From: no@never.com   
      
   On Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:52:05 -0500, "(PeteCresswell)"    
   wrote:   
      
   >6) Bury the Cat5e and whatever the electrical guy specs   
   >   for the 120v in 2" PVC pipe (or whatever is acceptable   
   >   to him) leaving a few pull strings against future bright   
   >   ideas from Yours Truly.   
   >   
   >   Use a DitchWitch, try for 18" deep and settle for 6"   
   >   if necessary (we are on a shale ridge)   
   >----------------------------------------------------------   
   >   
   >Anybody see any problems there?   
      
   Yeah, I see several.  The material costs are going to be high compared   
   to alternatives.  And there is a huge amount of labor involved even if   
   you do rent a DitchWitch.   
      
   If you run conduit, you must include a pull box about every 50 feet.   
   Otherwise you won't be able to pull the cable in.   
      
   It's against Code and good practice to run signal and power leads in   
   the same conduit or even next to each other because of the potential   
   for cross-talk.   
      
   You didn't say how far away this shed is but assuming it's less than   
   about 1000 feet, here's what I'd do.  I use 10 gauge type UF (direct   
   burial) cable for 120 volt power.  If it's over 500 feet move up to 8   
   gauge.  This stuff requires no conduit and if you get the type with an   
   optional UV rating, can be run overhead.   
      
   If the shed is not too far away and is direct line of sight (no trees   
   or other obstacles), I'd consider overhead.   
      
   If you want to go underground, rent a slit trencher.  Instead of   
   digging a ditch (which requires filling in - more labor), a slit   
   trencher has a large vibrating blade extending down into the ground.   
   It slits and spreads the dirt a couple of inches.  The spool of wire   
   rides on the trencher.  A feeder tube feeds the wire into the newly   
   opened trench.  As the machine passes by, the compressed earth swells   
   back into place, covering the cable and leaving almost no signs on the   
   surface.   
      
   The blade can cut roots and either break or move aside rocks.  About   
   the only thing that will stop it is solid stone and very hard things   
   like steel pipe.  That's a good thing - you don't want to cut your   
   water or natural gas pipe!   
      
   Now you have 120 volts at the shed for your light and a few outlets   
   which are always handy to have around.  For the video, get an   
   ethernet-enabled camera and route the signal back to your house using   
   a pair of WiFi nodes set up peer-to-peer.  Old, slow WiFi units are a   
   dime a dozen but still plenty fast enough for this application.   
      
   One last thing.  Call the local "Call before You Dig" number and have   
   your property mapped for existing underground  utilities.  This is a   
   free service, paid for by the utilities, and relieves you of any   
   liability if you cut into an un-mapped underground service.   
      
   Many areas of the country have implemented "811" as the number to call   
   for this service.  If yours hasn't, go here:   
      
   http://www.callbeforeyoudig.org/   
      
   to find out the proper number for your area.   
      
   John   
      
   John DeArmond   
   http://www.neon-john.com   
   Tellico Plains, Occupied TN   
   See website for email address   
   Feed by Giganews   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)