question about rewiring outside lamp on post

[Brian Tymchak]

Morning all,

Time to tackle a project I've been putting off for too long. I need to run new wire from the house to an existing lamp post. Although I haven't dug deep enough yet to prove it, I suspect that the wire is run through plastic PVC up through the concrete foundation the post is set in. Also assuming there's a 90* PVC elbow at the base of the concrete foundation. I am wondering how to run the new wire up through that post without disturbing that foundation.

I have 2 options in mind at this point:


Assuming the wire is free enough in the post and PVC conduit, use the old wire to fish the new wire through the PVC and up the post. Concern is that I wont be able to pull the wire through the elbow in the PVC. and more specifically pulling the wire where the old and new wires will be doubled-up and taped through that elbow.
Drill hole in lamp post above the concrete foundation, put a grommet in the pole and run wire in that way


If any one has any advice and experience in this area, I would sure appreciate hearing from you!

Thanks, Brian

[Von Bickley]

Several things to consider.

You need to confirm that PVC conduit is actually ran to the post. Around this area, a lot of post lamp just have direct burial romex ran to the post.

Can you get to the end of the PVC to work.

If the PVC does have a 90* fitting, it should be an "electrical" long sweep 90* fitting that you can pull the wire thru.

Instead of using the existing wire to pull the new wire, use the old wire to pull a "pull string", and then use the string to pull the new wire.

If you can get to both ends on the PVC, pull out the old wire and run a metal fish tape.

Why are you replacing the wire?

[Matt Meiser]

I know mine is done the way Von mentioned because I did it.

The good news--you'll have to look it up, but I know there is (or at least was) an exception in the NEC for 15A 110V outdoor circuits, maybe even just for lighting, that says you don't have to bury the wire as deep. I want to say 12" or something like that but again you'll have to look it up.

[Kevin Bourque]

Whats wrong with the existing wire?

[Brian Tymchak]

Whats wrong with the existing wire?

Wire was cut when I had storm drain pipe run through the yard. They spliced it but it still didn't work. Due to other difficulties I had with the crew, I just wanted them gone. I found later that they nicked the wire in another area too. So, long story short, I will feel better just running a new wire.

[Brian Tymchak]

Von, Matt, thanks for the info.

Matt, I think you are right. The existing wire is right about 12" deep. I didn't check code but I was going to bury at the same depth.

Von, I will dig some more today to try to trace the existing wire back to the pole. The ground was rock hard yesterday, I hope last nights rain helped some. I guess then that if the existing wire is just running up through the concrete without any conduit, I'm down to my second option of drilling a hole in the post above the concrete and running wire in that way. Any issues with that strategy that you can think of, aside from the wire being only about 6" deep at that point?

Thanks, Brian

[Matt Meiser]

If you have to do that, why not just drill a big enough hole to stick a piece of PVC conduit through. Biggest problem would probably be rust.

[Lee Schierer]

Instead of using the existing wire to pull the new wire, use the old wire to pull a "pull string", and then use the string to pull the new wire.

If you can get to both ends on the PVC, pull out the old wire and run a metal fish tape.

If you pull a string through, make it two strings that way when the first one breaks or pulls loose you have a back up. Lots of pulling lube on the wire that has to make the bend in your conduit will help.

[ray hampton]

If you can not pull a string thru. when you pull the wiring out the pipe you can use a vacuum cleaner if your hose are the same size as the conduit , attach the vacuum hose to the conduit and feed the string into the conduit outside

[Kevin W Johnson]

I ran mine in conduit the entire way (took 2 10ft sticks) from the foundation of the house to the lamp post foundation.

Might be something to think about since to have to dig it up....

[Brian Tymchak]

thanks for the input guys!

I was able to dig more yesterday afternoon. The rain really helped. (The first day of digging was brutal..) It turns out just as Von suggested, that the wire is run up through the concrete plug, with no conduit. However, I got lucky. I found the wire popping out of the top of the concrete plug and entering the pole through a hole on the backside. So, I should be able to easily fish new wire up through the pole.

Kevin, I appreciate the suggestion and I agree that would be a better installation. I have 90' of wire to bury and it will snake around curves along and thru my landscape, and in one case under a large tree root and then under a shallowly-buried storm water pipe. Not too many straight runs in the path.

[Lee Schierer]

thanks for the input guys!

I was able to dig more yesterday afternoon. The rain really helped. (The first day of digging was brutal..) It turns out just as Von suggested, that the wire is run up through the concrete plug, with no conduit. However, I got lucky. I found the wire popping out of the top of the concrete plug and entering the pole through a hole on the backside. So, I should be able to easily fish new wire up through the pole.


Be sure to put some of that yellow caution tape a couple of inches above the wire so future gardening efforts don't create a problem so you have to dig it all up again.

[Brian Tymchak]

Be sure to put some of that yellow caution tape a couple of inches above the wire so future gardening efforts don't create a problem so you have to dig it all up again.

Great idea Lee! I'll do that. Thanks!