Can the Brotek Ripper be used efficiently to dig trench for low voltage wire?

[Tom_H]

The OP put "low votage" in the title. If this isn't true, then he should say so... and plan depth of burial/sheathing accordingly.

That confused me a bit too, I was not aware of any direct-wired gate openers being low voltage. It would simplify a lot of things though. It'd make it safe and simple to use the subsoiler with wire auto-feed device for shallow burial w/o conduit or risk. Wonder if the low voltage current feeds a trickle charger to a battery?

 

[bx24]

I would (and plan to) build something like this (sorry to whom ever I borrowed these pics from!)

 

[bx24]

With 110 or 220, I personally would go a min. of 4' deep in conduit with warning ribbon at the appropriate level above that, which would mean using a rotary or ditch witch (looks like a giant chain saw) style trencher or a backhoe. But that's just me; I prefer to reduce the chance that someone will someday stomp a shovel into a buried wire and get electrocuted.

Don't worry too much about the depth even if it is "line voltage (120/240). Just make sure to have the right size circuit breaker. It would probably not be a bad idea to choose a GFCI breaker for added protection. The standard depth for the power companies is 36". I used to be a lineman and I had to dig around this stuff all the time. The first time I hit a house service (200amp 240 volt) I put on my hard hat, safety glasses, rubber boots and lineman's gloves rated to 20,000 volts). When the power repairman came out, he had tennis shoes on and asked me if it was still "hot". I said I did not know so he grabbed my shovel to pick at it until he got a spark and said yes it was. He then asked me what I was all dressed up for. I would advise everyone to be careful around power, but also know that the only place it wants to go is to ground. So long as your body is not acting as a fuse you will be OK. Again, always respect it but I would not worry so long as it is at least 6"-12" down. More and deeper is always better and if you want added protection, bury a piece of PEX or other flexible pipe or conduit and run the wires inside it.

One last thing, I still laugh with my old crew about the first time we hit power, but there was another time where we tore the sheath off a 3-phase 12,000 volt tri-plex cable with a backhoe. You never so 4 guys so scared with green flames the size of a backyard shed coming out of the hole along with the loudest bvwvwvwvwvwvwvwv noise (the power never tripped and the power was "vaporizing" the dirt). That particular cable was only a foot down so always call for locates to be sure (that cable was unfortunately not on their records)

Do some research and take precautions and things should work out OK (just make sure you put the right size breaker on it!)

 

[KeithInSpace]

bvwvwvwvwvwvwvwv

I've never seen that sound described in letters. I've been laughing for 5 minutes now...

Of course, you can tell all this to my septic pump guy that ran 220V/40A wire, direct bury, no tape, no nothin', to my ejector pump.

My sprinkler guys severed it twice. Turned out it was buried about 3" or 4" down. Yes, I mean inches.

Didn't realize it for 3 months. Found the problem on Chrismas Eve. Party on...and a little bit stinky.

It is now in 2" grey conduit buried 2 feet in the ground. No fear of ever hitting it. On the property, 4 feet seems excessive. Depends on the situation, though.

 

[montelatici]

It's a Mighty Mule opener, it is 12 volt DC wire that has to be run. I didn't realize that some gate openers were also 110 VAC.

 

[montelatici]

BTW this "subsoiler" thing from Northern Tool looks like a plow I have already. The plow I have makes a bigger mess than my backhoe. I am trying to limit damage, that's why I thought of the rather slim ripper from Brotec.

 

[bx24]

I've never seen that sound described in letters. I've been laughing for 5 minutes now...

Thats the only way I could figure out how to describe it and it was LOUD. It sounded just like the lightning bolts when the Terminator and his enemy T2 counterpart came back in time in those energy balls. The funniest thing was that after 5 minutes, the burning stopped. We figured it had finally tripped the fuses in the transformer, so we all walked back (we initially ran about 200ft away) calling each other "wosses" for being so scared. When we finally got back to the pit, another clod of dirt fell on the cable and the whole thing started all over again. You can only imagine how hard it is to run after you have sh-- your pants twice in 10 minutes. I still have the piece we hit on my desk at work. Each of the three conductors where made from about 1.5" of aluminum with 2 layers of 3/8" armor then wrapped in a copper winding.

Still brings back a smile to my face 15 years later .....

 

[texasjohn]

montelatici, if you already have an implement that digs into the ground... why not remove the what I assume are large sweeps and install a chizel point only... and remove all shafts but one.... that's how I made my "subsoiler"

Tractor Supply has numerous points... you should be able to find one that has holes that will fit your shank.

 

[SCRich]

It's a Mighty Mule opener, it is 12 volt DC wire that has to be run. I didn't realize that some gate openers were also 110 VAC.

The 12v is to charge the battery that powers the Mighty Mule. Have you read the instructions for installation? I have looked at the openers since I will be installing one soon and they have several versions. A 12v lead will only travel a small distance before droping in voltage way too much to be usefull.

The gauge of the wire will play very much in how much the voltage drop is but if you are talking about trenching with a tractor and not with a pick axe I think you are going way too far. When I did radio installs in police cars and fire trucks we would actually have to bump up the wire gauge depending if the radio was front mount or trunk mount, that is how critical voltage drop is vs. distance.

Some Mighty Mule's are also 110v with a 12v backup but in that case you run 110v to the opener area then run a SHORT wire from the controller/charger to wherever you have the 12v battery stored.

 

[SCRich]

I've never seen that sound described in letters. I've been laughing for 5 minutes now...
Of course, you can tell all this to my septic pump guy that ran 220V/40A wire, direct bury, no tape, no nothin', to my ejector pump.
My sprinkler guys severed it twice. Turned out it was buried about 3" or 4" down. Yes, I mean inches.
Didn't realize it for 3 months. Found the problem on Chrismas Eve. Party on...and a little bit stinky.
It is now in 2" grey conduit buried 2 feet in the ground. No fear of ever hitting it. On the property, 4 feet seems excessive. Depends on the situation, though.

I feel your pain brother! Try the day before this past Thanksgiving but I knew when it happened. The septic guy here does not do electrical so it was the electricians. 1st my grading guy cut 110v with his skid steer when he was just about to finish up, right at Sundown. He called me and I came home and wired it up using tape and wire nuts using the lights off his steer and my ATV. The electricians thought that 4-5 inches was enough and did not even flag it!!! All he was trying to do was give me a smooth seed bed, no real digging. I threatened to have the electrical re-inspected by the county since they were still 2-3 days away from having the final inspection, the were out there the next morning and even put some PVC in at several spots I guess for the inspector to verify depth but yet be able to backfill ASAP.

Then on the day before Thanksgiving the tank alarm went off and I verified voltage at the JB above the tank. Apparently the stupid electricians when they dropped the wires into the tank to reach the pump they wraped it around the float arm, keeping the pump from turning on. Thanfully the septic guy came right out that evening and found the screwup. If you want the job done right I guess you just got to learn how to do it and do it yourself!