I Hate these things
 

I've had to dig up two in the past year. Both times required renting a Terra-Mite and ripping up my lawn and cost $300 before I was through.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301923545.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301923558.jpg

My electrician says they work if installed properly, but they look pretty shaky to me. When I have to make an underground splice I use a 1/2 or 3/4 C-box, run the wires through the holes, twist and solder the copper, and screw a wire nut on it. Then stuff the wires back in the box, tape the ends, and pour liquid epoxy in it. It's cheaper than these commercial connectors and more foolproof.

I've never run into that before. I assume that's for power? They definitely aren't pretty.

Sorry. Yes, underground splice for electrical cable. This one was powering two 40 watt light bulbs. It couldn't handle 3/4 of an amp.

Thats a pretty cheesy underground splice... There are definitely better ones out there....

I bought low voltage lamps (bulbs) that screw into the normal socket and converted all buried wire to 12v.

Ummmm..... Are underground splices allowed unnder the NEC? If so, then they are the only splices of which I am aware that are allowed to be essentially inaccessible. And even if they are allowed, unless you're burying 300 feet of cable, then why have a splice? It seems to me the proper installation would be either an unspliced run of direct-burial cable......or a conduit system with we-rated cable.

I don't mean to sound whiny here, but I've just known a lot of electricians and electrical inspectors, and underground splices just seem way more hokey than the methods they tend to require.

Underground splices are allowable by NEC. I would bet though, if it's new construction with an open trench, the local inspector wouldn't let you use one just because you didn't have a long enough piece of wire on hand. ie don't use it without a VERY good reason.
In my case, because of the location of the splice, I suspect the it was there because 20 years ago the guys digging for the downspout drain cut the wire to the driveway lights and didn't want to dig a 75 foot trench and bury a whole new wire.

I'd buy that reasoning.

Supe, maybe I am not reading your post right, but just to make sure, no splices inside a conduit. If it's that long, bring it up to a pull box and go back down.

Agreed. Those are the only two allowable underground cabling methods I know. Direct burial cable.....or conduit using wet-rated cable. I'd be stunned if someone credibly posted here or anywhere suggesting that plain ol' NM Romex can go underground. It is not rated for wet locations, AFAIK.

And no splices in conduit, of course. Until today, I did not know that any splice was allowed outside an accessible box.

from the picture it looks like the installer "ringed" the conductor (black) when he was stripping the insulation. when you put a ring in a conductor it creates a hot spot where conductors are prone to breaking. properly installed, the ug splice kit you see will survive the life of the wire. the wire you see isn't regular romex but a solid core type called uf, made for direct burial

I would think if you double up on shrink tube it would be fine !!!
From the photo only one was used!!