DIY Electrical Service trenching and conduit Installation
DIY Electrical Service trenching and conduit Installation
I will be digging the trenches and installing conduit for underground power lines to be installed to a single family house. We are going to have to trench threw a easement in order to install the conduit from the Green power box across the street to the new home location.
I will be covering the importance of calling 811″ call before you dig” and also very briefly showing what can happen, when the markings on the ground aren’t marked correctly.
Underground power started more than 50 years ago to replace overhead distribution systems. Underground service installations by the power industry is complex. However it can be done and has a lot of great benefits. Lack of interest on the part of the power company should not deter you from taking advantage of the benefits of buried distribution systems.
When the estimated cost of buried services exceeds the estimated cost of aerial services by more than ten per cent, you should negotiate with the power district or developer on the following basis:
No charge where the developer, builderor, or you dig and backfills trenches for the distribution cable and all service wires.
where you digs and backfills all trenches, the developer or builder will pay that cost which exceeds the estimated cost of aerial plant by more than ten percent.
I recommend that underground power systems be used exclusively. There are certain instances where it is not feasible however theses are very rare.
source
The 1-800 dig people that came to my place didn’t mark a single line right. Not the water, the internet or the electrical main. I even walked them over to where the internet cable was sticking out of the ground and they couldn’t get it right. Beware!!
Hand digging about 45% don’t lie
They get 2 ft either side. Hand diggin time
Glad you’re wearing your hard hat.
I feel for you brother been digging mainline for 20 years if any operator say they never ripped anything out they aren't a hoe hand. FYI learn to use witching rods and learn from every dig. I dig down the city streets up to 40 feet deep around Gas, comm, sewers, water, and God know what else. Even doing little residential digs like you can be a challenge for the seasoned vets.Just always learn from your digs. Witching rods and a good metal detector will be worth the time.
Tip from an EC: when you're crossing a marked line ( 811 notification paint ) FIND that trench, find that pipe. After the top soil is pulled back — you're looking for the disturbed soil ( if spottable ) where the old trench was. In California, our soils are so tough that old trenches really show up — after the top has been stripped back. There is a nifty tool used — it's a stiff nylon coated probe with a T handle on its top. You must keep probing until you find the actual pipe — and its trench — because you want to know with certainty that the water pipe// any crossing pipe is truly found. As a general rule, you want to trench SHALLOW until all crossing trenches are revealed. Note that an old trench will usually not have the level of compaction seen in the native soil. It will give way to the T probe. That's how you know you're dialing into an old, semi-compacted trench.Â
This method is slower than just hacking ahead, but the cost of hitting a pipe is just too much to bear.
Lastly, don't assume that the 811 dowser found all of the crossing pipes. His records may be sloppy. So he'll find one pipe, one trench — but yet there is another just a few feet away. The typical instruments will not reveal such a proximate parallel or semi-parallel trench. Remember, you'r hunting for trenches — even more than hunting for pipes. That's what the probing is all about. For myself, I'd always dump such projects onto an insured contractor. My days of jumping into a trench are over.
Check
Have you ever tried witching water lines yourself
Why are you wearing a hard hat lol
Reminds me of way back in the 90s, I bought a property in Michigan with no well or septic. My dad helped me as well… showed me how to find water using a pair of 90 degree bent clothes hanger wires holding loosely in each hand and ad we walked over water, the tips would begin to point together.
two things i'd do different is to put warning tape over the tubes and clean the ditch up a bit and not letting small and large stones touch the tubes so it doesn't damage them long term.
O wao where is the inspection
Why not glue the pipes together? Seal em?
Question: who paid for the water line repair and any other related damages like water outage, contamination, etc?
So much for 811
I agree on what should be a "Caution" tape placed above it a few inches. I don't know how long it has been a rule, or how it passed inspection without it. I refuse to blame the installer but I prefer "Best Practices" for safety. Other underground services require a "Bright" color wire, to be tapped at both ends and cross the piping every 15-20 feet to loop it around like a slip knot, to keep it tight to the piping an useful for future locating. I believe on rock ledges that force electrical conduit near the soils top, concrete capping is also best practice or law. Alway talk way in advance, to the inspector to plan for extra time & cost.
This is underground, but farmers have equipment that will not clear some overhead power lines in rural areas when transporting into fields. As a young guy in the late 60's-70's, I know some farmers who nailed metal signs at the gate "Look Up for Power Lines". But honestly know more worker injured or killed as they fell asleep. At 20 MPH for a tractor but run off the road and in the field, get to close to trees, hook one and flip into a creek. I know of one guy we buried on the farm I was plowing on for $1.00 per hour. But gas was only $0.30 cents a gallon. Up from $0.19 months earlier and people thought the world was ending.
enjoyed the vid, if it were my ditch, i would have shaded the conduit then compressed the shading material(dirt) by foot compaction, failure to do this can create a pathway for groundwater to chase the conduit and undermine it. Also tho time comsuming.. back fill in lifts. 1/2 compact, lay scare tape or caution tape then backfill compact. good to go.
Why not put some metallic do not dig tape on top of that conduit so people can find it in the future.
How did you dry out that trench so fast?
Inspector didn't bitch the you covered a bunch up? He understood common sense?
cha Ching
Because a waterline does not contain a wire, it's difficult to hit it with a detection device. Never count on a direction of a waterline.
If you really need to figure out a waterline, open both ends and run a wire.
how deep?
The National Electrical Code (NEC 300.5(D)(3), requires that underground Service conductors that are buried more than 18", shall have their location identified by a warning tape placed in the trench at least 12" above the installation, unless they are encased by concrete. Did not see that happen here.
Why did you lay two pipes?
Was this guy trying to run electrical service for a factory . It appeared he was laying at least 2" conduit which can hold 6]. 2/0 AWG conductors ,, enough for 2/ 200 amp circuits This video was supposed to also include conduit installation . I didn't see anything pertaining to conduit until the very end where he held a conduit end cap in his hand
Also what electrical code did he refer too before he started digging his slit trench . National electrical code requires underground non metal conduit be buried 18"
I did not hear you mention it but I would use schedule 40 conduit on driveway and glue it together. also you need to keep power wires about 12 inches from cable/phone wires so there is no interference with signal.
Great information video for the novus.
What would something like this cost??
As the water company missmarked the like it is on them to foot the bill for the repairs. Here in NM you have 18" on each side of the line they mark to watch for.
2:00 If you're ever murdered…there's a 90% chance, it was either your Neighbor, or a Family member
Informative video. Is the backhoe an attachment or does it come with the tractor? Can you give me your opinion of the Kubota tractor that you used, as I am interested in buying a tractor of similar size but know nothing about them. Thanks.
Why was the water line so high up. Aren’t they supposed to be minimum 4’ down to avoid frost?
How did you end up on the tractor and your dad running the shovel though? I’d never manage that. Even if it was my tractor. Lol.
What county was this project in. I live in Thurston country and about to conduct my own dig for power lines
Digging the power next to the trench lol 9:59 that was funny but good work
So who is held liable for the miss marked water line you or who did the marking?
Now they know where pipe line is)
Shame on you…sitting on the tractor while your dad operates the manual labor device.
Nice video. Dumb question, how do you run the wire through such a long conduit?
Learn how to use a water witch.
Zzz
Should have probed for it first but good job overall