How To Fix Broken Wires That Go To The Brush Bar

Prepare Underground Wiring

Updated: Jun. 30, 2017

Make a splice that volition final longer than the wire

FH08MAY_UNDWIR_02-2 Family Handyman

Accidentally cut an clandestine electrical wire? The easiest way to repair it is with an clandestine splice kit, which uses a rustproof connector to repair and seal the interruption.

You might too similar: TBD

Appraise the damage

If you're digging holes in your lawn, you should always call 811 a few days beforehand to mark all the surreptitious utilities. Unfortunately, privately endemic wiring volition non be marked, then it's nevertheless possible to strike an electrical cablevision. It'due south especially likely if you're digging betwixt the house and a freestanding garage, shed or yard low-cal. If y'all exercise cutting a ability line, though, it'southward easy to fix. Hither's how.

First turn off power to the electrical device fed past the broken cable at the circuit console. And so dig 12 in. on each side of the break in the wire and gingerly work your way to the cable. Yous'll find the cable anywhere between 12 and 24 in. deep. When you locate the cable, use a noncontact voltage detector to ensure there's no power.

If you have a broken underground line and no clue where the interruption is, rent an electrician with an underground open/short locator. The electrician volition be able to locate and mark the underground cable, determine how deep the cable is buried and pinpoint within a few inches where the problem exists.

Two Splice Kits

Underground Ac splice kits come in two varieties: rut-shrinkable tubing and gel-filled shield. Both employ a brass splicing block to connect the wires. Just they differ in how they protect the splice.

The well-nigh common type of kit protects the splice with an eight-in. length of heat-shrinkable tubing filled with watertight hot-melt agglutinative. (The Gardner Bender HST-1300, available through our affiliation with Amazon.com, is shown here). Slide the tubing over the cable before you connect the wires to the splice block. And so slide the tubing over the connector and shrink it with a rut gun (best) or a torch (gently!). The other type is a corrugated plastic shield filled with an encapsulating gel. (The Tyco Electronics PowerGel WrapAround UF Splice Kit, also available through Amazon.com, is ane brand). It'due south twice the price, but information technology installs much faster, is goof-proof and is very long lasting.

Rut-shrinkable tubing repair

Clandestine connector

Employ a splice block to fix a severed cable.

Photo i: Join the wires

Insert the wires into the splice cake connectors, making certain the colors friction match up, then tighten the screws.

Photo 2: Seal the connection

Slide the estrus-compress tube over the connector. Use a heat gun to shrink it and seal the connexion.

Replace the whole department of cable that you dug up with the aforementioned gauge UF (hugger-mugger feeder) cable. Cutting the cable about 12 in. on either side of the break. And then strip back the capsule 2 in. and the wire insulation 5/8 in. Use ii special hugger-mugger splice kits (sold at dwelling house centers) to connect the new cable section. Slide the estrus shrink tube over one stop of the cable, so connect the wires to the brass connector (Photo 1). Do this on both ends of the new cable. Once the damaged cable is replaced and the wires are joined with connectors, slide the heat-shrink tube over each connector (Photograph ii). Oestrus the tube with a heat gun until information technology shrinks tight on the connector and sealant bubbling out the end.

Gel-filled splice kit repair

Photograph one: Twist and pull to separate

Grab each of the side conductors with pliers. Then twist your hands in opposite directions to start the tear. Pull the conductors 180 degrees away from each other to separate and expose a length of 1-1/2 in. Strip 3/iv in. of insulation off the black and white wires.

Photograph 2: Friction match the colors and splice

Slide the blackness wires into opposite ends of the contumely butt and tighten the screws. Then practice the same for the white and bare copper wires.

Photo three: Position the splice on the shield

Identify the splice block dead-center over the gel-filled shield. Clean off any droppings that may have fallen into the gel. Then press the splice into the gel.

Photo 4: Coil and snap

Gyre the shield around the splice and align the plastic latches. Snap the latches, starting at the center and working toward the edges. Then install the cipher ties and tighten with pliers.

Photo 5: Mark the location

Tie bright-colored surveyor'due south record around the splice and fill the pigsty with soil. Supervene upon the grass and trim the record at soil level so you can observe it again.

Start past cutting out the damaged sections. Then cut, divide and strip the ends of the buried cable (Photograph i). Do the same for the additional section of cable (if needed). Side by side, secure the wires in the contumely holder (Photo 2). Locate the splice block in the protective shield (Photograph 3). Wrap the shield around the splice and secure it (Photograph 4). Then repower the circuit to make sure the splice works.

To brand it easier to locate the splice in the futurity, mark it with bright-colored surveyor'due south record (Photo 5). Then refill the pigsty.

Splicing Low-Voltage Cable

Besides surreptitious power cable, it'south too possible to slice through low-voltage lighting, irrigation and telephone cablevision and coaxial cablevision. Since they're low voltage, y'all may be tempted to but twist the wires and wrap the splice with electric record. It won't work. Instead, head to a habitation center and get a couple of depression-voltage connectors for direct burial. They rely on gel to encapsulate the splice to prevent water intrusion and corrosion.

For low-voltage stranded cable, like you might find on lighting, employ the wire nut/gel-filled tube style. Twist on the wire nut, plunge the connector into the tube until the gel oozes out the acme, then snap the lid. For solid irrigation and telephone wire, shove the wires in an insulation piercing gel-filled connector and snap information technology airtight.

Required Tools for this Project

Accept the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up earlier you start—you'll save time and frustration.

You'll too demand a heat gun for the estrus-shrinkable tubing.

Required Materials for this Project

Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here's a list.

Originally Published: June xx, 2017