# Landscaping/Electrical Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 13, 2000, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283 "2000-04-13T15:37:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/1 "2000-04-13T15:37:00Z")
You know those cheap landscaping lights that you buy in a kit? I bought some and want to install them, but I’ve run into a snag. I will need to get the low-voltage cable under my walk in a number of places. Obviously I will minimize the the total number of crossings, but I will still have to get under the concrete path at least twice. How do you do it? ---
**Author:** ![Flat\_U.Lance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90db22/32.png) [@Flat\_U.Lance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flat_U.Lance)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/2 "2000-04-13T15:41:00Z")
You could make a saw cut in the concrete, drop the cable in the cut, and then fill in the cut with caulk. If there are seams, you could do it on a seam so that it’s not so ugly. They also sell solar models of those lights. They’re more expensive, but there’s no wiring; you just stick them in the ground. I don’t know how well they work. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/3 "2000-04-13T15:41:00Z")
I’ve never done it myself, but I understand that you dig holes on either side of the walk and use a high pressure hose to wash out a tunnel under the walk to connect the two holes. Obviously, you’ll want to make the tunnel as deep and small (in diameter) as possible to avoid loss of support problems with the walk. ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/4 "2000-04-13T15:52:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Flat U. Lance: > **They also sell solar models of those lights. They’re more expensive, but there’s no wiring; you just stick them in the ground. I don’t know how well they work.** I’ve done a little poking around. The general consensus in both the professional and DIY communities is that they… um… suck. ---
**Author:** ![billehunt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@billehunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billehunt)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/5 "2000-04-13T16:01:00Z")
I’ve done what **Random** said. It’s surprisingly easy. all you need is a garden hose. You just dig down to just below the cement on each side, then turn the hose on and let it burrow through. I was all set to hook up a piece of PVC to the end of the hose to keep it straight, but it turned out to not be necessary. Perhaps I just got lucky. ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/6 "2000-04-13T16:10:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by billehunt: > **I’ve done what Random said. It’s surprisingly easy. all you need is a garden hose. You just dig down to just below the cement on each side, then turn the hose on and let it burrow through.** Sounds awful messy. Two questions: [list=1][li]Did you dig a second hole on the far side of the cement (like an exit) or just find it when you were done burrowing?[/li][li]How long did it take you?[/li](OK, I lied.) Did you end up using the PVC to house the cable or just stuff the wire through?[/list=1] ---
**Author:** ![Sake\_Samurai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sake\_Samurai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sake_Samurai)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/7 "2000-04-13T16:11:00Z")
Depending on the width of your concrete path, a drill (special cabling bit), auger, or pressure washer will easily make a nice, even passage to fish the wiring through. If your walk consists of slabs, ensure the hole won’t lie directly under a joint. Then dig small trenches on both sides of your walk and fire away. The other way is to build a trellis, snake the cable up and over the path and plant some roses and climbing vines. * * * Yet to be reconciled with the reality of the dark for a moment, I go on wandering from dream to dream. ---
**Author:** ![delini8r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@delini8r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delini8r)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/8 "2000-04-13T16:39:00Z")
Those of you trying the hose method: I’d reccommend using a PVC pipe sleeve under the walk and then packing the remainder of the hole you made with dry sak-crete. Unless you live in the desert, the sak-crete will draw enough moisture from the surrounding soil to go into hydration and you won’t end up with a section of your walk that’s prone to settling. The other solution would be to use a metal rod with the cable attached like an oversized needle and thread to go under the walk. This will only work if the soil under the walk is soft enough. Otherwise, get out your rubber boots. * * * “Less is More” - Mies “More or Less” - Venturi ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/9 "2000-04-13T16:56:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by delini8r: > \*\*The other solution would be to use a metal rod with the cable attached like an oversized needle and thread to go under the walk. This will only work if the soil under the walk is soft enough. Otherwise, get out your rubber boots. > \*\* Mightn’t it be easier to use the “needle” to thread a rope or string through then use _it_ to pull the cable back? ---
**Author:** ![delini8r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@delini8r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delini8r)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landscaping-electrical-question/10283/10 "2000-04-13T21:49:00Z")
You could also shove the rod through from the “far side,” attach the cable to the point and pull it back through.