No torch needed

[tom baker]

If its a single conductor then a direct bury wire nut - King makes the ones I use. For a cable you must cover the exposed ends of the cable- the 3M Skotch Cast are the best, but slow to put on, heat shrink is OK, you can use hot air gun or torch but not the soldering type the heat will burn the shrink.

 

[quogueelectric]

Hey double splice with Ideal underground wire nuts is the easiest way. It is code compliant and minimal . Where are the 20 ampers today telling me this is not sleazy???

 

[jrannis]

Can anyone recommend an underground splice kit for #12AWG--where no torch is required?

Did you check out the wirenuts with the goop in them?

 

[ptonsparky]

I use the self sealing UF splice kits, no mess, and trouble free installation.

http://www.wirenut.com/prodDetail.do?prodId=46-411


I don't use the Ideal brand, but same thing.

I have used this style of splice for single conductor and had to replace them a few years later. Heat shrink are the only ones I have not replaced.

Guess I haven't dug up any of the silicone filled wire nuts yet.

 

[jrannis]

I have one of those that I use in class all of the time as an example that UL listing needs to be understood and interpreted.
The wire nuts are listed for direct burial, but the individual conductors of a UF cable assembly are not. The sheath of the UF is what is suitable for direct burial; once you remove the conductors from the sheath to make a splice, the conductors are not rated for direct burial. Even if they are rated for direct burial, they are not labeled so there is no way to know. The package that I have states that it is usable on "single conductor UF" only. I have never seen a single conductor UF, but according to 340.2 it may exist.

I was at a golf course years ago and saw an out of town contractor bury thousands of feet of single conductor UF. It looked to me like #10 THHN. I asked for a piece and checked it out. Sure enough single conductor UF. First and last time I ever saw it. They buired a black, red, white and green together in a 24" deep trench.

 

[ptonsparky]

NSI makes a gel filled kit that wraps around the splice, snaps together and is held with a couple cable ties. They seem to work well I and are fairly new so I have limited history with them. Expensive, quick, no torch. I can't seem to find a cat#. WAGS 4/08 is for a single cable. Surely I would not have field modified for the application...

 

[ptonsparky]

No, I didn't. NSi cat# ESUF with range of 14/2 to 8/3 with grnd. My last cost was $34.51
www.nsiindustries.com