External Wire Question

[MarkSLSmith]

Folks,

When I moved into the house 30 some odd years ago, I had one 20A circuit in the garage.  Since then, I've added an additional 100A in the form of 2 x 20A independent circuits and a 60A subpanel.  

Recently, when removing some old decking next to the garage, I observed the following situation (see picture). I have a sneaking suspicion that this is the original 20A circuit, buried underground until it enters the garage as you see in the picture.  I don't know of any other outside fixtures that might use the wire, although it is conceivable that one used to exist before I moved in.  The garage is attached to the house (and hence the main panel) by a breezeway, and if I had built the house I would have run the garage circuit through this breezeway (ie through the house attic) rather than bury it underground. 

Is this likely to be the original circuit?  Is there an easy way to tell?  (I have electrical testers, but nothing with a clamp on feature).

If you were me, what, if anything, would you do about this situation?  Is there some sort of simple conduit retrofit that I could install?

Thanks,
Mark  

[attachment=31031]

[Roly]

Folks,

When I moved into the house 30 some odd years ago, I had one 20A circuit in the garage.  Since then, I've added an additional 100A in the form of 2 x 20A independent circuits and a 60A subpanel.  

Recently, when removing some old decking next to the garage, I observed the following situation (see picture). I have a sneaking suspicion that this is the original 20A circuit, buried underground until it enters the garage as you see in the picture.  I don't know of any other outside fixtures that might use the wire, although it is conceivable that one used to exist before I moved in.  The garage is attached to the house (and hence the main panel) by a breezeway, and if I had built the house I would have run the garage circuit through this breezeway (ie through the house attic) rather than bury it underground. 

Is this likely to be the original circuit?  Is there an easy way to tell?  (I have electrical testers, but nothing with a clamp on feature).

If you were me, what, if anything, would you do about this situation?  Is there some sort of simple conduit retrofit that I could install?

Thanks,
Mark  

Can you see where it is running from inside the house ?    Can you see it inside the garage ?  if so is it the same type of wire ?  Can you test the ends ?  A non contact voltage MAY tell you if it is energized.   A clamp on meter would not work unless you separate the conductors and then only if it is under load.   The wire does not look to be normal wire used for underground. Roly

[MarkSLSmith]

Can you see where it is running from inside the house ?    Can you see it inside the garage ?  if so is it the same type of wire ?  Can you test the ends ?  A non contact voltage MAY tell you if it is energized.   A clamp on meter would not work unless you separate the conductors and then only if it is under load.   The wire does not look to be normal wire used for underground.    Roly

The inside of the garage is finished, so it would be hard to trace without ripping out some inside wall.

Mark

[MarkSLSmith]

The inside of the garage is finished, so it would be hard to trace without ripping out some inside wall.

Mark

The subpanel is only about 3 years old, so the wire predates it by decades.

Mark

[TDKPE]

It looks round - could be a grounding electrode conductor, if there’s a separate ground rod(s) there.  Since it’s just one building due to the breezeway structure, there doesn’t need to be another electrode, but it might be one anyway.  Can’t tell how heavy it is though.  Is the sub panel near there?

Could be OTA or cable TV coax, which is also round of course.  

That’s all I’ve got.  

[Stwood_]

Round...looks like TV cable or antenna cable.
Round electrical is usually automotive wire.

[Roly]

Round...looks like TV cable or antenna cable.
Round electrical is usually automotive wire.

Round can also be old three conductor cable.    Strip the outer jacket and  see what is inside.  Roly

[EdL]

Pull the cover on the main panel, look for the wire there.

Ed