QUICK TIP | How to run electrical under a sidewalk

[@EagleTool_US]

I would like to send you one of our Eagle Tool US Dirt augers if you want to give it a try.

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Yes please! Call my office at 888-713-7771 x4 and you will generally get either my GM or me personally.

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

I'm pinning this comment on account of your incredible generousity! I just got my drill bit in the mail today and can't wait to use it in a followup video on a coming project! I'll link to your website and hope to meet you at the National Hardware Trade Show in Vegas this January! -Carl

[@n173021x]

Wow- this worked great. Contractor’s estimate added $500 to my total bid for some outdoor electrical work for tunneling paver sidewalk about 5’ wide to run conduit. Took me 5 extensions but got thru with your method. Used 1/2 inch bit to start and finished with 1” inch bit to widen hole to accommodate 3/4” flexible conduit. Minimal digging or at least a lot less than with other methods. I was also concerned other methods might cave in the paver sidewalk. Used the links in the comments to buy the tools. Total cost about $75. Thanks for all your videos. Been a subscriber for awhile and this one saved me some $$!

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Nice!!! I'm so happy you found this useful. Please share this video and consider helping us out with a yelp or Google review 🙏 😀 😊

[@drwho6871]

I think a lot like you do my friend.. I seen others use pressure washers a long with pvc pipe to make nothing more than a huge muddy mess that I do not like to entertain here.. So I did a search here for other alternatives and found your method and think your method is the best route for me.. I have to run a 1 1/4" pvc pipe under my back sidewalk to get to my new workshop to run 3 78' #4 AWG THHN wire to setup a sub panel for roughly around 100 amps of available power for my welder and stationary air compressor and other workshop tools. Your idea works for me and thank you for sharing! God Bless! ;)

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Thanks Glenn, it'll work like a charm, and when you're done, it'll be a set of tools that you will have in the future. 👍😎 God bless u 2

[@hattrick-df4bo]

Big help, great tip! Thanks!!

[@azcojpg]

Thanks so much for this, exactly the video I needed to see with the links to the tools!!!!

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

That's awesome. Thank you very much for the kind comment if you didn't subscribe please consider subscribing

[@wylieecoyote]

I bought an auger, but thought of a better and easier way! I used a 1" piece of pvc and a hammer to just drive it through. Instead of hitting the PVC directly, use an old piece of wood or 2x4 and the PVC will slide right through. The first hole (I had to do 3) I pulled the PVC back and knocked the dirt out before reinserting it. The next time I just used a smaller piece of PVC with a cap on it to push the dirt out of the one I knocked under the sidewalk. It worked amazing and I just returned the auger that we didnt use. It took less than 5 minutes. If you have big roots, then drill, but small ones will work with the pvc/hammer method. It will save money too. One of them we started in the basement went through the foundation, under a sidewalk outside, then to the trench outside. It took some banging and cleaning the pipe a couple times, but it worked!

[@2011JRM]

Great tip, Wylie!! THANK YOU...

[@wylieecoyote]

@@2011JRM Hopefully it worked as well for you as it did for me. Way better than the cartoons where everything blew up in my face. 😀

[@2011JRM]

Haha! I'll keep you posted... Will be trying your idea soon!@@wylieecoyote

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

@wylieecoyote details please 🔥🚒

[@wylieecoyote]

@@ColumbiaWaterGardens My first comment on top of this tread.. from 6 months ago.. worked great with no mud or tool purchase.

[@MestreTv]

awesome idea

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Thanks 👍 😊

[@KentMMcDonald]

"Thank you"; This really helped. Just used the link to buy 3 extensions.

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Awesome! Please share this video

[@Dragnet2]

Link? Can you post it? I can’t find the extensions he used

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

In the description. I bought mine from Lowes.

[@celias654]

Great tip, clean

[@rayfox4000]

Great video!!!

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Thanks!

[@AlexeiTetenov]

Thank you for sharing!

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Hope it saves you some time. Please share in social.media if you found this useful. 😀

[@2011JRM]

Excellent!! THANK YOU...

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

thanks! check out out newest video on lighting.

[@RamboHalpernTheBungalowGuy]

Cant find the locking auger bit. Everything I find is at least 1.6" wide and does not have a quick connect head.... Can you share a link to the auger bit?

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

www.lowes.com/pd/Spyder-Spy-1-2-in-x-6-1-2-in-Power-Bit/1003140950

[@keithsearcy6271]

Are those Irwin brand Lock and load extensions?

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

I think so. Got em at Lowes. About 9 bucks each

[@KarasCyborg]

There's always a rock, or a brick, or buried utility line right where you need to bore. One moment of indescretion can cost a lot of moola. Bid Accordingly Fellows.

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

So true! Great point, thanks for your comment

[@Displays.1234.]

Please could you give me a full description of the extension tools......

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

www.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-1-4-in-Hex-Quick-Connect-12-in-Drill-Bit-Extension/1000234479?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-vf-_-tol-_-ggl-_-SS_Irwin-_-1000234479-_-local-_-0-_-0&&ds_a_cid=279391351&gclid=CjwKCAjw3cSSBhBGEiwAVII0Zw9VlzKzhibBiPMA8LsGiSUqg0hE8981umx0RQIAXZ2eJHGu7PiT5xoCj7UQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

I'll add it to the description. Hope you find this video helpful and share it

[@HowIviewtheworld]

thanks brother! great video!

[@robertreynard2916]

can this be used going under a road (20ft.)?

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

I don't see why not. I went 12 feet once, what's another 6?

[@douglaswaehler1305]

​@@ColumbiaWaterGardensfuzzy math - should be an other 8. 😊

[@fhsidhfp]

Hi… quick question. I have a pool and the pool equipment is right next to where I’m running the conduit under a cement walkway. I’m worried that if I use a drill bit I may hit a pipe. Is there another option you would recommend that doesn’t use a drill bit? Thank you

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Thanks for reaching out. Hitting an underground utility is always a possibility, when we use the method in the video we use the same discretion that I'm sure you would. If I were your contractor I'd dig both sides down 16" and determine if there were utilities and work around them. Drilling would "feel" an obstruction as you are mostly digging through dirt. If we felt any resistance or a change to the sound of the drill, we would stop and evaluate. Code in California for electrical is 16 inches, water is 12 inches, and gas is 36. Knowing this, we can use common sense when drilling and come up successful. We have not hit any utilities thus far. Alternate method is water piping under the concrete which is messy, time consuming, and laborious. In my opinion, it's easier to drill in a known safe area and work around known utilities after the dig.

[@jesseblank5907]

you think this would hold up going under around 12ft wide?

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

I'm not sure I understand your dimensions.

[@jesseblank5907]

@@ColumbiaWaterGardens boring under concrete driveway 12ft wide. Thanks for speedy response lmk

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

I done see any reason why not.

[@ThatGuy-nr5sp]

Where do I purchase the extension and bits ?

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Harbor freight, tractor supply.....

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Also lowes or home depot

[@brianboing2432]

How do i get electrical under a paver patio that is attached right up to the wall of the house? Every solution I've seen online about running wires under concrete assumes that there is dirt on side of the sidewalk... what is the house is on one side? I have a pager walkway that extends from the base of the foundation out about 6' that i want to run wires under... any ideas?

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Hotly, if I were your contractor, I'd pull up the pavers next to the house, run the conduit, and restore the pavers with a clean hole sawn cut through the paver that sticks up next to the house. The pavers will disassemble and reassemble fune with a dead blow hammer. Just make sure the base is compacted. We would use a 12 inch piece of4x6 and hammer the base down with it before replacing the pavers.

[@brianboing2432]

@@ColumbiaWaterGardens thank you so much for your quick response. I've actually thought that might be my only solution but was hoping to avoid that since there is also a concrete border holding the outer pavers in place. Again, thank you.

[@Joseph-cr6kd]

Yeah they make 15 foot ones

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

I've learned a lot since I made this video. Where do you get your 15 footers?

[@jdinnis]

That looks pretty shallow. Check local codes before doing this. In many places running PCV conduit underground requires a minimum depth of 18"-24". You can usually go a little shallower with metal conduit, but I always worry about it rusting out eventually.

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

In California, you can run directly under concrete.

[@RealDuckMaster]

The only issue is wire needs to be buried 18" ,You missed the mark! Also if you go to trappers supply houses the make a 2 inch auger that will allow you to add conduit. I say this as you need wite protection if you are burying it shallow. I CAN IMAGINE THE HOMEOWNER PUTTING IN BULBS AND GETTING SHOCKED!

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Good point! Code is different in other states. Glad you brought this up

[@araelwood4857]

I don’t usually comment but after try this method, dear viewer, please DO NOT do it this way if the path is long. I know you’re probably don’t want to make a mess with a hose, but please follow The Ultimate Handyman’s method instead- it worked so much better. I attempted this for around 10 hrs on a 4 foot stretch and it failed miserably because of some problems this video doesn’t mention. 1. Soil quality and wetness matters. Maybe where he did it, this it works, but depending on your soil, the tunnel will collapse on itself. Which ties into my next point. 2. Just because you use a 1- 1/4 auger doest’t mean you can even fit a small pipe inside. I got all the way across with this method but still couldn’t get a pipe through. In perfect world you could slide a pipe on some extensions but this will not work. 3. The bit extenders. Even in locking one’s, the mud will clog up the locks meaning it will potentially cause them to fail when you pull the auger back out. I lost my auger this way. In short a hose and some pvc will cost you a few dollars and will require similar digging work. If this method fails, you just wasted $50-60 on bits and extensions.

[@scottwinkelmann1494]

I wonder if it work just the same on a standard asphalt driveway. I assume it would just take more adapters to make up for the longer distance. Anybody ?

[@samgao]

3 hours later, I still can’t get through. I think there are too many rocks underneath the concrete.

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Sounds like you hit shale

[@Daihatsu_Hijet]

🙌🏻

[@ThejOH007]

My paranoia wouldn’t let me do this. With my luck the auger would break midway thought😭😭😭

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

With paranoia like that I'd suggest another method. 😀

[@MrWaterbugdesign]

Save some money? Those bits aren't cheap and get dull going thru dirt.

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Great question. The extensions are 9 bucks each and the bit is about another 7. For a 36" sidewalk, it'll set you back about 50 bucks. If you're a contractor like me, it's a worthy investment that lasts years. After each boring, we clean the fittings, blow them with the air compressor, and coat with wd40. Stash it in the toolbox and you're set for the next time.

[@tedmihalca]

Neither is galvanized pipe and the mess it makes using water will set you back in labor hours.

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

That's right

[@snwbm]

I bought a cheap set from harbor freight about 15 years ago and have used them to dig through dirt ever since.

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

@suspicionofdeceit I get that. The purpose of the video is to show another (not the only) way to get under the concrete to potential viewers that may not have a lot of experience doing this. When I first started out, I never would have thought about simply drilling.... I used the water bore method and got wet and dirty. I like this much better for its cleanliness and speed.

[@sylence4u]

i think it took him less than 5 minutes

[@ColumbiaWaterGardens]

Correct