I've recently revamped my entire front yard and have taken out my old 30+ year line voltage landscape lighting. Now, I'm planning to switch to a low-voltage lighting system and need some advice on the best way to cap off, bury, or hide those old line voltage wires. What's the safest and most efficient method for doing this?
2 Answers
First off, it’s important to check if those old wires are in conduit or just buried. I generally recommend fully disconnecting them, especially if you don't plan on reusing them, since they can cause issues later. If they’re in conduit and you can access them, removing them completely would be best. Just be mindful of where the wires run, especially if they’re under structures that are hard to access.
Make sure you turn off the circuit breaker connected to the old lighting before doing anything! Once it’s off, disconnect the wires at both ends. A neat tip is to wrap the ends of the hot wires with electrical tape to cover them until you can fully remove them. It keeps everything safe and tidy while you work on your new setup.