Stainless steel question
- Thread starter dal
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If you’re going to bury it, definitely plastic. Stainless steel isn’t rust-proof, it just resists tarnishing (hence ‘stainless’).
I used to clean food factories and I saw plenty of rusty stainless steel. If you bury stainless it will rust away, especially if the soil pH is extreme (either acid or alkaline).
I used to clean food factories and I saw plenty of rusty stainless steel. If you bury stainless it will rust away, especially if the soil pH is extreme (either acid or alkaline).
This.
Absolutely this. Also, even if not burying it but it will be in contact with the ground use PVC and not any metal.
If the reason you wanted to use stainless was durability, then PVC would be a much better option. As noted above stainless will eventually rust/corrode, PVC will last until the Sun goes red giant and engulfs the earth! (for the most part...
)If the reason was aesthetic, it is possible to paint PVC. There are paints made specifically for plastic. It will require some prep work, sanding and cleaning with acetone, but all that is easily done and cheap to boot.
Ok, I think I have a full picture now. Don't think me rude, I'm trying to help you here. In the future it would serve you better to lay out specifically what you intend to accomplish and specifically how in your OP. TBH, It's been like pulling teeth to put this puzzle together.
I'm no expert on LED's but I do know they require a current to work. And if you're like the rest of us that means standard household current. Under the right circumstances it can, and has been, lethal.
It's a really bad idea to DIY an electrical project that you're going to bury in the ground, most especially if you have little to no understanding of electricity and construction techniques, using a metal conduit! (Please re-read that sentence.)
That said, I do think you can DIY this with a little research. The entire length of the run must be in a conduit, preferable PVC, or with an outdoor rated line. In addition the LED's must be rated for outdoor use. And the points at which they are exposed must be properly sealed. Anything short of that and you run the risk of a short circuit that may cause serious harm or death.
I'm American, I have no idea what the electrical codes are in the UK. But, I do know that they aren't significantly different from ours. Electricity is a well understood technology today. Best practices have long been established.