Decided to build a garage. Now the fun begins.

Brief update: A month later the trench is basically finished, but has a few inches of water in it due to the frequent rains we've been getting lately.



The main holdup, besides the rain (and the heat), was getting the electrician to 1) confirm the conductor needed (three separate @2 aluminum wires plus a ground, versus a premade multiconductor cable) and 2) respond to my inquiry about how best to fish the string and then the wires through the conduit. It has 360º of bends in the run, so won't be easy. He finally responded a week ago. He's apparently a busy guy.

Now I have to buy the wire. But first, even though I measured for the conduit, I'm going to go back and measure once again, this time with a measuring wheel instead of a 100' tape. Before I buy approximately 600' of wire, which will have to be cut into four equal lengths, I want to be really sure I have the right measurement, as this stuff is expensive.

Depending on the weather, I hope to glue up the conduit and run the wires sometime next month. We'll see.

South VA said:

respond to my inquiry about how best to fish the string and then the wires through the conduit.

Click to expand...

You can buy a foam plug with a hook "bird" from your favorite electrical supplier, or make your own. Take a baggie, or something you can tie to the string, stick it in the pipe, and vacuum it through from the other end. Sometimes on long/big runs you need to vacuum light weight string 1st, then tie your 1/4" poly rope to it, and pull it back through.

PlayingWithTBI said:

You can buy a foam plug with a hook "bird" from your favorite electrical supplier, or make your own. Take a baggie, or something you can tie to the string, stick it in the pipe, and vacuum it through from the other end. Sometimes on long/big runs you need to vacuum light weight string 1st, then tie your 1/4" poly rope to it, and pull it back through.

Click to expand...

That's the approach I had been planning on using. The electrician also mentioned pulling the string through the conduit in sections, as it's glued up. Not sure I want to do that. I asked him about pulling the string using a plastic bag when it was all glued up, and he said that would work. And yes, string first, then rope, then conductors.

South VA said:

The electrician also mentioned pulling the string through the conduit in sections, as it's glued up. Not sure I want to do that

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's a PITA - takes too long!

PlayingWithTBI said:

"bird"

Click to expand...

Bird? Mouse is what I grew up hearing. I've seen some electricians use compressed air to blow them through with a string attached.

termite said:

Bird? Mouse is what I grew up hearing. I've seen some electricians use compressed air to blow them through with a string attached.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what they called them in CA. I've used compressed air too but, a guy has to be more careful when it comes out at Mach 7

PlayingWithTBI said:

Yeah, that's what they called them in CA. I've used compressed air too but, a guy has to be more careful when it comes out at Mach 7

Click to expand...

Only if you're on the receiving end.... either way works. Blowing through  should be easier solo.

More rain, more water in the trench. Sigh.



When it does dry out I’ll have to break out the weed whacker before I can start gluing conduit!

I’m still hoping for getting at least the conduit done and water line spliced for the hydrant in August, so we can put in the apron. Then I’ll be able to use all three bays instead of just one.

I bought the wire and conduit to wire up my shop to my wife's shop, and immediately the ground dried up like concrete. Fortunately it's pouring rain today, so hopefully I can get my trench started this week.

Erik the Awful said:

I bought the wire and conduit to wire up my shop to my wife's shop, and immediately the ground dried up like concrete. Fortunately it's pouring rain today, so hopefully I can get my trench started this week.

Click to expand...

Good luck with that.

It’s looking like it may not dry out here for awhile; there is another hurricane forming, and it could come this way. We’ll see.

What I probably ought to do, while I’m waiting, is to finish up my electrical plan - which I appear to have stalled out on - so I can buy the supplies and start bending conduit and pulling wire.