Making electrical wire longer

[paulsharvey]

Well, ive done underground splices for over 30 years….never had a call back. Even the utility companies here do them, no issues.

It's certainly not preferred, but I have seen underground primary spliced without a box or conduit, direct buried. The issue with that, is, when dealing with larger wire (this stuff is about 2.5" cross section), then splice, and the water proof shrink wrap, the splice ends up doing like 12" around, 3 feet long, (that's 3 primaries), and it isn't as good as a continuous wire. It also attracts future damage, as when digging along it, you can snag the splice very easily with the hoe bucket.

 

[paulsharvey]

For a couple feet, any chance you can expose and straighten the run, and gain some slack?

 

[WinterDeere]

Well, ive done underground splices for over 30 years….never had a call back. Even the utility companies here do them, no issues.

I did them on one outdoor circuit, as well. The circuit was damaged by a dig, and I wasn't going to re-pull the 300 feet of wire just for a few outdoor receptacles I almost never use. I used well pump wiring splices, essentially a crimp barrel with a shrink wrap sleeve that contains a glue that seals to the wire insulation.

Heck, I guess I've done them on two circuits, if you count the well pump pigtail. Underwater splice.

But both were only AWG-10 or 12 stranded.

 

[grsthegreat]

Location is definitely a thing. Were mostly decomposed granite so drains easily. Not like clay. The patch kits i use are encased in epoxy.

 

[Drstrangeglove]

Well, ive done underground splices for over 30 years….never had a call back. Even the utility companies here do them, no issues.

All of my underground splice experience is communications. There is a reason we bring up all the cable in pedestals. Transport fiber optics gets buried to hide from the bush hog. Water doesn't hurt fiber, but a lot of those splices are full of mud and water when we have to go back.

 

[chim]

Late to the game, but have an idea that might be useful. There's not enough information as to the exact conduit run. Any chance one end goes inside and runs any distance? If so, you could install a splice box where it first enters / leaves the building. That would keep the splice inside.

 

[ultrarunner]

Well, ive done underground splices for over 30 years….never had a call back. Even the utility companies here do them, no issues.

My feeder in Washington has been spliced several times by PSE

As for in ground concrete boxes with splices all one needs to do is go to any of the older shopping centers here and each pole in the parking lot has one.

The biggest problem is copper thieves accessing and steeling the wire... happened to me.

 

[RayIN]

As far as https://www.amazon.com/Dutton-Lainson-400-Fence-Stretcher-Splicer/dp/B00004YK6HI know it has to be in a box. Unless this will work?

View attachment 2178915

I have one! However i loaned out the crimper, it's never been returned.
Mine however cost $15 at Harbor Freight about 30 years ago. Works great for splicing barbed wire.
They've gone up considerably.
AFAIK, every AC/high-voltage electrical wiring connection must be inside a junction box.
"In the United States, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) establishes nominal voltage ratings for 60 Hz electric power systems over 100 V. Specifically, ANSI C84.1-2020 defines high voltage as 115 kV to 230 kV, extra-high voltage as 345 kV to 765 kV, and ultra-high voltage as 1,100 kV.[2]"
source_Wikipedia
While not mentioned there, anything over 48VDC is also considered high-voltage, as it can kill.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I have one! However i loaned out the crimper, it's never been returned.
Mine however cost $15 at Harbor Freight about 30 years ago. Works great for splicing barbed wire.
They've gone up considerably.
AFAIK, every AC/high-voltage electrical wiring connection must be inside a junction box.
"In the United States, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) establishes nominal voltage ratings for 60 Hz electric power systems over 100 V. Specifically, ANSI C84.1-2020 defines high voltage as 115 kV to 230 kV, extra-high voltage as 345 kV to 765 kV, and ultra-high voltage as 1,100 kV.[2]"
source_Wikipedia
While not mentioned there, anything over 48VDC is also considered high-voltage, as it can kill.

You do know I was joking don’t you?

 

[RayIN]

You do know I was joking don’t you?

Ya, I got it. but just pointing out the real ones work fine. I thought it funny, I was thinking of my fence stretcher when reading the OP's post. Read down and there was your's.
I do have to buy a new crimper and ferrules, I have 1,503'(¼-mile) of barbed wire fence to build next summer. Then begin repairing all the other fencing.