skip to main content

Electrical Wiring

need advice for outdoor mounting of boxes

10 years ago

I need to mount the outdoor box (pictured below) onto my vinyl siding (pictured below) for an electrical line.

I also need to mount the PVC pull elbow (pictured below sticking out of the mulch) for my sprinkler system wiring into my cinderblock wall which will connect in my basement.

I need to know from start to finish what I need to do for each of the two tasks. I can't find this information anywhere.

For the electrical box I will be drilling through my sill plate and right through the siding. Do I need to enlarge the hole from the outside? After running the wire through the hole in the wall and mounting the box, what do I use to seal the hole in the vinyl siding outside and how do I go about doing this?

For the PVC elbow, I need to rent a hammer drill to make a hole large enough (from the basement outwards) for the PVC to fit in. What should I use to weatherseal it from the outside and inside? I plan on putting an identical elbow inside the basement on the other side of the hole.

For the electrical box, I'm going to have a tough time finding a spot for the junction box in my basement near my sill plate. It doesn't have to be mounted right over the hole right? If not, what should I use to fill the hole in the sill plate after running the UF wire through to a suitable location for the indoor junction box?

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

njitgrad
Original Author
10 years ago
I just bought a product called duct seal. Its a moldable putty for sealing conduits. How do I effectively apply it?
njitgrad
Original Author
10 years ago
No takers?
Related Discussions
advice needed recessing surface mounted medicine cabinet
Q
Comments (4)
Just make sure you take into account how the door is hinged and what clearance it needs to open fully. Some cabinets designed for surface-mounting may not open properly when recessed.
...See More
Outdoor landscaping advice needed... Help
Q
Comments (6)
Buy a can of landscaping spray paint and spray a wide arc from the far edge of your patio back to the driveway. With the rigid lines of your house and drive the swoop of a rounded garden will act as a nice contrast. Dig out the turf and lay down top notch landscape fabric (not the big box store stuff that doesn’t last) using either wood chip or rock as your base. Arranged your chosen shrubs and trees (still in their pots and the right ones for your zone - which you haven’t mentioned) and plan out the best spots to dig them in (fall is best). Tried to find an inspo shot but this was as close as I could find. The Japanese Maple would go in place of the birch they planted in the example.
...See More
Outdoor wall paint + window and door awning advice needed
Q
Comments (0)
We're about to finish up our outdoor remodel. We are going to paint the bottom half of the wall and have custom window and door awnings made, plus a wall trellis with planter box in between the door and window. A few questions: 1. It is acceptable to paint only the wall facing the pool, and NOT continue the color around the side of the house, where the pool shed is located, which would then have to wrap around to the front of the house (a much larger paint project than we want right now)? I'm fairly certain I'm going to use Benjamin Moore Corriander (a darker color) for the wall to make an accent wall, so if we were to only paint the one wall, that would be the drastic color difference between the 2 walls (see the swatch taped to the wall's edge. 2. Any recommendations on the style of awnings we should have built? I've searched Houzz and unable to find any that are appealing to me, so seeking advice from the masses. Thank you!
...See More
1950s Outdoor Fireplace — need advice!
Q
Comments (1)
I think that's a great setup and something I'd love to have in my own yard. Of course it could be spruced up and used! If you aren't comfortable DIY you can hire a mason work or fireplace specialist to come take a look.
...See More
elltwo
10 years ago
Unless I'm missing something, I would make both holes through the sill, and the first cut I would make (after measuring about 5 times) would be with a knife through the siding from the outside, to make a round hole roughly the diameter of the pvc and to expose something firm and unshreddable in which to start a drill bit. (no need for a hammer drill here if the sill is wood.)

The box doesn't have to go right over the hole.

Work the duct seal in your hands to warm it up and make it softer, then apply it like modeling clay to seal the edges of the opening after the PVC is in place.
njitgrad
Original Author
10 years ago
Well, the thing is that I want to minimize the amount of PVC sticking out of and/or traversing the wall.

For the sprinkler wire, since it comes up from the ground, the shorter the height traveled up the wall, the better. Otherwise I have to run a conduit over the siding and that would be ugly. That is why I am considering drilling through the cinder block wall.

For the electrical outet, I really want to mount the box flush with the wall, right over the hole. I don't want any elbows or anything of the sort coming out of the hole and then eventually connecting to an outlet. I can't picture it any other way, unless someone can suggestion an alternative.
njitgrad
Original Author
10 years ago
Actually this example I found isn't too bad (the concept behind it, not the actually hardware used).
njitgrad
Original Author
10 years ago
I just came across a good set of instructions (see below), however the author did not seem concerned with filling the hole and only sealed the perimeter of the box with silicone. I would imagine that the hole should at least be filled from the inside, otherwise small insects could get in underneath the siding.

Here is a link that might be useful: Outdoor Electrical Outlet
whiterabbitttttt
10 years ago
Hello,

I make no comments about code. But in that link you supplied, that is very close to what I did. Only difference is I used a 2-gang box (same brand, same plastic cover box), and installed a timer in one side and then a GFCI plug on the other side (better safe than sorry). I also installed strain relief in the back of the box, incase someone in the crawlspace decides to yank on the wire for whatever reason. Just a simple romex clamp.

Great for Christmas lights.

I siliconed the heck out of the top and sides of the box as well as a smattering on the back of the box before putting in the screws during installation and was good to go.

My house is stucco though, so insect intrusion is not really a concern.

Good luck to you.

Related Stories

KITCHEN STORAGE Knife Shopping and Storage: Advice From a Kitchen Pro

By Tiffany Carboni

Get your kitchen holiday ready by choosing the right knives and storing them safely and efficiently

HEALTHY HOME How to Childproof Your Home: Expert Advice

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Safety strategies, Part 1: Get the lowdown from the pros on which areas of the home need locks, lids, gates and more

THE ART OF ARCHITECTURE Sound Advice for Designing a Home Music Studio

By Eric Reinholdt, Architect

How to unleash your inner guitar hero without antagonizing the neighbors

GARDENING GUIDES Build a Modern Window Planter Box

This simply designed, easy-to-construct and inexpensive DIY window box can give your home or shed just the right touch of color

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tours: Edith Wharton's The Mount

By Becky Harris

New Restoration Shows How the Famed Author Put Her Decorating Theories Into Practice

Guest Picks: Flat-Out-Gorgeous Flush Mounts

By Chris Loves Julia

Things are looking up for your ceiling, thanks to lighting fixtures that stay out of the way but stand out for their style

DECORATING GUIDES How to Save a Boring Box of a Room

By Samantha Schoech

Whip a ho-hum format and low ceilings into high-design shape with these ideas that offer a big new vision

DIY PROJECTS Neat Little Project: A Wooden Planter to Hang Anywhere

Dress up a drab wall or window with this planter box you make yourself. Or just set it on a patio for the easiest 'installation' of all

BEDROOMS 7 Ways to Make a Small Bedroom Look Bigger and Work Better

By The Inman Company

Max out on comfort and function in a mini space with built-ins, wall mounts and decorating tricks that fool the eye

FARM YOUR YARD How to Build a Raised Bed for Your Veggies and Plants

By Annie Thornton

Whether you’re farming your parking strip or beautifying your backyard, a planting box you make yourself can come in mighty handy

Sponsored

Peabody Landscape Group

8 Reviews

Franklin County's Reliable Landscape Design & Contracting

More Discussions

undercounter power strip and lighting

3

Does NEC require a DUPLEX receptacle in kitchen?

2

challenging lighting situation - under upper flight of stairs

13

Globe light fixtures in closets

3

I need a pop up outlet on my island, but they are HUGE!

6