Conduit’s definitely a pain to run, but I almost always recommend it—even for short distances—just for peace of mind.
I’m with you on conduit being a hassle, but after dealing with a failed direct-bury run at my last place, I won’t skip it again. Had to dig up the whole thing just to swap out a chewed-up cable. For my current setup, I used a weatherproof box at the shed and packed the entry with silicone—no leaks so far, even through some heavy storms. Honestly, the extra effort upfront is worth not stressing every time it rains.
Totally get where you’re coming from—digging up a failed cable is the worst. I’ve seen too many projects where folks skipped conduit to “save time,” only to regret it later. Your setup sounds solid, especially with the weatherproof box and silicone. It’s a bit of hassle upfront, but you’re right, peace of mind during storms is worth every bit of effort. Sometimes the little details make all the difference in the long run.
- Really like your approach—weatherproofing is one of those things you only appreciate after the first big storm rolls through.
- I learned the hard way with a quick-and-dirty job at my last place. Thought I'd just bury the cable and wrap it in plastic... ended up redoing it all six months later.
- The extra effort upfront is a pain, but being able to forget about it when it rains? Worth every minute.
- Little details, like you said, really do add up. Peace of mind beats another Saturday spent with a shovel.
- I get the appeal of going all-in on weatherproofing, but honestly, sometimes the “overkill” approach can be a bit much. I ran outdoor-rated ethernet just through some conduit and called it good—three years, zero issues, and I live where it rains sideways half the year.
- Not saying skip the details, but sometimes a solid, simple install holds up just fine. Guess it depends how much you trust your materials... or how much you hate digging.
- That said, I do get the peace of mind thing. Nothing worse than troubleshooting in a downpour.
sometimes the “overkill” approach can be a bit much. I ran outdoor-rated ethernet just through some conduit and called it good—three years, zero issues, and I live where it rains sideways half the year.
- Right there with you on keeping it simple. I did the same—buried some conduit, used outdoor cable, and honestly, it’s been rock solid.
- Overkill is tempting when you’re staring at the forecast, but sometimes you just gotta trust the gear and get back inside before the next cloudburst.
- That said, I’ve seen a squirrel chew through a buddy’s cable once... so maybe a little paranoia isn’t all bad.
