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Using conduit for lights in series

625 Views 18 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  md1day
Hey. I am installing four 4x4 posts around my pool. I will bury 12/2 UF-B wire and run pvc conduit up the post “to” a floodlight and will need to run a wire “from” the floodlight back underground to go to the next post/light. My question is can I run both wires (“to” and “from”) in the same conduit? I assume I shouldn’t if using NM wire due to heat generated by opposite flows of current (if that’s even a thing) but would it be ok with UF-B or should I run two separate conduits for “to/from” or “up/down” wires. Not worried about code/inspector but I am worried about safety, so I always try to follow code. Thanks for any help.
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That is acceptable, but I do not like direct burial cable. Sooner or later it will likely get damaged. You will already have the ditch, so go ahead and run cheap pvc conduit. Put a j box at the bottom of the poles (2 conduits down and 1 up). Use a fish tape and THHN single conductor wire.
According to code must be GFCI protected and at least 5 feet from pool edge.
According to code must be GFCI protected and at least 5 feet from pool edge.
Not required for lights.
Thanks for the info, but can two “opposing current (up/down)” UF-B wires be run in the same conduit or will they produce too much heat?
Without a doubt conduit is the way to go. If you use pvc don't forget a green equipment grounding conductor.
Personally I wouldn't use UF. More expensive and harder to install in conduit. If you use thhn-2 you can add wiring in the future if you need to.
Unless they are 12 ft above the pool.
Depends on how far the poles are from the edge of the pool. 5 feet is the magic number
Thanks for the info, but can two “opposing current (up/down)” UF-B wires be run in the same conduit or will they produce too much heat?
Yes you can put 2 cables in one conduit as long as it is large enough. 3/4" will cover you.
Awesome. Thanks everybody. This forum is awesome.
And as a syntax note, your lights are not in "series", they are parallel. The advice you got is rock solid.
And as a syntax note, your lights are not in "series", they are parallel. The advice you got is rock solid.
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What’s the difference in “series” and “parallel”? Several lights on a single circuit/switch is “parallel”? What does in “series” mean? What about outlets that get power from the outlet before it? Is that “parallel” also? Is in “series” even a thing?
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What’s the difference in “series” and “parallel”? Several lights on a single circuit/switch is “parallel”? What does in “series” mean? What about outlets that get power from the outlet before it? Is that “parallel” also? Is in “series” even a thing?
Here is a picture of series vs parallel wiring. When multiple lights or outlets are wired together on one switch or circuit, they are in parallel. People often call this a series, but that's incorrect terminology from an electrical point of view. Perhaps a "string" would be a better description.


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So. I run a UF wire (black and white) to the floodlight which has a black/white pigtail. I attach the 3 black wires (wire in, pigtail on light, and the wire out) together and the 3 white wires together. Then I run the UF wire to the next light and do the same. At the end the 1 black and 1 white (from UF wire) attaches to the last light. Is this in “series” or “parallel”? If I unscrew the middle bulb, the other two still work so I assume this is considered “parallel”. Is that correct?

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So. I run a UF wire (black and white) to the floodlight which has a black/white pigtail. I attach the 3 black wires (wire in, pigtail on light, and the wire out) together and the 3 white wires together. Then I run the UF wire to the next light and do the same. At the end the 1 black and 1 white (from UF wire) attaches to the last light. Is this in “series” or “parallel”? If I unscrew the middle bulb, the other two still work so I assume this is considered “parallel”. Is that correct?

Yes, that would be parallel.
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