Oops!!!

[CompactTractorFan]

Today my grandparents came over, so I was proudly was showing off the new BX25. I wanted to show them the backhoe, so my Dad said it was OK to dig in an near area near the garage that was dug up before. Well, after the second scoop I pulled up something that I thought was a vine. It was not; it was the electrical line that runs from the garage to our pond area... The good news is that I was not shocked and the line is not being used (we're going to remove the ponds). The reason it came up was because the previous owner buried it about 1"-2" with no conduit... It is amazing what some people will do...:confused2:

 

[Mousefield]

When I dig I hope the previous owners had buried a treasure and up it will come. So far no luck. Glad no damage was done and maybe you just helped the removal of the pond along.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I decided to start a whole thread about this stuff: The Dumb Things DIYers Do... - TractorByNet.com

 

[Lt CHEG]

Today while going some mowing on my land I broke a shear bolt on my brush hog when I hit a rock. I knew it had to be something big so I got out to take a look. I was quite surprised to find a big hunk of polished granite. It is just the same as a grave stone. It was oddly shaped and did not appear to have been an intact grave stone. Not only that but there was no mention of any graves on my property in the deed and this stone wasn't of the type that was used 100 years or more ago so there would have to have been a record of a grave on the land. Anyhow, it has got me curious and this story about the poorly buried cable reminded me of what appears to be just a poor dumping spot for a 75 pound block of stone.

 

[Thomas]

No body hurt or damages,than it was good dig..also start on your next project.

 

[Qapla]

I have dug up some interesting things over time. Some of this has been with a track hoe on the job.

Two of the best/worst things my friend (the one with the track hoe and the boss on the job) is the one who dug it up or hit it.

We were on a new condo project and the locates had been done. The spot he was digging was supposed to be clear. After a few minutes, he came over to me and the other worker with an odd look on his face. We asked what was up. He told us he had just dug up a fiber-optic trunk cable (on of those nice fat ones) and had ripped it up quite a bit.

Good for us they had mis-located it!

However, his all time best/worst one was when he was using a ride on chain trencher. This thing digs a 4" wide trench up to 2' deep. He hit a buried electric transmission line. It went off like an explosion. He yanked back on the control lever and dove off the machine. That was the only thing that ever damaged the super hard teeth on the machine.

He didn't know it at the time, but he had put an entire sub-station down killing the power for a large section of homes, businesses and data centers. In fact, the down sub-station made the news - though they didn't say what or who did it, just that a construction crew hit an underground cable. Again, this was a mis-locate. He was in the clear.

At least you did not have a live wire on your dig. And you are right, you never know what home owners do. That is why I always try to determine where a wire may be if I find a light or some other electrical device in the yard. (I helps when you have your own locator )

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I have dug up some interesting things over time. Some of this has been with a track hoe on the job.

Two of the best/worst things my friend (the one with the track hoe and the boss on the job) is the one who dug it up or hit it.

We were on a new condo project and the locates had been done. The spot he was digging was supposed to be clear. After a few minutes, he came over to me and the other worker with an odd look on his face. We asked what was up. He told us he had just dug up a fiber-optic trunk cable (on of those nice fat ones) and had ripped it up quite a bit.

Good for us they had mis-located it!

However, his all time best/worst one was when he was using a ride on chain trencher. This thing digs a 4" wide trench up to 2' deep. He hit a buried electric transmission line. It went off like an explosion. He yanked back on the control lever and dove off the machine. That was the only thing that ever damaged the super hard teeth on the machine.

He didn't know it at the time, but he had put an entire sub-station down killing the power for a large section of homes, businesses and data centers. In fact, the down sub-station made the news - though they didn't say what or who did it, just that a construction crew hit an underground cable. Again, this was a mis-locate. He was in the clear.

At least you did not have a live wire on your dig. And you are right, you never know what home owners do. That is why I always try to determine where a wire may be if I find a light or some other electrical device in the yard. (I helps when you have your own locator )

The wire was indeed live. My grandfather saw the flash.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

The engineers name for a backhoe is a "cable finder".

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Do they have clean undies in the tool boxes on those Cable finders Hitting a power line or gas line would be my biggest fear..

 

[Ford tractor]

I wanted to show them the backhoe, so my Dad said it was OK to dig in an near area near the garage that was dug up before. Well, after the second scoop I pulled up something that I thought was a vine. It was not;

Just remember that if you sever a utility YOU are responsible for the repair costs AND any related loss. Fiber optic cables can run several hundred thousand to over a million dollars in damage and loss.

Oh, and home owners insurance won't cover it if you didn't have a survey done first.