Trenching - worth trying for a novice?

[POC]

I feel sorry for some of you guys. You do live in the USA, right?
I hope I never in my day see the need for someone to inspect my ditch to make sure the water line will work right. Lol

 

[Nic3456]

I feel sorry for some of you guys. You do live in the USA, right?
I hope I never in my day see the need for someone to inspect my ditch to make sure the water line will work right. Lol

I don't believe I have any inspections unless I hit a field tile then the soil and water guys want to see how I fixed it - but I haven't got that far in all my planning yet.

Any thoughts on my issue of the gas/water intersecting the electric? I'm assuming I'll just need to hand dig a few feet on each side?

I'm also a little confused at what order during the building process I need the do all the trenching - how long can a trench stay open before I start having issues (collapsing,etc?)

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Any thoughts on my issue of the gas/water intersecting the electric? I'm assuming I'll just need to hand dig a few feet on each side?

2 feet on each side is code here. Call 811 (Call Before You Dig, the Ohio Utilities Protection Service), and they will tell you all you need to know, and they'll come and mark the line and where you need to hand dig.

Get yourself some marking paint and a rolling marking wand and mark where your trenches will be before you call them out.

I'm also a little confused at what order during the building process I need the do all the trenching - how long can a trench stay open before I start having issues (collapsing,etc?)

Depends entirely on your soil and your weather. With my heavy clay, probably could stay open for years with no heavy rain. Get a heavy rain and all bets are of

 

[Creamer]

But please, do NOT try to do that much trenching with a walk-behind trencher! Get something in the 20 hp range at LEAST and make it a rider.

I did my electrical, cable, and telephone about a year ago. Only 70 feet or so, but three trenches. I rented a 14 hp DitchWitch walk-behind, and it about killed us. I gave up on getting the phone and cable as deep as I wanted them. It was just too much fight. A cantaloupe sized rock will STOP you. A 2" root will STOP you. Heavy clay (which is about all we have here) will make you cry. I had myself and two grown sons helping me, with each of them pulling on that stupid trencher with a cargo strap around their waists (and they are big boys!) and it was still slow going. A nightmare two days of VERY hard work, and I was not satisfied with the result for all of that.

Wow! What kind of trencher was that? The Vermeer walk beside - certainly not behind - was a digging machine. hard clay and 6-7 inch rocks no problem and I was digging a couple of feet a minute sometimes to 48" depth. I certainly cannot complain about how it chewed dirt or cleared the trench. It just was not very good on the 2' chunks of concrete that were buried where I went through. I was running it by myself and no issues.

 

[LD1]

My understanding is the gas ain't ran yet. So oups has nothing to mark (though you still have to call), and therefore nothing to hand dig or hit.

Dig all the trenches first I would. Do electric first since the other two both cross it. Dig it 24". Then dig your gas and water. Sure, where you gross over you may need to clean a little by hand that gets knocked back in, but that's easy.

Lay the gas and water. Backfill but where it crosses the electric trench, only backfill up to the level of the electric trench. Or maybe a tad more to account for settling. Then lay electric in.

With all new install needed, no way would I lay gas and water then come in over top of that with a trencher again to do the electric.

 

[D2Cat]

I would begin by burying the deepest line first, then do the next. When you cross over another line you will know the elevation you just buried the other lines at. If you don't have confidence in how to cross line just hand dig. Or move the trencher boom up a considerable amount, then hand dig to desired depth.

Only dig what you can backfill that day.

If you ever dig a line and in caves back in because of rain you will have a difficult time putting the line in the same trench.

Would be easier to move over a few feet and start over. Your crumbs will cause you more grief on a re-dig then you can imagine. For one, your machine will be setting up higher, so you will have to be able to dig deeper to get to the same depth. That's the main reason to backfill immediately.

 

[Nic3456]

just to clarify the electric that will be crossed is already existing (buried 36" according to power company. I attached a picture (sorry it's quite busy with lines) of the situation.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I once layed a thousand feet of 3" super duct. Kind of a light PVC for cable. I only backfilled it slightly and then the rains came, I thought I was safe. The pipe, floated to the surface and caused me huge amounts of extra work, especially, since it was all glued together. Another time a huge crane drove close to an open (shallow) trench that was awaiting low voltage cable. It kind of like, just squeezed the trench closed. Yes, get a trench closed up ASAP!

I need to replace my water line soon, and although I have a capable backhoe, I will get an excavator in to do the digging. One, I need him in for onother job anyway, but two, it's not a one man job.

He can be the experienced digger and I will be the boots on the ground. I am **** about straight runs and keeping stones away from my services when backfilling. Besides, there are about ten other services that we have to go under!

 

[D2Cat]

Nic, from your diagram, I would begin by locating the existing electric line by hand digging to it.

In this area Kansas City Power and Light requires 30" of bury in a 2" conduit unless you have a 400amp service, then it's a 3" conduit. Just to give you an idea of what depth you might expect to find elec. But check the depth of bury your elec. company requires.

After having the elec. line visible start trenching there, and go towards the road. When you get half way to the road (or an open spot of you have growth) stop. Go to the water meter connection and head towards the trench you just finished. Dig directly over and past the trench going towards the road just so you have less hand work. Pull the boom out of the ditch, back up a tad, then cross over the ditch with the machine. Now take a sharp shooter, or better yet a trencher shovel, and clean out the crumbs of the overlap.

If you have good soil without rocks, dig the trench a few inches deeper then you need. Then just leave the crumbs in the ditch. It allows a good bed for the PVC line.

Do the same for the second line.

Once you have the line glued and in the trench be sure the line lays on the bottom with no "bubbles" sticking up. If necessary push the line down with a shovel, or 2x4, and kick some dirt on the line while it's being pushed down. Do this every 15-20 ft. or so.

All this information is based on using a ride on trencher. It will make the job so much easier!! Backfilling is a piece of cake.

My trencher has a 6-way backfill blade. I can backfill a trench almost as fast as you can walk. I will have to come back and forth a couple of times to get it perfect, but it is quick!

 

[LD1]

IF you are crossing an existing line.....hand dig anything within 2 feet. DONT trust what they tell you depth wise. Things on the surface can change, or the contractors doing the job might not have done it to spec.

Let it be located. Hand dig within 2'. If you hit it outside of that boundary.....its their problem. IF you hit it within, you will get a hefty repair bill