Subsoiler and burying electric wires

Buck · Jan 25, 2006

I've done the pipe thing on the subsoiler, I even have a pipe welded on now...(with provisions for a spool) ... But, for jobs less than a couple hundred feet, I'd recommend just using the subsoiler twice and laying the electric by hand.

I seriously think you spend more time engineering the thing and breaking the wire than what it will be worth for the "automation". (You will need two people, one to unroll the wire)

Disclosure: I've layed dog wire over several thousand feet, water tubing, about 350 feet, electrical wire 200 feet and numerous smaller jobs.

Unless you have a big job, it ain't worth it.

gizmo · Jan 26, 2006

Take a look at what I used to guide the wire. I made my own plow, but the feed and spool should be adaptable to a subsoiler. The log is just a counter weight to drive the plow into the ground.

Sully2 · Jan 26, 2006

" But, for jobs less than a couple hundred feet, I'd recommend just using the subsoiler twice and laying the electric by hand. "..

BUT..either way I still need the subsoiler..!!

RonR · Jan 26, 2006

Buck,

I recently laid 30 ft of electrical wire. I used the ripper method to open a trench, but had to go over it twice, then use a pick to clean out the trench. Even then, I don't think it's as deep as I'd wanted to put it.

For me, even for a short (20-50 ft) run, I'd go to the extra trouble to place the cable at a good depth the first time.

Ron

Sully2 · Jan 26, 2006

( Buck,

I recently laid 30 ft of electrical wire. I used the ripper method to open a trench, but had to go over it twice, then use a pick to clean out the trench. Even then, I don't think it's as deep as I'd wanted to put it.

For me, even for a short (20-50 ft) run, I'd go to the extra trouble to place the cable at a good depth the first time.

Ron )

I understand! If I have to run it twice to get it down 8 inches or more...that ok by me. A HE** of a lot easier than doing it ALL by hand... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The wire layout is going to cause me to have to start and stop anyway..sort of a "semi" "CROSS" pattern..but at least water piping is one straight run. At one point the are going to have to cross over/under one another. Im "attempting" to lay out the pattern now on the PC to figure which is the worse of two evils.

AKfish · Jan 26, 2006

3RRL, before I ran the electric line to the barn, I buried about 300' feet of water line to the automatic waterer in the corral. I used the poly tubing that adapted for in-floor heating systems. It's heavy, thick and spec'd for pressure and of course, high temps. 3/4 inch as I recall. I don't know if the plastic is safe for human drinking water -- but the horse's aren't complaining this week... especially with the last three days more than -20F!!
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif AKfish

keeney · Jan 26, 2006

I would agree that making an actual a vibratory plow will make going deeper much easier.

- Rick

JustGary · Jan 26, 2006

"Even then, I don't think it's as deep as I'd wanted to put it." 

Hmmmm. Is it just me, or are all of you guys talking about burying AC line inches below ground? When I built my shop and wanted 220 in it, the county inspector told me that to meet the Code I had to go three feet down!

I dug the trench by hand with a post hole digger and he came by and approved it. Three feet is a *deep* trench when you look down in it. Luckily I live in sand and the trench was only 50 feet, but I was sore for a few days afterward.

I have never minded burying that cable so far down, since I know that I won't accidently unearth it no matter what I do.

By the way, I did lay an 8-pair telephone cable in the trench with the AC line, and have not had any problems (well, except for maybe that one lightning strike, but who's to say that the cable made any difference?). In case someone wants to know, I'm only using one pair for the phone. The others are waiting for me to dream up a good use.

Oh, and my water line is only about 6 inches deep.

- Just Gary

Trev · Jan 27, 2006

As far as underground cable and lightning, we learned something a while back at work.

It seems that most computer equipment damage during a lightning event is not caused by a direct hit, but rather by the fact that a tremdous amount of radio frequency energy is broadcast by the lightning. Long runs of cable act like an antenna, pick up this powerful signal, and broadcast it to each end of the line.. generally making toast of whatever is connected there (modem, etc.)

The part that surprised me, and that I still don't understand, is that cables buried underground seem to more susceptible to this than above-ground cables.

For whatever this is worth in the context. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Sully2 · Jan 27, 2006

( "Even then, I don't think it's as deep as I'd wanted to put it." 

Hmmmm. Is it just me, or are all of you guys talking about burying AC line inches below ground? When I built my shop and wanted 220 in it, the county inspector told me that to meet the Code I had to go three feet down!

I dug the trench by hand with a post hole digger and he came by and approved it. Three feet is a *deep* trench when you look down in it. Luckily I live in sand and the trench was only 50 feet, but I was sore for a few days afterward.

I have never minded burying that cable so far down, since I know that I won't accidently unearth it no matter what I do.

By the way, I did lay an 8-pair telephone cable in the trench with the AC line, and have not had any problems (well, except for maybe that one lightning strike, but who's to say that the cable made any difference?). In case someone wants to know, I'm only using one pair for the phone. The others are waiting for me to dream up a good use.

Oh, and my water line is only about 6 inches deep.

- Just Gary )

That is most probably TRUE if your doing a job "per code" and one that might be "inspected".

I.."me personally" am going to be burying wires for 20 Amp -120 VAC...that will run to a PT 4x4 post with a GFI receptical mounted on it to use items such as an electrical "weed wacker"..etc...and will continue on to operate a BIRD BATH! ALL of which will be in my "landscaped" ( hopefully if I ever get it fnished..seeing as how I havent even got started yet... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) back yard that when buried will be COVERED by 6-8 inches of composted Topsoil..and turned into GIANT flower beds! So...to me...I dont care if the wires are 4 inches deep...12 inches deep..or 2 ft deep. It will be whatever my B3030 with a subsoiler can "dig"..even if it takes 2 passes to do it.

What the "next guy" that owns the place after me and my wife are dead..I could care less! ( He might dig everything up and install a swimming pool..??)