Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
yocsr1
Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 182 Terre Haute, Indiana Pics |
2014-02-27 189293
I have 150ft. of 2-2-2-4 power line to lay. I'm thinking on using my subsoiler to lay it. I've read about putting an eye bolt facing the back in the lower tooth bolt. Would it be better to feed it or pull it? Any info I can get would be appreciated. Larry.
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina Pics |
2014-02-28 189295
I have known people to do much as you say and have know others who fastened like a conduit elbow to the subsoiler and feed the wire or pipe.
For a 150 feet foot length I would not pull a wire through the ground. To begin with that is money you are pulling and if you were to damage the insulation finding the area is a big enough job and repair another issue. Do bury it a safe depth. kt ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
greyhorse
Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 65 Pics |
2014-02-28 189302
Your land looks perfect for this application. As KT said you need to rig up a feed pipe to route the wire from a spool you have on a bar on the ROPS or other convenient location you fabricate. You can spot weld the conduit to the subsoiler with a curved bend to have it feed the trench. I believe most places require 24 inch minimum for 240 volt, 36 inches for main power, so your subsoiler will probably wind up in the 12 to 18 inches not quite code.
Ride over the trench when done to compact.
With only 150 feet if a one time project you might consider other options to avoid the pain of damaging the $400 of wire you are laying. A trencher rental would eliminate any risk.
Be a better low risk project for dog invisible fence or low voltage. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
chuckles
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 88 Eastern PA Pics |
2014-02-28 189307
That wire is service entry cable 600 volt max. Needs to be buried 4 feet covered in sand to meet code. You need to dig a trench with a backhoe to do it right. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
yocsr1
Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 182 Terre Haute, Indiana Pics |
2014-02-28 189308
I will probably put in plastic pipe before I run it. We're on reclaim - lots of rock. I'm outside of any inspection area, so I can pretty much do whatI want. This will be for 2 - 30amp camper hook-ups. The next run will be 350ft to the barn. When the ground thaws I'm setting a meterbase/disconnect and then after Duke runs the power to me I'll run the rest. Duke charged me $17,000.00, thats like being violated. Larry. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1932 North Dakota Pics |
2014-02-28 189309
Cable plow Subsoiler ....
Picture Link
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1932 North Dakota Pics |
2014-02-28 189310
Larry,
I have a subsoiler with a conduit welded to the back side, behind the liquid fertilizer (anhydrous ammonia)knife, which replaces the single bottom plow that was on there originally.
Picture above.
I run two passes with the subsoiler before laying cable. This gets my knife down as deep as the 3-point hitch will drop. I then lay the power cable on the third pass. The wire is fed in by hand, in my case, with my son spooling it off as I go. A larger feed tube is probably needed for your application.
Hope this helps.
Joel ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1932 North Dakota Pics |
2014-02-28 189312
Larry,
Pull about 20 feet of cable through the conduit, or plenty enough to make your connection to your power supply circuit breaker box.
Begin laying the cable, then stop after about 5 feet. Tamp the trench above the first five feet of cable you've buried. This will prevent the cable from dragging as you plow. It will hold the cable in place.
Travel beyond your termination point, leaving plenty of cable to make your final connections. Finish digging the trench by hand, if your tractor won't allow you to get close enough to the termination point.
Steel conduit should be used to the depth of your trench, so that weed trimmers won't damage the cable at ground level. My power pole has a 6' section of steel conduit attached. My green treated power pole sticks out of the ground 4' high, where a 110vac outlet is installed.
Joel ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
yocsr1
Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 182 Terre Haute, Indiana Pics |
2014-02-28 189329
Looks good. I'll get some conduit large enough in diameter and bend an angle to it. I'll weld it to the subsoiler. I figure I'll make several pass to get it deep enough. I'm going to try and get it to the 20" to 24" depth. I'm thinking of running it in the black plastic pipe and putting it thru schedule 80 at the ends where it comes up to the boxes. I had to buy schedule 80 for the entrance up to the meterbase and have plenty of extra. I haven't had anyone tell me to pack 5' in. Thank you for the info! Larry. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa |
2014-03-01 189335
I had a home made cable trencher at one time, but it was on a 100 HP tractor. The first 18 inches or so don't take much power, but from there on down to 40 inches or so a compact tractor aint going to do it. There was always a rock or two and some roots to deal with so pre ripping to your desired depth is a must to get them out of the way, then pull the cable.
I made mine from some old plow beams and a pipe down the back. It is impossible to build it too strong, tree roots are worse than rocks to cut through. A reasonable size rock will come up, but roots just hang on. A big rock, you backhoe out or just go around.
Frank. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
yocsr1
Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 182 Terre Haute, Indiana Pics |
2014-03-02 189376
I have a 40 hp 4wd tractor. There seems to be different opinions as to feeding or pulling. I like the idea of pulling but not sure I have the hp for that, and as stated a chance for damage to the wire. Larry. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina Pics |
2014-03-03 189393
I think you will find 40 hp sufficient for a single shank subsoiler running a pass or two lowering the lift with each pass. You may be able to pull it at full depth on first pass depending on the soil and as pointed out by Hardwood on rocks and roots.
It is your wire, your tractor and your dog: having done electrical work I would never try to pull that cable that far for fear of damage to the insulation. A sharp rock is as good as any knife edge. It may be 100% fine and again it may not be and not show up till it rains. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
yocsr1
Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 182 Terre Haute, Indiana Pics |
2014-03-14 189549
I've been thinking about putting the 2-2-2 wire in 1 1/2" black plastic pipe. I'm thinking that would protect the wire. If I do would you recommend feeding or pulling . Larry. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1932 North Dakota Pics |
2014-03-14 189555
Yocsr1,
If you use a plastic pipe for the wire, you'll be able to pull the wire through the pipe after laying it.
Most people don't own a fish tape long enough for your project. In that case, you could use a piece of fishing line attached to small rubber ball, then use compressed air to blow the ball through your plastic pipe. Tie a heavy line to your fishing line, then use the heavy line to pull your wire through the pipe.
Hope this helps.
Joel ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
yocsr1
Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 182 Terre Haute, Indiana Pics |
2014-03-23 189732
I've decided on making multiple passes to depth. I bought 1 1/2" plastic pipe one length. I'm planning on putting the wire thru the pipe and pulling it in one shot. What is the best way to secure it to the subsoiler for pulling? Larry. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
yocsr1
Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 182 Terre Haute, Indiana Pics |
2014-04-22 190149
I put the line in the pipe and pulled it thru with subsoiler and drove the tractor back over it a couple of times, can't even tell I did anything. It work perfect its all hooked up. It was more work wiring the boxes up than it was to run the line. Larry. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998 Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ Pics |
2014-04-25 190175
Great news glad it went smoothly! ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina Pics |
2014-04-25 190178
Glad it worked so well. One last thought, if not obvious route you use make a simple drawing of the route and save if for future digging. Then the wire should be easy to find with metal detector but plastic water line is another matter. ....
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Laying Electric Line with subsoiler
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina Pics |
2014-05-30 190401
Hope this link works. Just hit it looking for something else and they have the setup to use with single shank subsoiler like Joel was talking about. ....
Link: pipe laying attachment
 
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