For a few years now I have put up Christmas lights on our front yard tree, along with the house. Now I want to try to put them up on our other front tree, which is on the other side of the house and across the sidewalk. Does anyone have experience running a power cord under the sidewalk so I can connect the lights? I'm thinking either a PVC or galvanized pipe that I can permanently keep there. Just not sure the best way to dig under the sidewalk to install the pipe. I also wonder how many roots from this tree might be there under the sidewalk....
Installing Christmas lights
- Thread starter HardcoreClone
- Start date
Not sure where you live but you may have to check with your local ordinances/codes to see if you can do that or not.
That's a good point, hadn't thought about that. I live in city of DSM. I've just been worried about calling 811 to mark the utility lines.
Yeah I'm not sure what the rules in DSM area. 811 for sure is something you'd want to do.
OP's username checks out. No way I would go to that much work.
I'd throw an extension chord across the sidewalk with some duct tape or find two sidewalk panels with a gap between to slide it between. I'm all about cutting corners.
I'm trying to avoid that. Don't have expansion cracks big enough to fit a cord. I don't want the cord laying across the sidewalk as a trip hazard or when shoveling/snowblowing begins.
If it is permitted in your city, here is a good permanent solution:
How do i run electrical cord or extension across my sidewalk
Would like to add christmas lights to two trees that are across my sidewalk into the front most part of my lawn. I dont want to use tape! Can anyone provide images or simple steps to do this?
diy.stackexchange.com
"Obtain some Rigid conduit, which threads like pipe. Note, it threads like pipe, so you can attach water hose adapters.
Dig holes in the right places and hydraulically drive the Rigid conduit under the sidewalk. You can trench and continue the Rigid conduit up toward the house if you want to, depth must be at least 6". Stop somewhere short of the house. This won't be going inside.
At both ends of the conduit, terminate them in a type of junction box designed to sit flush on a lawn and be run over by mowers without incident. Pull or push through white, black and green #12 THWN wire.
In the box nearer the house, fit an inlet. This is a reverse socket that takes the non-prongy end of an extension cord.
In the other box, fit a normal outlet. A GFCI+receptacle combo device here is not required nor recommended.
This thing is just a jumper. It's not officially part of your house wiring and is not energized unless you plug an extension cord into the inlet. As such it won't need the full monty permitting and inspection, and you won't need to alter your house wiring at all or work near anything hot.
Now on the far side of your sidewalk, you have really great power. With great power comes great responsibility. Feed this rig from a GFCI protected circuit."
Just buy a masonry blade for a circular saw and make one big enough. Seems easier than the other options.
Can't you find some battery powered or solar lights if you're just talking about one tree?
Or just run a cord from your neighbor's house so it doesn't cross your sidewalk. You save a bundle in electricity this way, too.
Or just run a cord from your neighbor's house so it doesn't cross your sidewalk. You save a bundle in electricity this way, too.
Thanks for the suggestions. The tree is in the right-of-way area, so connecting to the neighbor's house wouldn't solve the issue of dealing with the sidewalk.
I've never heard of solar Christmas lights, but I could look into battery powered.
Masonry blade on the sidewalk crack isn't a bad idea, but I would still prefer keep the extension cord buried under the sidewalk/grass, than being potentially exposed on top of the sidewalk.
I've never heard of solar Christmas lights, but I could look into battery powered.
Masonry blade on the sidewalk crack isn't a bad idea, but I would still prefer keep the extension cord buried under the sidewalk/grass, than being potentially exposed on top of the sidewalk.
No outlets on the other side of the house or anywhere else where you can avoid this? Can you buy more extension cords and go around the house the other way to avoid the sidewalk?
If not I’d put a welcome mat in front of the door and have the cord cross the sidewalk and go under the welcome mat.
Edit: just read where it is crossing the sidewalk into the right of way. With that being the case I just don’t think I’d mess with doing the lights on that tree at all.
Agree with this. A 6 dollar blade on a circular saw and 2 minutes of your time.
If you’re worried about the cord still being exposed, fill the top of it with caulk.
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That's pretty well my Christmas light motto. Looks nice at night, and like a total cluster **** during the day.
Put up a lighted Christmas decoration over your sidewalk that looks like an archway and then run the extention over the archway. Double win. More lights in your front yard and no extention cord on or under your sidewalk.
I did a similar thing a while ago with satellite dish coax. Dish was out by road and not on the house.
Dig a hole on either side of the sidewalk. One side will be more like a trench. doesn't have to be very deep.
Get a piece of galvanized pipe the length to match the sidewalk, or pretty close. Thread one end and put a cap on it. Get someone to align it in the trench (holding it). The capped end goes forward so the dirt doesn't plug the pipe. You drive it through the ground under the sidewalk with a large mallet. Works best when the ground is wet. It drove straight through for us. Then unscrew the capped end and you can thread the cord through.
Was surprised how well it worked.
(If you don't have the ability to thread and cap the leading end probably some well placed duct tape will do the same)
Dig a hole on either side of the sidewalk. One side will be more like a trench. doesn't have to be very deep.
Get a piece of galvanized pipe the length to match the sidewalk, or pretty close. Thread one end and put a cap on it. Get someone to align it in the trench (holding it). The capped end goes forward so the dirt doesn't plug the pipe. You drive it through the ground under the sidewalk with a large mallet. Works best when the ground is wet. It drove straight through for us. Then unscrew the capped end and you can thread the cord through.
Was surprised how well it worked.
(If you don't have the ability to thread and cap the leading end probably some well placed duct tape will do the same)
