...mowing and the extension cord on top of the ground is a hassle, so it's time to do something.

Got to thinking for two winters I've used this same outdoor grade extension cord, with really no ill effects. As expensive as wire is...and since I already have this decent extension cord....could that cord just be buried? Would that outdoor grade cord hold up? Has anyone done this?

 

[podagrower]

1. I'm really amazed at how long a buried extension cord will last. I've seen a few in use for 10 years or more, but they get real scary looking.

2. I'm really saddened when I read about children being electrocuted in water around docks with faulty pumps, battery chargers, and/or wiring. Last summer was a bad example.

3. Please do it correctly, or have it done the right way.

 

[Depmandog]

http://m.newstribune.com/news/2012/jul/10/third-person-electrocuted-lake-ozarks/

Last summer was a very bad summer for deadly electrocutions at the Lake of the Ozarks. Please, PLEASE spend the money and have it done professionally. Yes your rigged method will work...for a while. It's how you find out a problem has developed that worries me....and there might not be a chance to do it over.

 

[aczlan]

Hopefully it is on a GFCI outlet/breaker. If not, my FIRST step would be to do that.
Otherwise, I have seen some cords hold up well for a long time outside and others die quickly... For stuff around here, I am in the camp that says "Lay down 3/4" conduit, pull 3-4 single wires in it and never think of it again".

Aaron Z

 

[Gunny]

Hopefully it is on a GFCI outlet/breaker. If not, my FIRST step would be to do that.
Otherwise, I have seen some cords hold up well for a long time outside and others die quickly... For stuff around here, I am in the camp that says "Lay down 3/4" conduit, pull 3-4 single wires in it and never think of it again".
Aaron Z

This, plus one. This is one of those areas where you really don't want to go cheap, if you do, sooner or later, it'll come back to haunt you. If it's done right, it's safe and you won't have to worry about a voltage drop problem from using extension cords.

 

[kenmac]

buy the proper direct bury wire. I have not seen direct bury extension cords

 

[jcummins]

Well....looks like I had a bad idea. I'll work on doing it right.

 

[CliffordK]

Be aware of potential flooding.

I agree, either direct burial, or putting outdoor grade wire in flexible conduit.
Waterproof box for the electrical connection.
GFCI

I might be tempted to use a GFI breaker in the breaker box rather than a GFCI at the dock. I'm not sure if you can do both.