Another GFCI circuit breaker question

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Yes, it appears to be the wire. I think you mentioned it is Romex, buried in outdoor masonry. Romex is meant for inside building walls and is not meant to be exposed to moisture. Whoever selected it chose the wrong type of wire for the application and that's probably why it's failing now. I think you need what is called type UF cable meant for outdoor direct burial or you'd need to install a true conduit run that connects to each box. Good luck.
 
Where can I pick up that THWN-2 wire? I looked at a few places and I didn't see it. Also thinking I need 12/2 right? I want to try and pull a new wire to the first light... I know he used conduit, I just cant tell how he passed it through the wall... the rest of the wire is in the middle of the wall, and I am thinking I will need to run more conduit.

Also here is my problem. the past owner used romex in the wall with no conduit, so I cant pull anything, I have to replace it. the retaining wall is two bricks deep the light is a brick light, would it work for me to just drill through the back of the housing and out the back of the block? I would need for it to remain water tight too as well... I would not want water to run in where the light is. I pulled one light out of the wall to check it out... I will need to mortar it back in when I know what I am going to do.

I have been thinking about removing the lights and doing something different as well... I have mulch behind the wall, I could run something under the mulch and put a light higher in the wall... I wish this guy did this right... I liked what I had, I just don't know for sure how to make it work... I can run the wire, but I need to know its not going to be a problem later on with water getting to the light.


Ideas?
 
You could try to pull UF (looks like romex, but is outdoor rated) through using the old romex as a pull lead. THWN should be available just about everwhere, all of the big box stores (Lowes, Home Depot) , electrical supply houses, etc. It is probably as common or maybe even more common than NM (Romex) and should be available by the roll or by the foot. Around here Home Depot has shorter rolls available than Lowes if you are looking in the big box stores, I think 50 or 75 ft for the shortest rolls, vs 150 ft at Lowes.

Ike
 
Most wire of the THWN style is also rated as THHN wire also. So Lowes and Home depot may call it THHN but if you look at the markings on the wire, it will be marked THHN/THWN which means it meets the requirements of both wire types.
 
Thanks guys. I guess before I pick up the wire I need to be sure I can run it. The past owner ran all the wire in the wall with no conduit so it's not ever coming out. Even the conduit that goes to the pad is half done so it's all ****. I can't pull anything. The wall is two bricks deep, with one brick removed for the light. He ran the wire down the center of the wall to each light. I am wondering if I cod just drill through the back of the light housing and through the brick it the back of the wall. Then somehow run conduit that way, or if that will not work I could run burial cable or worst case I have some brick... I might just suck it up and remove the lights and forget about it. Might be a better way to add lighting on the wall or somewhere else.

This is a bummer. Wonder what else he did half *** on my house.
 
Yes, that's the way it's supposed to be used - without conduit, however since it's not round you'll want to make sure that where it enters the light fixture box, you use fittings that seal against it well to keep water out. Suggest you go to a website for one of the companies that makes small outdoor electrical boxes and see what they offer/recommend. You can also go to Home Depot and peruse the electrical fittings aisle.
 
you think that will be OK to use? or should I do all conduit with the THWN wire... As far as the connectors to the box... well there is no box its a brick light that gets cemented int he wall (mortar)... So anything I want water tight I can try and seal up with silicone I guess? I will need to drill through the brick too so I will need to seal that up tight as well.

I hope to get started on this over the weekend... getting the lights out is a lot of work... I have to chip away at the mortar and pry the light out... I did ask the past owner, he said its not romex in the wall.. its the under ground wire... so I don't know why its messed up.

I did get one light out... 4 to go.
 
Either wiring method is OK.

What I see is an outdoor electrical box (they're usually powder coated die cast aluminum, yours is brown powder coated die cast aluminum) which holds a light fixture. Yes, it may be brick sized and the fixture may have come with the box, but it's still identical to a standard outdoor electrical box. The same exact principles that apply to an outdoor electrical box; wiring, conduit connection, electrical fittings, sealing gasket, apply to the box that was supplied with your light.

Sorry, the former owner appears to be mis-informed. That is clearly Romex. If you hold a piece of UF cable next to the cable you have, the differences will be immediately evident. A lot of people call any flat multi-conductor cable, Romex. They call Type UF cable Romex. They are wrong. Google "Can I bury Romex underground?". You'll get dozens of hits where people say "My Inspector let me bury Romex undergound", until you read further and they finally admit it was not really Romex, it was really Type UF. Oooops, guess they really didn't know what they were talking about.

Really suggest you spend some time in the Home Depot electrical aisle. Look at the Romex and look at the UF cable (probably sold by the foot) and see the difference, look at the electrical fittings, look out the outdoor box selection and accessories. That's the way to learn what the possibilities are.
 
I can't tell for sure from your photos but here is a link I found online showing romex side by side with UF, (romex on left, UF in middle)

Ike

WPpumpwire.jpg
 

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Thanks guys... You folks have taught me a lot,with this project... I will get in and get a better look at,it,tomorrow, but at a glance... I think your right, it looks like Romex from my pics...

If I drill through the wall and then pass,the wire,through and seal it, you think it will be ok? I will look at the fittings as you said, I have a good idea what you are talking about... I need to be sure once I pass,the wire,into,that,box that holds,the,light that,it's sealed when done...

Thanks for your help!
 
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