To BH or Not to BH?

[Evasive1]

"How are you goint to move the septic that distance without installing a pumping station."


Good question dummy. I would seriously look at an Aerobic system. The water is treated in 2 tanks and then put on your lawn through a sprinkler system doing away with the septic field.

Anybody here have one or be able to comment on one?
I have never personally had one but have talked to some people who are really happy with theirs.

 

[jfdlaw]

Quick note on the B7800 and pedal arangement: I wasn't sure of it myself. After spending the winter with my friends Deere 4200 I wanted the twin pedal set up like it had. But after a weekend on my B2410 (same pedal set up as the B7800) I can tell you its become a non-issue. It becomes natural and I now like it better because you press the back pedal to backwards and forward pedal to go forwards and its tough to mix them up. On the Deere I occassionally had my foot on the reverse pedal when I wanted to go forward, and vice versa. (before all you deere owner's lambaste me, I'm not saying one is better than the other, just that you get used to what you have)

If the tractor otherwise feels comfortable, you get along with the dealer and it makes sense financially, buy it and don't worry about the pedal set up.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Not lambasting you on the pedals at all... At first, I sometimes got them confused but it quickly becomes second nature. The treadle pedal kills my right knee for some reason, so the two pedal setup is a real help... Your mileage may vary!

 

[wichiwichi]

I would stay away from an aerobic system unless forced to do so. They are a maintenance nightmare. In Texas you have to carry a service agreement for quarterly inspections and you will not be able to work on them yourself unless properly licensed. There are several installed in my area and between improper installations and poor quality parts they are always having to be worked on or are not working properly. JMHO

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I would stay away from an aerobic system unless forced to do so )</font>

And I'm the exact opposite; that's the only system I'd want. It's what both my brother and I had at our places in Navarro County. Yes, in Texas you have to maintain a service contract for which I paid $200 a year. I could have gotten it cheaper (one guy quoted $125 a year), but I stayed with some guys I knew and trusted. The installation included the first two years of warranty and maintenance, and then I started the $200 a year after that, and I had to buy a little chlorine. As with any other system, if you get a bad installer, I suppose you'd have a problem, but as far as I'm concerned, it's the only way to go. And as with some other things, the maintenance is very simple and I could have just as easily done it myself if the law hadn't required the maintenance contract with a licensed installer. So, since I was paying them to do it, I let them do it.

 

[MSU_Keith]

Already checked and I can trench my own electric service as long as they inspect trench and install line.

Yes I am going to need a pump to the septic field. An aerobic system will probably be tough sell in my county. Can these be put in cold climites? Current perk requires design to be stamped by professional sanitation engineer prior to permit issue. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Thought hard about these issues and had several conversations with the inspector prior to even putting an offer on the parcel - he said he would help me with it and it would be nowhere near as complicated as a true engineered septic field. He also said he's seen private pumped septic fields 2,000 ft away from house. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I suppose the pedal issue is alot like riding a bike - once you learn you never forget.

 

[bugstruck]

Keith,

I'm new to this tractor game so I'd defer to the other posts on the equipment end. Pay some real attention to the posts about the pumping issue. I can't speak to the Aerobic systems because our Maryland climate may not support that type of effluent dispersal and have no knowledge. A tile field or drywell, with proper soils and installation, beats any alternative system I've seen around here.

Some General Contractor thoughts... You say you have 500' of septic line. Assuming you will have a full basement, prefer gravity to a pump system, want the ability to put water using devices on the basement level without needing an inside pump to get it up; you will be maybe 9 to 10' below grade at the exterior of the house to the bottom of the pipe (invert) where the pipe exits the residence. 500 feet of line needs minimum 125" of fall over that distance and that's assuming it's installed absolutely dead on 1/4" of fall per foot. That's recommended minimum everywhere I believe. At the septic field, assuming flat land as in tabletop flat, you'd be 20' +/- in the ground and almost certainly below the maximum allowable depth installation elevation (relative to grade at the field area).

If it were allowed to be installed that deep you don't have to worry about any of the machines/hoes you mention working. On the other hand, if you want/have to pump it I'd still be guessing a 102" digging depth hoe just for the tanks and you'll still be staging the cut. I recommend a (3) tank installation if you're pumping that distance. Septic tank, small intermediate settling tank, and pump station tank. You want that effluent as clean as possible.

For all the reasons noted by others, and your requirements, get the hoe, anyhow.

Big projects, you need some Good Luck /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif and good advice. Right place for the advice.

 

[bugstruck]

Keith,

I completely missed your last post. See now you are pumping. Could have saved us all some reading & writing...

Best of LUCK!

 

[DK35vince]

I used my tractor/backhoe to dig and backfill my water line, phone line , electrical conduit and drainage ditch's.
But I was much better off leaving my sewage system ( 2 tanks and a sandmound) to a contractor.

 

[aloha]

I have a B7800 with a Woods BH7500 on a subframe. I like that setup. It goes on or off in under 5 minutes.

While easy to say that it would have been more economical to hire the work, or rent bigger equipment, I am in the group who would not give it up. Having it available to use immediately when needed means less backbreaking shovel work. As I get older, that becomes increasingly important.

You say you are "looking forward to moving some dirt." The satisfaction of doing it oneself can mean a lot.

$20K is a realistic budget for a B7800 and BH, but the other implements you would get likely will push it over.

EddieWalker's comments on checking whether you can do the work yourself are worth pursuing. Where I am, this work needs to be done by a licensed contractor, but there are plenty of contractors who, for a modest fee, will pull the permit and "supervise" the job.

I like the pedal arrangement on the B7800. As jfdlaw said, it becomes natural.