My junction/power box is on the left side of the house. I need it coming out on the right. Concrete surrounds the junction box, driveway and front path.

If I have access (crawlspace) can I run conduit under the house? Is that safe/legal? Or is that the dumbest idea you've heard?

The reason I ask is it would be shorter to run where the driveway is, but that requires me to cut through the drive way, and then run it along the rest of the drive. Not really keen on that. Or I have to trench through the front yard, and path. And since that's the only piece of land I have left that doesn't look destroyed I'm trying to keep it nice looking. :laughing:

Pics for reference. The shop will be at the end of the driveway on the left. You can see the powerbox on the house.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y164/customcj7/house/P1040160.jpg

And yes, my mailbox looks like shit. :flipoff2:

Yes, it's legal to run conduit under your house. Well...it's legal according to the NEC. You need to check local code, but I wouldn't think they would have any problem with it.

IBEW LU 702

Just wondering... how far do you need to run it? I might have enough 2/2/2/4 cable I can cut you a deal on ;)

I understand not wanting to make a mess, but it would not be too bad to trench along the driveway. Going under the driveway without cutting is not too hard as there is equipment that can do this pretty easily.

Conduit thru the crawl is easy too.

Just wondering... how far do you need to run it? I might have enough 2/2/2/4 cable I can cut you a deal on ;)

That depends on how I route it. Could be 80'. Could be 180'.

I understand not wanting to make a mess, but it would not be too bad to trench along the driveway. Going under the driveway without cutting is not too hard as there is equipment that can do this pretty easily.

Conduit thru the crawl is easy too.

There is equipment for going under? Really? Any way you can point me to some? Name type? I would really rather go that route. But have no idea what I'm doing.

Looking at the picture, I think going under the driveway then down beside it will be your best bet. And yes - there are tools used to do that - you see them all the time along the road as they run fiber under existing roadbeds.

Shorter the run the better when your talking about using tools that need fair amounts of power.

Good read from a thread off practical machinist that may help you.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/transformers-phase-converters-vfd/ot-running-power-line-under-existing-driveway-175179/

Should be someone around who can come out to get you form one side of the driveway to the other or rent you the equipment for a day. Or, use some of the ideas in that thread to do it yourself. I've done the pipe and water hose/pressure washer trick (water hose at work with non cyclindrical flow valve)... effective but you get muddy as all hell in the process and will probably end up pumping the trench a few times if you keep hitting rocks or debris while going. But its also cheap, and kinda fun if its warm out.

Looking at the picture, I think going under the driveway then down beside it will be your best bet. And yes - there are tools used to do that - you see them all the time along the road as they run fiber under existing roadbeds.


Boring machine.............the only negitive to this is most if not all of these have tracks and they will cut up the yard.

Thanks for the tips guys. The point I'd run the wire is under the flower bed where it meets the driveway, so I can make tracks without worry. They'll be raked back over and covered with mulch.

I'll investigate this as that would be ideal.

:beer:

Thanks for the tips guys. The point I'd run the wire is under the flower bed where it meets the driveway, so I can make tracks without worry. They'll be raked back over and covered with mulch.

Most of the ones I have seen ain't exactly small, so getting up that close to the house may not work like you think.

You want a horizontal boring machine or a 'Porta-Mole' I rented one for about $75 last time. There are also attachments for pressure washers.