Long bits and sidewalk sleevers are fine options as well- we just had issues of hitting the underside bulges of concrete making it time consuming to find the other side. You can angle grind and zip across an expansion joint in no time
Thanks. I'm going to be installing low voltage this weekend but need to cross a wide driveway. Do I pull up the wood strips in between the poured concrete slabs and just run the wire in there and then put the wood strips back in or do I run some sort of conduit?? Same with our walkway. I need to get from one side of a small slab to the other. Do I go under it or do I pull up the wood furring strip? That's about 2 ft wide and run underneath
If you can pull out the strips then that’s a good method to run wire over just remember at each end to angle grind a wire path for wire to go straight down so it won’t get nicked by lawn tools If the strips don’t come out easily run your angle grinder to make a wire path
@@OutdoorInspirations I don't have an angle grinder, but I can probably run it under the furring strip right into the adjacent garden. I have a garden on each side of the garage. I'm wondering if I could also go through the left side garden and then up into the garage, around the frame and then back down into the garden on the right. If I do go through the joints, Do I then just put the furring strip back on top or do I need to put down some sort of caulk and then the furring strip?
@@JS-cb7rx yes I have seen people install wire up and over garage doors. It is all about labor time/difficulty and aesthetics- feel free to email some pictures to us for more guidance
Hey there! Thanks for you comment, we're glad you enjoy it! For ground applications we like to use splice kits that have copper crimps into grease tubes, and for above grade wire runs we use barrel crimps into silicon lined heat shrink tubing. 👌
@@OutdoorInspirations I believe putting the low voltage wiring in conduit is the best practice. Makes things easier for additions or changes in the future. The only thing I have a question about is the heat generation of low voltage wiring. I recall reading about the possibility of too much heat in PVC. I find that hard to believe, especially with LED.
@@ktm3850 The wire itself will not heat up with 12v led as long as there are no nicks or shorts in the wire itself or at connections. Typically at these locations heat will build and can melt the wire gasket. We have yet to see any major melting of the actual PVC when a short had occurred.
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Thanks so much for the info. Well explained.
Hope your lighting install turns out awesome!
Great ideas! Much appreciated!
why would you use the expansion joint to run your wire? I thought you would use those long drill bits to go under driveways & sidewalks?
Long bits and sidewalk sleevers are fine options as well- we just had issues of hitting the underside bulges of concrete making it time consuming to find the other side. You can angle grind and zip across an expansion joint in no time
What's the brand on the shovel? I'm not seeing much similar online.
These wire trencher are custom made and awesome running wire manually- send us a message for the details getinspiredoutdoors (at) gmail
Do I recommend 12v drop in led low voltage outdoor lighting?? Or the new integrated leds? Thanks!
For the homeowner installing themselves I would recommend the drop in lamps. They are easier to maintain, replace etc.
Thanks. I'm going to be installing low voltage this weekend but need to cross a wide driveway. Do I pull up the wood strips in between the poured concrete slabs and just run the wire in there and then put the wood strips back in or do I run some sort of conduit??
Same with our walkway. I need to get from one side of a small slab to the other. Do I go under it or do I pull up the wood furring strip? That's about 2 ft wide and run underneath
If you can pull out the strips then that’s a good method to run wire over just remember at each end to angle grind a wire path for wire to go straight down so it won’t get nicked by lawn tools
If the strips don’t come out easily run your angle grinder to make a wire path
@@OutdoorInspirations I don't have an angle grinder, but I can probably run it under the furring strip right into the adjacent garden. I have a garden on each side of the garage.
I'm wondering if I could also go through the left side garden and then up into the garage, around the frame and then back down into the garden on the right.
If I do go through the joints, Do I then just put the furring strip back on top or do I need to put down some sort of caulk and then the furring strip?
@@JS-cb7rx yes I have seen people install wire up and over garage doors. It is all about labor time/difficulty and aesthetics- feel free to email some pictures to us for more guidance
Prefered method to connect at the whip?
Wire nuts? Crimp and shrink tube? inline t?
Thanks for the tips and content guys
Hey there! Thanks for you comment, we're glad you enjoy it! For ground applications we like to use splice kits that have copper crimps into grease tubes, and for above grade wire runs we use barrel crimps into silicon lined heat shrink tubing. 👌
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You mentioned you use conduit - do you use a flexible conduit or a hard pvc conduit?
Hey Jason, we use hard PVC conduit when burying our lines.
@@OutdoorInspirations I believe putting the low voltage wiring in conduit is the best practice. Makes things easier for additions or changes in the future. The only thing I have a question about is the heat generation of low voltage wiring. I recall reading about the possibility of too much heat in PVC. I find that hard to believe, especially with LED.
@@ktm3850 The wire itself will not heat up with 12v led as long as there are no nicks or shorts in the wire itself or at connections. Typically at these locations heat will build and can melt the wire gasket. We have yet to see any major melting of the actual PVC when a short had occurred.
The loop trick is a great idea. Thanks.
Saves a little time - happy to help!