How to dig the narrowest 3' deep trench or minimize sand fill for a wide trench?

[4570Man]

Good question. Didn't really think of asking until today. I need to call them in about an hour or so to pay for it. I'll ask then. The plan is to use the CAT for large stump removals, digging out a walkout basement and other land grading. I'd prefer a bigger bucket for that. Maybe i ask them to throw a narrower bucket into the rental. Depends on the price. I don't really want to rent a bucket for a whole month that I am only going to use a couple of days.

If problems ever occurred which is extremely unlikely you would pull the line out of the conduit and pull a new one. The chances of intentionally digging it back up is basically zero. If you wanted the second conduit in sand then just add more sand on top.

 

[future_vision]

Surely they will let you trade it out. But if you already have the machine I'm not sure I would spend a bunch more money on more rental equipment trying to save a little bit on sand. Possibly a trencher, but that would be just to save headache on backfill. One good advantage of a wider trench is being able to get down in it to glue your joints.

30" bucket coming on it. I want to keep that for the dirt work. They are going to see what they have in a smaller trenching bucket and drop it off on a different day for free. I'm not sure how small they go on a CAT 306. My guess would be 12".

 

[future_vision]

Whatever you decide, be sure to take pictures at each stage; not only to document the project but also for future reference when a problem arises. It's visual evidence of its location in relation to the house and outbuildings. Then you know exactly where and how deep the conduit is located.
I'd use stone dust, instead of sand; regardless which, it will be hard dirt 30 years in the future.

side story. In 1968 I dug out for building a basement in red clay soil, and back-filled with the same dirt after the house was completed.
Fast forward to 2014. I had to have the basement drain replaced due to tree root damage.
Where the backfill was over the drain, it was now sandstone, solidly in place against the basement wall, top to foundation. It had to be sawed into chunks then split away with wedges.
There was no evidence of the sand above/below the drain line.

Pictures will definitely be taken. Electrician is going to be putting down foil tape so it's easy to detect.

 

[paulsharvey]

You running stick pipe or continuous conduit?

 

[future_vision]

You running stick pipe or continuous conduit?

20' sticks

 

[paulsharvey]

Just me, i would go opposite route, and do two separate, narrow trenches, maybe 48" apart, and just run them independently. Double ditching is fine too, and telecoms general dont care. Sure. they dont want to be right with the power, but 24" of separation is Plenty. You will be fine.

Is the build following a driveway or other feature? Or just shortest point from pole to point of service?

 

[future_vision]

Just me, i would go opposite route, and do two separate, narrow trenches, maybe 48" apart, and just run them independently. Double ditching is fine too, and telecoms general dont care. Sure. they dont want to be right with the power, but 24" of separation is Plenty. You will be fine.

Is the build following a driveway or other feature? Or just shortest point from pole to point of service?

It's the shortest point form pole to transformer. The utility gives us the first 300' of cable for free.

 

[CliffordK]

Would it be possible to simply use a 6" ditch witch trencher? It should be a lot faster than an excavator. SAND? What a pain, but you should be able to handle it. Perhaps you could make a tool to lay the sand into the ditch.

If it was me, I'd do two separate narrow trenches with the ditch digger and keep your power and telecom completely separate.

 

[RayIN]

It's the shortest point form pole to transformer. The utility gives us the first 300' of cable for free.

So actually you'll need 900' +from the meter to the main breaker panel?

 

[Too many Kubotas]

You should buy this. It'd make the job quick and easy. Goes down to eight feet as I recall.