Can M16878/4 / M22759/11 wire be burried underground?

Hello,
I’ve tried searching online without success. The wire in question is PTFE insulation. My question is really simple, can wire rated as M16878/4 / M22759/11 be buried underground?

Thanks!

The short answer is - it’s not rated for it, so no.

The longer answer is that it’s waterproof, but burial rating is about a lot more than waterproof. Burial implies a range of soil types with a range of Ph, rockiness and abrasiveness. Teflon is pretty soft, so a sharp rock will penetrate it over time as the teflon flows. Then there are rodents and other threats. The underlying wire structure is also not designed to resist pressure “squashing.” So still no for any formal application.

If you want to run an underground connection to your Gazebo, sure. Just be aware it’s likely to fail as some point in the future over a period measure in days to years. Don’t run unprotected voltage or current through it.

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In Australia, we’d have to provide physical protection with a conduit. Then the cable isn’t underground, it’s in a structure. :grin:

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If you are in the US, the cable must be rated USE (Underground Service Entry) or UF (Underground Feeder) unless it is in a conduit.

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It’s not cable, it’s single conductor hookup wire, #10 to #32 AWG. So much more delicate.

Heh. Terminology differs across our community. I used to work for a cabling contractor. We had these arguments in the office kitchen. A cable is assembly of one or more wires which may be insulated (Wikipedia). Even an uninsulated earthing wire qualifies as a cable.

I’d be comfortable burying #32 AWG wire in quartz sand. Exactly how long the insulation lasts would be an interesting question with many variables.

As would I - for a home project, but not for a customer.