Photos are a lifesaver, no doubt. I’ve started sketching rough diagrams too—nothing fancy, just enough to jog my memory if I’m ever staring at a patch of lawn wondering what’s underneath. It’s wild how easy it is to forget even after just a year or two.
I hear you on conduit sizing. I used to think 1” was overkill for my setup, but now I wish I’d gone bigger. Adding a circuit later is such a pain, especially if you didn’t anticipate wanting 240V for something like an EV charger or a big compressor. Sometimes I wonder if people are too conservative with their estimates because they’re worried about cost, but in the long run, it’s usually cheaper to go up a size from the start.
Curious—has anyone tried using tracer wire or some kind of marker tape above their runs? I’ve seen it mentioned but never bothered myself. Wondering if that actually helps when you’re trying to locate stuff years down the road.
I actually used tracer wire on my last project, mostly because I had some left over from a fence job. It’s not a magic bullet, but it does help if you ever need to find the line again—especially if you’re like me and your “memory map” of the yard is basically a vague guess after one summer. Marker tape is nice too, but it’s more for warning someone digging than actually finding the wire later. If you’ve got a metal detector or even just a cheap wire locator, that tracer wire can save you from digging up half your lawn. Wouldn’t call it essential, but it’s one of those “wish I’d done it” things when you’re out there with a shovel years later.
Totally get what you mean about the “memory map”—I’m the same way. I always think I’ll remember exactly where I buried something, but a year later, it’s just a rough guess. Tracer wire is one of those things that doesn’t seem necessary until you’re out there with a shovel, sweating and second-guessing yourself. I actually skipped it once to save a few bucks and regretted it big time when I had to troubleshoot a low voltage line a couple summers later.
One thing I’d add: if you’re trying to keep costs down, you don’t need anything fancy for tracer wire. Even basic 14-gauge solid copper will do the trick for most home projects. Just make sure the ends are accessible somewhere—like inside a junction box or poking up near your panel—so you’re not hunting for both ends later.
Marker tape is decent as a warning, but yeah, it won’t help much if you’re trying to pinpoint the exact spot years down the road. For me, spending a little extra on tracer wire up front has saved me way more in headaches (and grass repair) later on.
Yeah, I’ve seen a lot of folks skip tracer wire and regret it later—hunting for a buried line is the worst, especially if you’ve already re-landscaped. I’ve used 12-gauge before just because I had some left over, but 14 works fine too. Curious—has anyone tried using PVC conduit with their runs just to make future pulls easier, or is that overkill for a basic garage feed?
Curious—has anyone tried using PVC conduit with their runs just to make future pulls easier, or is that overkill for a basic garage feed?
- I’ve actually debated this exact thing. My main concern is cost vs. benefit, since PVC isn’t super cheap once you add up all the fittings and glue.
- For a simple 20A circuit, direct burial cable seems fine, but if you ever want to upgrade or fix something, conduit would save a lot of hassle.
- That said, I wonder if it really pays off unless you’re planning to run more circuits later? Anyone ever regretted not going with conduit after the fact?
