Wire splicing question

[Charp]

I'm wondering if it's OK to splice the wire that's running from the meter main at the street to the sub-panel in the house? It's underground and it's in the way of some excavation I need to do to get a storage container behind the garage. Eventually I will replace and upgrade the 100amp zinsco main to 200 amps, add a 200amp sub with manual switch for a generator in the garage and a new 100-150 sub in the house. For now I just need to get the buried wire in a new location and buried deeper. Thanks

 

[ActionDave]

Yes, it is ok if you have the proper splice kit and the wires are not in conduit.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jimbo]

Who is going to do that work??? Sound like this is not a DIY friendly project.

 

[SacCity]

I was unclear,
Are you talking about the line from the main panel to the sub-panel

Or are you talking about the service feed from the Utility to the main panel.

If you are talking about the service feed, in most places you do not own that line, and you would need to have the utility do the work,
Michael

 

[ActionDave]

Good point.

 

[Charp]

It's the cable/wire running underground in conduit (looks like ABS, it's black) from the meter main panel to the sub in the house, not the wire running from the pole to the meter. No, I'm not afraid to do it!

 

[SacCity]

Cool, it's your wire then do what you want to with it. Be safe, don't work on live circuits.
If you have a splice in the wire make sure that it is accessable.
If it is a temperarry splice I like to mount a box on a 4X4 do the splice there and then route to where-ever you need.

I do not like conections below grade.
Had one job that should have been simple pull an existing wire out of a conduit and replace with a new wire, not sure why we were doing that, the fog of time takes its toll.
Ended up with a line splice somewhere in the yard. So we were unable to pull the wire, which ment a new trench and new conduit. So much for saving a bit on not doing a proper junction box that could have been located.
Michael

 

[Cacher_Chick]

As Dave stated, you are not allowed to put a splice inside conduit.

 

[Ballvalve]

We set cement boxes with electric on the cover, do the splice with a split bolt, ball it in electricians putty, and then wrap it in rubber splice tape and then scotch 33. I try and finish with silicone or a vinyl paste for more water resistance.

You can do it in-line with the correct couplers and then use a good shrink tube to seal it, along with the tapes for security. This is likely the better solution.