Is PVC conduit suitable for outdoor above ground wiring?
Here’s an answer for you from an English electrician. Don’t use PVC conduit for outdoor wiring, or you will have to seal all the joints and boxes. You will be much better off using steel wire-armoured cable (or SWA), or alternatively Hituf cable. SWA is preferable as it can withstand impact damage. Both these cables require proper terminations at each end of the cable. If the terminations are outdoors (e.g. at an outdoor socket, or a fuse box close to a garage door) then for SWA you will need to use waterproof glands (also known as IP-rated or CW glands). If the terminations are indoors, then you need to use normal glands (known as BW glands). It is important to earth the steel armour at either end of the cable, using the banjo washer supplied with the gland kit. This needs to be connected to the same earth point as the earth conductor in the cable. When selecting your cable, check what load you need (e.g. 20A for sockets and lights) and make sure you use 3-core cable. Over any kind of
