Wires across sidewalk - Concealing

[TitanBry77]

Hey all,

I'm getting there slowly but surely. I have a handful of cord running across the sidewalk now, it's my sidewalk (not public) so I'm not worried on that end, but I would like to find a decent way to keep em tidy so the kids dont trip etc.

I zip tied them nicely and kind of staked them down at each edge of the sidewalk but they are loose on top of the walk.

I tried duct tape, no dice, it doesn't stick well. I thought put a decorative matt or something over it, but that doesn't stay in place well either.

May just be nature of the beast!

[JBullard]

Can't find the link at the moment, but there are "wire ramps" made just for that purpose.

[CKSedg]

We bought a metal archway (trellis). The wires go up and over instead of across the sidewalk. It stays in place all year and has vines growing on it in the summer. Works great and looks nice.

[Jim Saul]

You can use two 2x4s and put the wires between them, this is not perfect as someone can still trip on the 2x4 but they are a lot more likely to see them and step over them. you could even paint them yellow with black stripes if you really want them to get noticed.

[heystew]

these are not cheap, but work tremendously. If you can find a deal on them.. they are worth it.. only issue i've had is that if they get a little water under them.. and it freezes... then it can slide fairly easily.
I have several of the 5 channel cable protectors

http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/safety/parking-lot/cable-protectors/Guard-Dog-Protectors

[geronc]

Having done this exact same thing before, here is what I did. It even allows for a permanent solution. Take a piece of 3/4 or 1 in pvc, duck tape your water hose to one end of it and use it as a "borer" to go under the side walk. The water will push the dirt out of the way and you can really easily push it through. Once the pipe is through, you can then use it to step up to a larger size pvc. To make it even more permanent, install some in underground boxes and glue the pvc to the box. I'll see if i can find a video somewhere.

Found something like it.

[The Pest]

geronc. I have done this many times as well mostly for low-voltage Malibu lighting, it works well plus it gives you a easy way to avoid anyone from tripping and sueing ya. I also like the arch idea.
With running the pvc under the sidewalk if you choose if you also have CAT5 going out there for controlers you would ant to run a separate run for them.
It doesn't take much time to do this I went under a 2car wide drive way in about 30 minutes with 1/2" pvc.

Found this with quick search

geronc we found same one and posted at same time. guess there aren't may video's out there.

[rednosetbird]

The Pest wrote:

geronc. I have done this many times as well mostly for low-voltage Malibu lighting, it works well plus it gives you a easy way to avoid anyone from tripping and sueing ya. I also like the arch idea.
With running the pvc under the sidewalk if you choose if you also have CAT5 going out there for controlers you would ant to run a separate run for them.
It doesn't take much time to do this I went under a 2car wide drive way in about 30 minutes with 1/2" pvc.

Found this with quick search

That was a great link going to have to do this for next year!
TH


geronc we found same one and posted at same time. guess there aren't may video's out there.

[TJ Hvasta]

Hey Red, can you put your city/state in your profile?

[TitanBry77]

Awesome info here so far. I have a PVC pipe under my sidewalk that I did before it was poured and ran low voltage cable through it for landscape lighting. That was before I found this hobby lol if I had knew then I'd have put a 1" pipe or multiple as the existing are full.

But seeing the idea of tunneling under doesnt look too hard. Maybe for next season. Not sure about having time this season. The trellis idea is very cool too.

[TitanBry77]

I was just thinking about the hose method, do you let all the water drain out first? Is it ok to have the wires laying in water thats in the pipe?

[geronc]

TitanBry77 wrote:

I was just thinking about the hose method, do you let all the water drain out first? Is it ok to have the wires laying in water thats in the pipe?

It just depends. You can always put electrical tape over the end of the cable to seal it up before you push it through. I always drain it using an old food can.

Either way works.

[Guest guest]

TitanBry77 wrote:

Hey all,

I'm getting there slowly but surely. I have a handful of cord running across the sidewalk now, it's my sidewalk (not public) so I'm not worried on that end, but I would like to find a decent way to keep em tidy so the kids dont trip etc.

I zip tied them nicely and kind of staked them down at each edge of the sidewalk but they are loose on top of the walk.

I tried duct tape, no dice, it doesn't stick well. I thought put a decorative matt or something over it, but that doesn't stay in place well either.

May just be nature of the beast!

I'll tell you something that WILL stick, get some indoor/outdoor DOUBLE-SIDED Carpet tape. Place the tape around your matt or item you're going to use over the cords leaving a gap for the cords to pass by the tape.

Peel off the backing from the tape you just placed, press into place over your cords. The matt won't budge, the double-sided tape will hold it in place. I use this for our door mat at the back door, it has been rained on, a power scooter has driven over the mat many, many time and it still has not moved an inch from where I taped it down using this tape.

The brand I bought was called "Shurtape", has a blue backing on the exterior, is 2"wide and it has held my mats in place under high winds, flooding rains and just about everything else mother-nature could throw at it, as well as being walked over. This stuff is just about like superglue, once its set, IT IS SET and IT WON'T MOVE!

The dimensions of the tape I bought is 1.88"x75' (48mmx22.8m).

This stuff will hold mats and carpet down in hurricane winds! Believe it was purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. Just know it was one of the other, more than likely it was Lowes since I live right next door to one.

Hope this may give you another "cheaper" and very reliable way to cover your sidewalk cables!

[TitanBry77]

Thanks for that info, that may be just the ticket to get me through this season. I'm wondering though if it will come off though when I no longer need it.

[ShaggySS]

I actually took it a bit crazier than the average person and tunneled under my walkway and put a piece of 2.5 or 3 inch conduit it there. I put a sprinkler valve box over each side. http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-53211-Sprinkler-10-Inch-Circular/dp/B000P0MDAA

[geronc]

ShaggySS wrote:

I actually took it a bit crazier than the average person and tunneled under my walkway and put a piece of 2.5 or 3 inch conduit it there. I put a sprinkler valve box over each side. http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-53211-Sprinkler-10-Inch-Circular/dp/B000P0MDAA

That is what i'm talking about!!!!

[Guest guest]

TitanBry77 wrote:

Thanks for that info, that may be just the ticket to get me through this season. I'm wondering though if it will come off though when I no longer need it.

You just use a flat blade screw driver or some type of blunt, flat tool to start pulling it up from one corner and then just peel it up. When it comes up, you may have to get a brillo pad or some type of grit to get what little residue it may leave behind if any.

I had a mat taped down with this stuff for 2 years, never budged, when we moved, just pulled up one corner of the mat and peeled it off. Didn't even leave a bit of residue and this was on a coarse(NOT smooth), concrete type porch. I love this carpet tape, it has saved me a lot of time and issues when I just needed a temporary covering for cords or cables inside the house or outside across a sidewalk or driveway.

NOTE: If used on a painted surface, it may take some paint with it when pulled up, so if you're going to use it on a painted surface, have some matching touch up paint to repaint the area!

Most often, it just peels up clean from an UNPAINTED SURFACE, at least that has been my experience with it.

What's cool is you can use it on top of other carpet to hold things down like throw rugs so they don't move when vacuuming the house or folks walking over them won't trip over them or kick them up. I use this tape just about everywhere.

[TitanBry77]

ShaggySS wrote:

I actually took it a bit crazier than the average person and tunneled under my walkway and put a piece of 2.5 or 3 inch conduit it there. I put a sprinkler valve box over each side. http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-53211-Sprinkler-10-Inch-Circular/dp/B000P0MDAA

Wow, very nice! How did you get that large of a pipe under the walkway?

[TitanBry77]

Orville wrote:

TitanBry77 wrote:

Thanks for that info, that may be just the ticket to get me through this season. I'm wondering though if it will come off though when I no longer need it.

You just use a flat blade screw driver or some type of blunt, flat tool to start pulling it up from one corner and then just peel it up.  When it comes up, you may have to get a brillo pad or some type of grit to get what little residue it may leave behind if any.  

I had a mat taped down with this stuff for 2 years, never budged, when we moved, just pulled up one corner of the mat and peeled it off.  Didn't even leave a bit of residue and this was on a coarse(NOT smooth), concrete type porch.    I love this carpet tape, it has saved me a lot of time and issues when I just needed a temporary covering for cords or cables inside the house or outside across a sidewalk or driveway. 

NOTE: If used on a painted surface, it may take some paint with it when pulled up, so if you're going to use it on a painted surface, have some matching touch up paint to repaint the area!

Most often, it just peels up clean from an UNPAINTED SURFACE, at least that has been my experience with it.  

What's cool is you can use it on top of other carpet to hold things down like throw rugs so they don't move when vacuuming the house or folks walking over them won't trip over them or kick them up.   I use this tape just about everywhere.

 

Hmm, that was my concern, this is a stamped concrete walkway and I've already had an issue where I needed to touch up and it didn't go so well lol. I may try to get away with just a small piece on each edge, something along those lines.

[ShaggySS]

TitanBry77 wrote:

ShaggySS wrote:

I actually took it a bit crazier than the average person and tunneled under my walkway and put a piece of 2.5 or 3 inch conduit it there. I put a sprinkler valve box over each side. http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-53211-Sprinkler-10-Inch-Circular/dp/B000P0MDAA

Wow, very nice! How did you get that large of a pipe under the walkway?

very carefully! If you are interested in my crazy idea here is a tad more info. I used the gray electrical conduit which has some nice sweeping 90 degree turns so you can easily get wires though. As for getting the tube under my pathway I started with a full sized shovel and worked as far though as I could with that, then I moved into a smaller shovel and finally a trowel. I did take a hose and wet the ground down to make it easier to dig though but later on my buddy told me that they made special adapters for your hose to do all the hardwork for you. It uses water pressure to bore holes. Go figure. Once I got it large enough I took the conduit and a rubber mallet and started pounding it in. After I went a few inches I will pull it out clean the dirt out and go at it again. It took me about 3 hours to complete but its so clean.

The one concern I did have was water build up in the pipe. To minimize this I put the cover on it with some plastic but I know over time it will accumulate water so I found a small little pump from the aquarium store and the idea is to feed the tube down the conduit and plug it in for a few minutes at the beginning of the season and that should do the trick.