Dug up electrical feed line to detached garage: repair cost? danger?

Question

Last night I was digging a hole to plant a tree when I hit the electrical feed line to the detached garage at about 15 inches below the surface. The garage is very old and the house is 80+ years. The wiring was not in metal tubing so I believe that I pierced it.

I turned off the breaker (after having to figure out which one went to the garage--they weren't labeled), re-covered the line with dirt and a bucket for safety.

I'm looking for a cost estimate for repair. The house is about 35 feet from the garage. The wiring was old (2-prong outlets in garage). And I live in the midwest.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Since you don't seem to be a do it yourselfer, the best advice I can give you is to get quotes. They are free. Compare them and the people who gave them to you. Narrow them down and check the company as best you can. Get several quotes.

Answer 2

often, when I have electricians repair a buried electrical wire when I cut/ nick it in the ground, they use a kit made by GB (gardener/Bender) available at many hardware stores and electrical supply companies.

It has 4 brass wire clamps sleeved inside a plastic holder, then has a large heat shrink tube to cover the whole thing.

First, you cut the wiring in half. insert one of each of the original wires into each of the brass connectors, and clamp down with the screw clamp. do so with all the wires, (2, 3 or 4)

then slide the heat shrink tube over it.

The heat shrink tube has a rubbery mastic inside it, so when you heat it with a torch or VERY hot hair dryer, the outside sleeve shrinks, and the rubery mastic waterproofs the whole thing!

Quick fix and DONE!



BUT, the best answer is to replace the entire run of wiring from house to garage. Especially if it's really old, since it may be time to replace it.

Answer 3

$200. DIY for less.



Bury a 3/4" PVC conduit , 18" deep, from the house to the garage. LB into the house and garage. Pipe or cable into panel. Pipe into J-box in garage. Pull in a #12 hot, neutral, ground. 12/2 g romex from garage J-box to recepts. Change your receptacles to GFCIs. Don't get bit in the panel.

Answer 4

Forget repairing this old line! By the sound of your story, you are not confortable working with wiring. If this is true, your best bet is to hire a Electrican to run your new line. Better to be safe than sorry!

Answer 5

I use both, why narrow your search. The wider the search the better your results will be. However, my first choice is the Yellow Pages. It's quick and available. Only if I don't find what I need in the Yellow Pages, do I jump on to the computer and Google Search.