At 10:08 AM 6/5/2007, Rick Karlquist wrote:
>While at HD, etc., also look at low voltage patio lights.
>They have heavy gauge zip cord that is buryable. I think
>12 gauge.
I'm not sure about the "design longevity" for landscape cable or
sprinkler cables. Sure, they're nominally for direct burial, but, on
the other hand, if it fails after 3 years, it's unlikely someone's
going to go howling back to the store to claim it was defective.
In a lot of commercial installations, even, the stuff gets ripped up
periodically for replanting and maintenance.
I'm sure there are cables specifically designed for this where the
mfr will stand behind it and has test data, but I'll bet that the
manufactured for low cost stuff at the local discount store isn't it.
For instance, CalTrans requires the use of AWG 12 or AWG14 Type UF
for irrigation valves. Type UF is designed, tested, and listed for
direct burial. The irrigation stuff is single conductor (so you see
it identified as 14-1 UF) There are multiconductor Type UF, but
they're more like "direct bury Romex" for line voltage branch
circuits, and probably overkill for low voltage Class II type installations.
Of course, the cheap stuff will probably work.. I've got cheap
irrigation cable that's been buried for 8 years and still works.
Jim, W6RMK
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|