Would this be a good idea?

[jarbill]

I am wanting to run a buried water line and a buried electrical line a distance of several hundred feet, and I want to run the water line deep enough to be below the freeze line in the soil. The idea that I was turning over in my head was if I could use one of my pallet forks centered in the rack and tilted forward at a slightly down angle at first, and then increasing the fork's forward angle each pass, making slow shallow passes each time, eventually make a deep, narrow trench however far I need it to go?

Secondly, if that's not a good idea for some reason I haven't yet thought of, can someone give me another idea? Maybe there's an attachment made specifically for that purpose? I am wanting to do this in a way that I don't just tear up huge chunks of topsoil just to run a six-inch wide trench.

Thanks for any ideas.

Jerry in Texas

 

[MrJimi]

I don't think water and electric in same hole is a good idea and the dirt that you will plow with your fork will fall back in the hole
Sorry about all the good news

 

[mikim]

doesn't sound like such a good idea to me ...the only way I would consider that is if your ground is all sand....but even then ... for several hundred feet ... I would think it would take you forever. rent a trencher......and don't put water & elect in the same trench.

 

[JNB]

Somewhere on this site someone used a furrow dirt buster and actually tied the pipes to the dirt buster and put it in place as he made the drain. I dont know if that is far enough to avoid freezing. Looked like a good setup for the electical anyway.

 

[jarbill]

I didn't mean to imply that I was putting water and electricity in the same trench. Sorry about that. I just meant a trench for one and a trench for the other.

Okay. The general consensus is that it won't work. I'll try a trencher. That would probably be a better idea.

Jerry in Texas

 

[ctpres]

Just finished a 200 ft plus run of 3/4" water and 1/2" elec in same hole and pulled at the same time. Water about four inches above elec. I used subsolier with 1" thin metal straps forming U bolted to bottom facing rear. Then just bolted pipe between and pulled it all in one pass. Would have been 250' but ground was soft near end and couldn't get any traction in near mud soil. Pre glued all pipe (I had room) and pulling time was less than 20 min. Recommend a true subsoiler vs combo as all combination units I have seen have a shorter shaft, ie won't go as deep. If water and elec. in same hole is a problem, two passes shouldn't be a big difference. I bought subsoiler just for underground piping from threads on TBN.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

The single pallet fork might bend things that you don't want bent. Maybe you could drag something like a harrow behind on the 3PT. Adjust the depth with that. Or just rent a ditch witch. Are you going to run the power through some PVC just incase you are out digging and hit that stuff later on down the road? Or someone else may be digging to plant things. If you are like me I had to replace the main water line to my house so I drew out a map of where it went and how deep it was for later reference or new home owners.

 

[Illini22]

putting elec. with the water is no problem, some utilities even put gas in with elec ( besides phone and cable) which is more volatile. when I'splice electric cables half the time the trench is full of water

 

[ray66v]

Long run, narrow trench = trencher
Fast, easy, soft powder to backfill with, less settling. I hate to pay to rent one, but sometimes it just makes more sense.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Where in Texas and how deep is your frost line? There are plows designed to make trenches for cable, they may go 12-18" deep. Don't know if that's deep enough for you. A subsoiler could also dig a trench that deep, if you happen to, or want to, own one, and your tractor can pull it. In my area of Michigan frostline is rated as 42" (for building code). Oddly, you go up north and in some areas it's only like 18", supposedly because the heavier, constant snow for winter insulates the ground.