Digging 400' Trench for cable

[YNORUM]

Speak with the actual install crew. I've worked in trenches for the last 16 years. By conduit, it could me anything that's in the ground for them to put the cable in. 1 1/2 black sprinkler line has been installed A LOT for anything from cable drops to power line runs from poles to houses or houses to barns. The "twine" (P-line) can be installed by tying it to a small piece of cushion foam and then using a shop vac to suck it through from the other end. I've worked with guys on all this stuff, the install crews are always willing to work with you when you are saving them work. Good luck, and as previously said, run it at least 2' deep in that field. If it isn't your field though, your encroaching onto someone else's property. For utilities, that's a no no.

 

[TORQUIN]

I am with the conduit camp. Reason being that on my property it is very rocky, in red clay, and my previous attempts at burying cable direct have been that rocks worked their way to the cable and pierced it. I ran electric fence wiring, with 12-2 direct burial solid wire under three different gate openings and two of them began arcing under ground after a few years because the rocks eventually worked themselves into the cable. I installed conduit and have not had a problem since, well over 10 years now.
If you have sandy soil, however, then I wouldn't bother with the conduit for that reason only. Still, the conduit is good for when you need to replace/upgrade what's running underground, as some one mentioned about fiber coming along eventually.
I had several problems with the cable company, Adelphia and Comcast, burying the line, as they sent out contractors with a vibratory plow who didn't care and it was buried so shallow that you coudl see it above the ground in some places. I had to fight with them and eventually I dug the trench for them, 12" deep", especially under the driveway, where it is 24" deep, to protect it from the shifting rocks and pressure from vehicles. The cable wire is not in conduit, as this was before the electric fence issues came to light and I learned.
Another plus for the conduit is if you ever have to dig in that area you will hit the conduit first and while you may damage it a little, you are much less likely to cut the wire before you know what's going on, like you might with just a bare wire.

Chris

 

[PHIL850]

We've lived here for nearly 30 years. Contacted local cable company(comcast). They say if I dig the 400 foot trench from the pole at the road to the house, they will install the cable. A contractor hired by comcast showed up and drew a map. On the final plan they say direct burial or I can provide a 2" conduit. Trench will be 18-24" deep - straight from the pole to the house.

It's taken 2 years of phone calls, emails and visits to their office to get this far. So I don't want to make any mistakes.
They will put a pedestal at the house. A pedestal is a green metal 'can' or box about 8" diameter and a foot or so high.

I called the 'call before you dig' phone number and got some info on when to call - 3 to 10 days before digging. And then I have 45 days to complete the job.

The trench is going straight thru a hay field. No underground obstructions that I know of. But the power is coming down the pole and then underground to the house. The power trench goes off at an angle to the other corner of the house so we won't be near it except by the pole. I understand I have to dig by hand for 2 feet by any underground wiring, etc.

I'm inclined to install the 2" conduit. They are supposed to be here within 2 days after I complete the trench to install the cable but if they are late and it's raining alot... the trench may fill with water and may collapse in some areas that will need to be hand dug to clear the dirt.

Any advise to make this go with no problems is well appreciated.

Conduit can be expensive with that length of run, but if the cable fails, easy enough to replace. A question I would ask is, who is eats the repair if the cable fails for some reason?
if you own a backhoe it’s time and fuel on your part. If it’s piped, they can simply pull a new cable. Then there’s always the chance of upgrades in the future to things like fiber optic.

 

[GeorgeA]

We've lived here for nearly 30 years. Contacted local cable company(comcast). They say if I dig the 400 foot trench from the pole at the road to the house, they will install the cable. A contractor hired by comcast showed up and drew a map. On the final plan they say direct burial or I can provide a 2" conduit. Trench will be 18-24" deep - straight from the pole to the house.

It's taken 2 years of phone calls, emails and visits to their office to get this far. So I don't want to make any mistakes.
They will put a pedestal at the house. A pedestal is a green metal 'can' or box about 8" diameter and a foot or so high.

I called the 'call before you dig' phone number and got some info on when to call - 3 to 10 days before digging. And then I have 45 days to complete the job.

The trench is going straight thru a hay field. No underground obstructions that I know of. But the power is coming down the pole and then underground to the house. The power trench goes off at an angle to the other corner of the house so we won't be near it except by the pole. I understand I have to dig by hand for 2 feet by any underground wiring, etc.

I'm inclined to install the 2" conduit. They are supposed to be here within 2 days after I complete the trench to install the cable but if they are late and it's raining alot... the trench may fill with water and may collapse in some areas that will need to be hand dug to clear the dirt.

Any advise to make this go with no problems is well appreciated.

Accomplished a similar project a few years ago, trenched 300' @ 36" deep, direct buried power cable and installed conduit for CCTV and phone drop.

Rented a "Dingo" for the trenching. Recommend 36" deep through the hay field. Also, use a tape at 12-24" "Caution Buried Cable Below" to provide a visual clue and protect it from utility finders.

Conduit is by far the best way to go, but that's a short $1000. Do you own/control the hay field - peace of mind if you do. If you use conduit, have them install a secondary pull string as they install the cable, for future use.

Make sure you know where the power cable is! I doubt the 811 folks will mark it.

In addition to the CCTV, ask them to install a fiber optic drop for future use.

Best of luck!

 

[TGM5040]

Once we build our house, it will be about 1800' from the public road up a rocky ridge. Once the house is built, we plan on going with Starlink for $110/month for about 200mbps speed.
At our current house, Comcast is raising our rates here as well, they sent notification about the change, but all the links to "find out about the rate increase" do not have any information about a rate increase.
We are going to try Centurylink fiber, $30/month for 200 mbps, with no installation charges (in town).

 

[Mattmotors]

I retired from Verizon in central NY. Way back when , when everyone had a dial tone, I would often get a call to drop off a roll of buried service wire for a new house or someone who wanted to change to a buried wire. We never really cared how it was buried. In fact lot of times we would put the wire in by slicing the ground 2-3 inches and tuck the wire in. Then the ground would close up on it. Verizon was also responsible for the buried service wire from the pole to the house. I know going thru a corn field or someones garden is different, but what does comcast cares how it gets there . Can't they go aerial from the pole with their terminal to the serving pole in front of your house? (Bell Spec) I had Spectrum for TV. 156 channels... Nothing good to watch. Price was thru the roof with 3 boxes. Kept the internet, dropped the TV and got a ROKU box and subscribed to HULU . Cut my cost in half and got the same channels. When I started at New York Telephone, out of services never went more than 24 hours, often fixed within 8 hours. When I retired customers were given a 7 day window for an out of service. Little off topic But these Com companies can be real A*****. And good luck finding some one competent enough to know the business.

 

[jdmeth]

You are a bit late to the game on getting cable. Most people are getting rid of their cable and opting for much cheaper and better service than cable. But if that's the direction you are headed I would not invest the money in PVC conduit that is much too large for what is needed. I would direct bury it. The preference would be to have them dig it in with their vibrator plow but you didn't mention that as an option.

So exactly how is the better service going to be delivered to his house? TV or Internet, they both require some sort of cable. I do not have access to cable of any sort, satellite service sucks.

 

[Tlcnut]

A few years ago I had to replace direct bury power to my house.. 500 feet of it. The original was damaged someplace. Harder and more expensive to find and fix the existing than to completely replace it. Not to mention of it were fixed, the remainder was likely just as bad. I went with direct bury inside conduit. Better safe than sorry!
In addition.. I had Verizon run FIOS to my house. They had to go 1/4 mile down the street, cross over the street, then lay FIOS another 500 feet to my house. They didn't charge me one cent! Just saying maybe an idea!

 

[dbritt]

Do you have a neighbor who has high-speed internet within line of sight, or just a few trees in between? Eliminate all these options and install a wireless point-to-point link between their house and yours. My son has 500mb internet via fiber and lives 1/4 mile from me. I installed such a link between his house and mine and I get 150mb up and down. These little units give the equivalent of fiber between the two points, basically immune to weather, never had mine go down in almost 3 years of operation. The signal will not go through a hill, or heavily forested area, but can penetrate slight tree obstruction. Metal buildings are pretty much a total block. Here's an example, you will need 2 units, $62 each:

Ubiqiuti NSLOCO5 Nanostation Outdoor Wireless CPE Router

Buy Ubiqiuti NSLOCO5 Nanostation Outdoor Wireless CPE Router

www.silmicro.com

There are youtube videos that show exactly how to program them. When you have them "talking" to each other, it's just like a long cat5 network cable, and you are part of your neighbors network. Split the cost of the internet service and you both win. I used to run a rural internet service and we installed these things everywhere, covering almost the whole town from the top of one of the city's water towers.

 

[NightFire]

For that distance, they have to use RG11 or hardline. With them wanting it dug out ahead of time and adding a pedestal, which will likely have a tap, instead of a splitter, I would lean toward hardline being installed.

Direct bury is fine, hardline is already fully incased in flexible aluminum pipe, covered in a plastic insulation, which is only there to keep the aluminum from shorting out on power lines.

Communications wiring doesn't work like power lines; the shielding is safe to come into direct contact with the ground, the insulation is mainly only there to prevent shorting power lines and make it easier to work with. Communications wiring uses skin effect, which is why most coax conductors are copper coated steel (satellite dishes need solid copper, because they also transmit power).

 

[swa]

not knowing your layout but....

I have a lot of CAT 6 cables just laid in by a mole. Best trick was using the unit that they use for laying the robot lawn mower guide lines.

DROP-IN 6 Honda GX160​

Even better would be to lay some standard poly water pipe as your conduit with a mole something like this. WRP1 - Winton Ripper & Pipe Layer 4.5cm Pipe - For Compact Tractors

Plenty of tricks for adding a pull through cord. This is not like you are burying power.

Not sure if this helps. references are UK based.

 

[PeteN]

Spectrum has been laying fiber optic cable in my neighborhood which isn't within 20 miles of being able to get cable. I think they got some cash from the government to improve access to broadband internet in rural areas. Anyways, they surveyed the layout and decided to lay the cable from the box at the road that was over 1800' from my house but was connected to a neighbors house. After they buried it the inside installer found the port they connected to was not functional. After a few calls I found they were going to restart the project (abandoning the 1800"+ cable) and installed a box at the end of my driveway and bury a new cable to my house (about 700'). The burial crew again brought a Ditch Witch with a knife in direct burial method (around a foot deep) and within a half an hour had the cable to my house. Total installation cost including the inside connection with modem was $50. It gets me a 300mbs connection for $50 for the first year, no contract, and can cancel at any time. Don't know how they'll recover the cost of the cable install at that monthly price seeing that the installer told me the fiber cable is over a dollar a foot just by itself.

 

[Elviscaretaker]

First of all, F%^& Comcast. Evil, corrupt, incompetent monopoly of a company who routinely violates their promises and raises rates on customers without justification. Our internet service with them is lightning fast (~600mBpS) but they just jacked the monthly bill from $117 to $147 and say there is nothing we can do about it. Infuriating. We never really wanted cable TV service or a phone line from them, but it all comes on the same coaxial cable together and they play games with the pricing to make you combine services. It's all the same data to them, and a coaxial cable is pretty future-proof as far as data bandwidth and available services go.

ANYWAY, I had the same exact scenario as you when we built our house some 800 feet off the road. Comcast initially quoted us FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS to bring service to our house. Our only other option is AT&T phone line, IE DSL at 6mB, which also would have had some infrastructure expenses to bring in. After two months of arguing with managers in our local comcast office, they finally said the same: "if you get us a 2-ft deep trench, we'll lay the cable and install service for your for free". I was not ever considering fussing with conduit for 800 feet - the direct burial cable they supply (Around 0.5" diameter, hard to bend) works great and has no issues. My neighbor has a garden that my trench ran through for 100 feet and he did plow the cable up once! He was terrified because he though it was our electrical service, but no, just the comcast coax. The fixed it the next day for free, all good since. Bob added a foot of soil to this area and vowed not to plow there any more.

So I rented an excavator (bobcat E35) with a one foot trenching bucket and started digging. It was a little sketchy since I had to dig directly adjacent to our primary underground electrical service, but thankfully that trench was 6+ feet deep. I had to go ~700 feet from my neighbors backyard pole, behind his pole barn, through his garden, down a steep 35 foot hill, around some big trees, and to behind my house where they put the pedestal. From the pedestal to the house they just pushed a small coax line into the dirt, I've had to repair that part also after my front loader snagged it (why do I keep digging and landscaping this area? my wife would sure like to know).

In conclusion, F%$k comcast, may they rot in hell, and good luck to you.

Consider looking into Starlink (110 a month now). It's fast, but is it available to you is the question. Then for phone Ooma (free for me as a tester), a VOIP. I was one of the testers and have had it since... a long time with no issues. Then consider a ROKU for the TV, free (after buying the adaptor) unless you want pay channels etc. I mainly use just the internet though.

But I made a variation of this 3PT Ripper with Pipelayer, 3-Point Hitch Tractor Pipper for pipe laying for laying pipe. Works good but you need a heavy tractor to pull the thing at 2' and more depth, shallow is a walk in the part. Then over it with a roller and you can barely tell you were there. Granted, to make life easier I dug holes at my start/stop points. I haven't run it through heavily compacted soil yet so no idea on how it'll pull through that. Don't think this is legal if a pipe inspection is required.

 

[3Ts]

I retired from Verizon in central NY. Way back when , when everyone had a dial tone, I would often get a call to drop off a roll of buried service wire for a new house or someone who wanted to change to a buried wire. We never really cared how it was buried. In fact lot of times we would put the wire in by slicing the ground 2-3 inches and tuck the wire in. Then the ground would close up on it. Verizon was also responsible for the buried service wire from the pole to the house. I know going thru a corn field or someones garden is different, but what does comcast cares how it gets there . Can't they go aerial from the pole with their terminal to the serving pole in front of your house? (Bell Spec) I had Spectrum for TV. 156 channels... Nothing good to watch. Price was thru the roof with 3 boxes. Kept the internet, dropped the TV and got a ROKU box and subscribed to HULU . Cut my cost in half and got the same channels. When I started at New York Telephone, out of services never went more than 24 hours, often fixed within 8 hours. When I retired customers were given a 7 day window for an out of service. Little off topic But these Com companies can be real A*****. And good luck finding some one competent enough to know the business.

I have run into romex (indoor) wire running from the house to the water pump that is about 2 inches down. Fortunately I managed not to cut it. I've also uncovered electrical conduit with a backhoe that was only 6 inches down, no warning tape either. Fortunately I only nicked it and didn't break it.

So, be careful when digging. You never know where the buried lines are, nor how deep they are. Always assume there's something where you're digging and it's only another inch down.

Secondly once dug and conduit installed it’s easy to pull a string through it. Tie a partially inflated baggie to twine insert baggie into one of conduit and suck through the baggie & twine with a vacuum cleaner. Once this is done you assure no obstructions exist in the run and ditch can be back filled. Eliminating hazard of some one or animal stepping into it. Cover the ends to prevent rain / debris entering conduit. Sit back and wait for Comcast to complete the install. Good luck!

Be sure the connections are glued! You won't be able to pull the string otherwise. This is the method I use and just in case someone doesn't know, the buried conduit will fill with water over time so when you vacuum the baggie, the water will come with it.

 

[oosik]

Well..... fortunately we never had a cable option way out here. I have satellite TV, internet and phone. All work just great.

I say fortunately because if cable were available - it would, most likely, be out on the county road. From my house, down my driveway to the county road - - a little over a mile.

 

[aircommuter]

As a retired underground contractor I think DB is worse possible thing. Once the soil hardens around it and you want to do something that needs to cross that cable it’s so hard because even hand digging can easily damage it. I use conduit for everything at least DB 120 if schedule 40 is too costly. I also bury a tracer wire if the pipe doesn’t have wires inside. I also use 6 “ of sand over the top and 4” underneath. Even though you don’t think you will ever need to cross it you may be fooled later.
Sand also protects the conduit from rocks.
To pull the string through I use a balloon inflated to the size needed.

 

[workinonit]

So exactly how is the better service going to be delivered to his house? TV or Internet, they both require some sort of cable. I do not have access to cable of any sort, satellite service sucks.

I have satellite TV service that doesn't suck. I use a hotspot for internet that works great.

 

[workinonit]

So exactly how is the better service going to be delivered to his house? TV or Internet, they both require some sort of cable. I do not have access to cable of any sort, satellite service sucks.

I would be curious how heis getting landline phone if he is. Typically the phone providers can provide TV service. Cable doesn't even exist in our neck of the woods anymore.

 

[BubbaG65]

We've lived here for nearly 30 years. Contacted local cable company(comcast). They say if I dig the 400 foot trench from the pole at the road to the house, they will install the cable. A contractor hired by comcast showed up and drew a map. On the final plan they say direct burial or I can provide a 2" conduit. Trench will be 18-24" deep - straight from the pole to the house.

It's taken 2 years of phone calls, emails and visits to their office to get this far. So I don't want to make any mistakes.
They will put a pedestal at the house. A pedestal is a green metal 'can' or box about 8" diameter and a foot or so high.

I called the 'call before you dig' phone number and got some info on when to call - 3 to 10 days before digging. And then I have 45 days to complete the job.

The trench is going straight thru a hay field. No underground obstructions that I know of. But the power is coming down the pole and then underground to the house. The power trench goes off at an angle to the other corner of the house so we won't be near it except by the pole. I understand I have to dig by hand for 2 feet by any underground wiring, etc.

I'm inclined to install the 2" conduit. They are supposed to be here within 2 days after I complete the trench to install the cable but if they are late and it's raining alot... the trench may fill with water and may collapse in some areas that will need to be hand dug to clear the dirt.

Any advise to make this go with no problems is well appreciated.

Just to clarify - it's 18" if you use conduit and 24" if you don't (aka direct buried). I actually recommend running 2 conduits - then you can always pull something else through later - like a power line to a light standard or something - since you already have the trench! If you think you might run a main power feed though, you will want at least 2-1/2" conduit for that. Watch for ground wires near/around the pole - maybe hand dig that part. Also if you go direct buried, technically you need to go 27" deep and lay down 3" of sand (so the cable ends up 24" down), then another 3" of sand on top. But a lot of inspectors will pass it without sand. If you go conduit, if there will be vehicle traffic I would also drop to 24" down in those areas - basically the risk is if the conduit shears, it cuts through your cable, and it's a <expletive> to find to repair if you can't get a distance detector to tell you how far to the break. Although of course obviously start where the newest deep vehicle tracks are...

 

[LD1]

As a retired underground contractor I think DB is worse possible thing. Once the soil hardens around it and you want to do something that needs to cross that cable it’s so hard because even hand digging can easily damage it. I use conduit for everything at least DB 120 if schedule 40 is too costly. I also bury a tracer wire if the pipe doesn’t have wires inside. I also use 6 “ of sand over the top and 4” underneath. Even though you don’t think you will ever need to cross it you may be fooled later.
Sand also protects the conduit from rocks.
To pull the string through I use a balloon inflated to the size needed.

In a perfect world, that would be great.

But the cost of the conduit, then the cost of the sand and added labor all have to be factored.

You may very well be taking something that can be done for a couple bucks a foot and turning it into a $10/ft expense