Breaking in my new toys... from Yeehaw! to Uh oh!
- Thread starter Spiveyman
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getindirty
Member
Just plug it in. I have cords all over the yard for Christmas. Never a problem. Snow and freezing rain never caused the GFI to trip. I would keep it off the ground if possible, but that would be it.
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Spiveyman
Platinum Member
john_bud said:
Yeah, this will definitely affect my future purchasing decisions. I planned to order a back hoe for my tractor through this dealer, but now I'm not sure. I'm not sure where else I'd get it. I can't haul my tractor, and these guys will come get it for free, so that is nice. I guess there are trade off's.
getindirty said:
Howdy, welcome to TBN. I appreciate your input. I'm surprised though. Well... come to think of it, I do the same thing...
I guess I'm thinking the heater is going to be pulling way more amps than the Christmas lights. I know that water doesn't conduct electricity, maybe the rain is pure enough that it won't cause a problem, but it sure seems like there's a good chance something will go wrong. I stopped by Lowe's last night and bought some stuff that I am going to rig up. May be overkill, but afterall, this is America, right? 
putt_putt_green
Silver Member
I took my toothbar off. I am doing some cement work, and am using the bucket to carry supplys (sand, bags of portland cement, and gravel). I thought my chances of impaling myself were lower with the toothbar off and its a lot easier to take the bags of cement on/off without the toothbar on. It'll be going back on after this project.
I figure I have another 150 pounds of lift capability without the toothbar on. That thing is heavy.
I figure I have another 150 pounds of lift capability without the toothbar on. That thing is heavy.
BTDT
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Not tractor related, but anyone know a good way to keep an extension cord connection dry outside?
How about a piece of pvc, slipped over one cord, then plug in other cord, slide pvc over connection, fill with some of that expandable foam spray. That may be a little too permanent for you.
How about a piece of pvc, slipped over one cord, then plug in other cord, slide pvc over connection, fill with some of that expandable foam spray. That may be a little too permanent for you.
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Spiveyman
Platinum Member
BTDT, I was thinking of something very similar to that, although hadn't thought about the foam stuff. I bought a PVC junction box, one side screws on with an O-ring, has two holes for piping. I got 90° bend PVC pipes wide enough to get the extension cord plug through (1 ¼"). I planned to mount the box with the lid facing up, and align the piping so that the openings face down wards. I guess I'll bury the cord up to the point where the junction will be, then have that contraption sticking out of the ground. Might look goofy, but should stay dry. I don't have anything to cut the trench... maybe I can take the other scarifers out of my BB and just rip with one of them. (To keep it tractor related ).
Also thinking about burying the water hose to help with freezing issues this winter. I got a couple extra pieces of that PVC thinking I could run the end of the water hose up out of the ground through them to the watering trough. That would also protect them from gnawing cattle. That's where I was thinking about using the foam to insulate in that pipe above ground. I have no idea if that would even help. Guess I'll try it and find out.
).Also thinking about burying the water hose to help with freezing issues this winter. I got a couple extra pieces of that PVC thinking I could run the end of the water hose up out of the ground through them to the watering trough. That would also protect them from gnawing cattle. That's where I was thinking about using the foam to insulate in that pipe above ground. I have no idea if that would even help. Guess I'll try it and find out.
scott_vt
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BTDT said:
Mornin Michael,
Ive had good luck just wrapping the connection joint with a good quality electrical tape ! Probablly wouldnt work if it was underwater but for rain and snow it seems to work fine for me !
sandman2234
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First, if you going to go thru the trouble to bury it, go ahead and buy some direct burial cable rated for the load your going to put on it. If direct burial cable is too much money, then price the plastic version of PVC for electrical use and put that in the ground. I know you want to save money, but buried extension cords aren't going to last and will end up giving you headaches in the long run.
As far as using the tractor to put in into the ground, I would try a middle buster, but remove the foot and put a smaller one on it, so your cutting a narrower trench. Be careful of the depth you try to go, as those cheap middlebusters won't handle what your tractor has for HORSEPOWER!! If you need it deeper, make several passes at it. My JD has less HP than your Ford and you should see what I just did to my boxblade! (On the dirt road doing free work)
On the individual teeth of the toothbar, what happens when you want to "push" on a stump that you have dug almost completely out, and it is only as wide as one tooth? It isn't just lifting with one tooth, pushing on something like a post or tree also comes into play.Removing all but two of the teeth (leave one on each side) will allow you to ride around in the pasture and feel at home with the cows since they will think your just another typical blue balled bull, making noise and tearing up the grass.
David from jax
As far as using the tractor to put in into the ground, I would try a middle buster, but remove the foot and put a smaller one on it, so your cutting a narrower trench. Be careful of the depth you try to go, as those cheap middlebusters won't handle what your tractor has for HORSEPOWER!! If you need it deeper, make several passes at it. My JD has less HP than your Ford and you should see what I just did to my boxblade! (On the dirt road doing free work)
On the individual teeth of the toothbar, what happens when you want to "push" on a stump that you have dug almost completely out, and it is only as wide as one tooth? It isn't just lifting with one tooth, pushing on something like a post or tree also comes into play.Removing all but two of the teeth (leave one on each side) will allow you to ride around in the pasture and feel at home with the cows since they will think your just another typical blue balled bull, making noise and tearing up the grass.
David from jax
OP
Spiveyman
Platinum Member
Scott: Electrical tape... considered that... It would be cheaper... require less effort for sure... would probably work... especially since others have said just plug it in and forget it, it works for Christmas lights... hmmmm.
Since I bought the junction box and pipes, I kind of want to use them. It's kind of the principle of wanting to "build" something that will serve the purpose I need. Sure it may be overkill, but if something's worth doing, it's worth over-doing. The box and 2 pipes only cost about $7.50. I brought left overs for lunch all week, so I figure I saved that much in lunch money.
Sandman: I talked to the guy at Lowes the other night, he showed me the "bulk" cabling, although he never mentioned direct burial cable. I explained what it was for, and the gauge/amps I wanted. They have a heavy duty outdoor extension cord that was cheaper than the bulk stuff. He suggested I buy a couple of them, cut the plugs off and hard wire them together to get the 150 feet, but never suggested that the wire wouldn't be sturdy enough for burial. Why would the direct burial cable hold up better than an "outdoor heavy duty" extension cord?
I would love to use a middle buster, but I don't have one. That's why I was going to improvise with the BB, however the scarifers don't really go that deep. Probably be some elbow grease in there as well.
Hadn't thought about the pushing side of things with the FEL. I guess I could remove enough teeth to push with the edge of the bucket if I had to. It is funny your comment about the cattle thinking I'm another bull. I don't know what it is about animals and vehicles. I can drive right up on my cattle, or deer, or other varmits in my tractor, but step of that thing and they take off. It's like you don't count as long as your on a vehicle.
Since I bought the junction box and pipes, I kind of want to use them. It's kind of the principle of wanting to "build" something that will serve the purpose I need. Sure it may be overkill, but if something's worth doing, it's worth over-doing.
The box and 2 pipes only cost about $7.50. I brought left overs for lunch all week, so I figure I saved that much in lunch money. Sandman: I talked to the guy at Lowes the other night, he showed me the "bulk" cabling, although he never mentioned direct burial cable. I explained what it was for, and the gauge/amps I wanted. They have a heavy duty outdoor extension cord that was cheaper than the bulk stuff. He suggested I buy a couple of them, cut the plugs off and hard wire them together to get the 150 feet, but never suggested that the wire wouldn't be sturdy enough for burial. Why would the direct burial cable hold up better than an "outdoor heavy duty" extension cord?
I would love to use a middle buster, but I don't have one. That's why I was going to improvise with the BB, however the scarifers don't really go that deep. Probably be some elbow grease in there as well.
Hadn't thought about the pushing side of things with the FEL. I guess I could remove enough teeth to push with the edge of the bucket if I had to. It is funny your comment about the cattle thinking I'm another bull. I don't know what it is about animals and vehicles. I can drive right up on my cattle, or deer, or other varmits in my tractor, but step of that thing and they take off. It's like you don't count as long as your on a vehicle.
BTDT said:
I like to decorate a bit at christmas with lights and electricity
It is a bit more tricky in the UK (we are talking twice the voltage) but I think that a lot of the other decorators who are on the net from the USA have decided that it is best not to try to keep water out of the connections but to let it get out again.
Many put the connection on a small stake with just a food bag over the top and a cable tie loosely around the bottom of it.
The reason behind this is that however tightly you wrap the connection in tape, water will get in there. Fact!
But, if it is really tightly wrapped, the water can't get out again so there is a short circuit and everything goes off
But if you just cover it over loosely it might get a bit wet but it will soon dry out again and there will be no short circuit so the lights will soon be back on.
Also, if it is all wrapped up and then the lights go off, it is hard to find where the problem is. But if it is just suspended bags, there is no problem.
One thing to mention with this is that you want to make sure you have trips on anything tempoary outdoors.
