ethernet/coax cable plow

[treich]

Hi Guys
I am new here and I am just wondering if anybody had any helpful information on how to make an ethernet/coax cable plow for like riding lawn mowers? I would like to bury the ethernet/coax at lease 3-5inches in the ground and I dont know what would be the correct way on doing this the cable is only 1/4in cable. I seen some pictures on here but I really dont want to rip up peoples yard when I do this.

 

[Daver1963]

Anything you build plow like and pull is going to rip up a yard. I just had a thought though, if you could find a way to use a coulter off of a breaking plow and hitch a gauge wheel to it to control the depth. Then it would slice the dirt rather than plow or rip it.

Another idea - the fellow across the road installed one of those wireless dog fences and used a concrete cutter to cut the trench in the grass to bury the wire.

On a different note, you are aware of the problems direct burying Ethernet and coax cable in climates where cycles of freezing and thawing occurs, aren't you? Contraction and expansion of the ground can cause the cable to break. If possible it is much better to direct bury the appropriate size sched 40 pvc to help alleviate that problem. Plus if you ever have to go back and add a cable you don't have to dig again.

 

[Coyote machine]

Welcome to TBN. You need to go at least 18" deep to bury Cat 5/coax minimum. Best case is bury conduit and pull wires through it to point A & B.

 

[weedpharma]

Be aware that not all cat5 etc cable is waterproof. If it is direct buried, it should be rated for this. Ordinary cable will probably last at least a few years but may corrode in time. Even if in conduit, water condenses and may cause problems over time. The ideal cable would cost a lot. Just be aware of potential problems. Weedpharma

 

[greg_g]

What distance do you want to span? I ask, because I have a detached garage, and can connect to the wireless router in the house (>100' away). And that's without a signal booster.

//greg//

 

[s219]

I'd be surprised if a riding mower could drag anything capable of slicing a trench. My riding mower, with turf tires, loses traction if I have a heavy breakfast. Another option would be to use a gas powered edger to saw a slit in the ground and then push the cable down. Or use a shovel or hand edger to cut a slit and push the cable down in.

 

[k0ua]

Also on on related note, don't forget that when you stick a copper cable in the ground, you have upped your risk to take a lightning strike (transient) on that cable. You will need to consider surge protection designed for Ethernet and coax cables. Some areas of the country have many more strikes than others, but it should be considered in all installations.

As others have said, I can't imagine a riding lawn mower having enough traction and weight to bury anything deep enough to not be accidentally dug up. But I could be wrong.

 

[k0ua]

Also on on related note, don't forget that when you stick a copper cable in the ground, you have upped your risk to take a lightning strike (transient) on that cable. You will need to consider surge protection designed for Ethernet and coax cables. Some areas of the country have many more strikes than others, but it should be considered in all installations.

As others have said, I can't imagine a riding lawn mower having enough traction and weight to bury anything deep enough to not be accidentally dug up. But I could be wrong.

 

[treich]

I was thinking about modding an gas edger to look like this: Wire/Cable Installers - EZ-Trench but I also want something I can pull behind an tractor/riding mower. About ethernet/coax there is shielded and gel filled ethernet/coax you can bury like this: Cat5eCableGuy.com - 1000FT Cat5e Direct Burial & UV STP Shielded w/ Double Jacket Outdoor Bulk Cable and for coax:1000ft Direct Burial/Outdoor RG6U Coaxial Cable Spool | Black | 18AWG

 

[JimRB]

Most Ethernet has a maximum pull rating that is pretty low. The references I can find say 25 pound pull maximum.

I installed some 1" or maybe it was 3/4" or even 1/2" conduit in a trench along side the conduit for the electric and the water line buried a few feet deep. Technically you are not supposed to run data cable parallel to electrical cable. My cable was just running the phone, and with some baluns was running one CCTV.

The telephone company did not bury their cable to the proper depth close to my house. The loader operator snagged it and he was only dragging a few inches deep. Utilities are supposed to be buried fairly deep. I guess telephone and cable does not have to be buried deep but it sure annoys a home owners when their feeds keep getting torn up because it is buried so shallow.

Here is an interesting guide although based on the 08 NEC. I gather the 11 NEC is what one should be reading now. Or maybe a 2014 version is coming out. http://www.mikeholt.com/files/PDF/08_Communications_Systems.pdf

 

[/pine]

You might check the rental prices for a vibratory plow...also they make an attachment for a sub-soiler to lay cable...

 

[ttriff]

3 Point Pipelayer-Pipe Layer Attachment | Agri Supply #73622

 

[CNC Dan]

On the miller welder forum, in the projects users section someone made a cable plow. It had a colter to cut the sod, then a shank like a sub soiler with a curved pipe welded to the back side. The wire is held on a spool above the top of the curved pipe, and the wire is feed into the pipe as the plow is pulled allong. With the addition of a small wheel to push the sod down, you might hardly know it was there.

 

[michael.white]

Also on on related note, don't forget that when you stick a copper cable in the ground, you have upped your risk to take a lightning strike (transient) on that cable. You will need to consider surge protection designed for Ethernet and coax cables. Some areas of the country have many more strikes than others, but it should be considered in all installations.

Now you tell me I connected my parents' and aunt's home together using coax and an ethernet-over-coax box. A lightning strike took out both boxes and about half my aunt's PC equipment.

 

[Deerherd]

Here's what I had made up with a sub soiler. (It has a new wide point on it for drainage ditching and I can change the point back when done)

The tube needs to be flared at the top or you can strip cable if you are not careful. (Don't ask me how I know) Also there is a piece of angle iron welded to the back of the sub soiler to protect the tube in case you hit a large immovable object.

Works great and there is a little bit of tearing up of the lawn but it's a heck of a lot easier than digging a trench!

And yes I converted it to Cat 2 QH.

 

[k0ua]

Now you tell me I connected my parents' and aunt's home together using coax and an ethernet-over-coax box. A lightning strike took out both boxes and about half my aunt's PC equipment.

I have always known. All you had to do was just ask me! Sorry to hear about your strike, they can be devastating. Most people don't realize that for every lightning strike you see in the air, that earth currents flow from all directions in the ground to equalize that strike. When current flows in the earth, then any conductor in the ground will have a voltage induced in it from these flowing earth currents.

 

[s219]

I have always known. All you had to do was just ask me! Sorry to hear about your strike, they can be devastating. Most people don't realize that for every lightning strike you see in the air, that earth currents flow from all directions in the ground to equalize that strike. When current flows in the earth, then any conductor in the ground will have a voltage induced in it from these flowing earth currents.

What can you do about buried power feeder lines? For example, I have 300' of 10-3 copper running underground to my pier, and 100 feet of 1/0 aluminum running underground from my generator. Any way to mitigate possible effects of a strike?

 

[k0ua]

What can you do about buried power feeder lines? For example, I have 300' of 10-3 copper running underground to my pier, and 100 feet of 1/0 aluminum running underground from my generator. Any way to mitigate possible effects of a strike?

Yes, proper fast avalanche devices can do a lot. Of course some strikes are powerful enough to vaporize the best suppressors.

Ditek, or Polyphasor, Transtector.

http://www.protectiongroup.com/Transtector

 

[joshuabardwell]

Be aware that not all cat5 etc cable is waterproof. If it is direct buried, it should be rated for this.

Honestly, I think you are being generous here. I would say that no Ethernet cable is okay to direct-bury, unless it is rated for it. You would just be wasting your time burying a non-rated cable.

 

[weedpharma]

I concur.

If however it is only for a short period, you could get away with it. Short period is not long!

I once worked for a reticulation company that had micro amps of DC leakage into the cables. Within weeks the cables where useless. Standard insulation passes moisture so will corrode.

Weedpharma