How to dig the narrowest 3' deep trench or minimize sand fill for a wide trench?

[paulsharvey]

Horizontal Directional Drill is for a 3" is gonna be at least $10/LF for an existing contract, atleast double for a residential customer; vs $1.50/trench/plowed LF.

None of this is rocket surgery, do what the power company wants. Telecom doesnt care; but if anything other than fiber (copper or coax) keep it atleast 12" seperate. Hoe will do fine, probably dig that trench in 45 minutes. Throw spoils to 1 side; keeping other side clear for adding your sand. Sprinkle in a couple inches of sand, glue up all for your conduit, and place as a single piece. Avoid fittings; only bell and spigot pipe; gradual bends by flexing pipe over 45s/sweeps. Call them to inspect, and add the rest of the sand in top, add the roll of tape they asked for, and back fill with the cleanest of the remaining spoil.

Is the utility asking for mule tap or jet line to be installed by you?

Also, have your 811 ticket, virgin land or not, just to cover your butt

 

[4570Man]

Horizontal Directional Drill is for a 3" is gonna be at least $10/LF for an existing contract, atleast double for a residential customer; vs $1.50/trench/plowed LF.

None of this is rocket surgery, do what the power company wants. Telecom doesnt care; but if anything other than fiber (copper or coax) keep it atleast 12" seperate. Hoe will do fine, probably dig that trench in 45 minutes. Throw spoils to 1 side; keeping other side clear for adding your sand. Sprinkle in a couple inches of sand, glue up all for your conduit, and place as a single piece. Avoid fittings; only bell and spigot pipe; gradual bends by flexing pipe over 45s/sweeps. Call them to inspect, and add the rest of the sand in top, add the roll of tape they asked for, and back fill with the cleanest of the remaining spoil.

Is the utility asking for mule tap or jet line to be installed by you?

Also, have your 811 ticket, virgin land or not, just to cover your butt

I’d be very surprised if you could get 300 ft bored for $20 a ft especially considering the excavating that would have to be done at each end to install the sweeps as well as at least once in the middle probably more. Than there’s the issue of they have 2 utilities to burry so they would have to repeat the process twice. Firing up the Cat 306 that’s available and digging a hole is the clear answer to me. I’d have zero issues with backfilling it a foot and throwing the internet line on top but if anyone feels that strongly about it it’s easy enough to just dig a second ditch beside the first. I’ll say that exactly 0 people have paid me to dig a second trench beside the first one for their internet.

 

[future_vision]

Horizontal Directional Drill is for a 3" is gonna be at least $10/LF for an existing contract, atleast double for a residential customer; vs $1.50/trench/plowed LF.

None of this is rocket surgery, do what the power company wants. Telecom doesnt care; but if anything other than fiber (copper or coax) keep it atleast 12" seperate. Hoe will do fine, probably dig that trench in 45 minutes. Throw spoils to 1 side; keeping other side clear for adding your sand. Sprinkle in a couple inches of sand, glue up all for your conduit, and place as a single piece. Avoid fittings; only bell and spigot pipe; gradual bends by flexing pipe over 45s/sweeps. Call them to inspect, and add the rest of the sand in top, add the roll of tape they asked for, and back fill with the cleanest of the remaining spoil.

Is the utility asking for mule tap or jet line to be installed by you?

Also, have your 811 ticket, virgin land or not, just to cover your butt

Wish I could did a trench in 45 minutes. Tractor backhoe and the path just doesn't allow for that

 

[future_vision]

A couple other image. Working at the pole was challenging.

 

[garry1p]

You consider running it above ground like the power and internet people do.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

A couple other image. Working at the pole was challenging.

I agree with that!

 

[4570Man]

You consider running it above ground like the power and internet people do.

Above ground looks trashy also the local utility company requires a 50 ft cut in the air for overhead. That’s at least 75ft on the ground if not more like 100 ft. Clearing 100 ft wide is way harder than digging a hole. I don’t know why people are acting like he’s wanting to build a moon rover here. Digging a 300 ft ditch 3 ft deep with a cat 306 to work with is easy work.

 

[paulsharvey]

Our electric co-op requires UG, unless specially waved by the board. Telecom isnt going to want to pay joint user attachment fees. For what our OP is doing UG is probably the best choice, and although, in my area, the bedding wouldn't be normal, nothing seems unreasonable. UG power/water/sewer/gas, you really do want to keep real trees atleast 5 ft from the buried utility as well though.

Do call and check if they want jet line or mule tape, as its easier to stuff when gluing, and check if they need to visually see it, and at what stages. Other than that, just dig, and move on

 

[4570Man]

Our electric co-op requires UG, unless specially waved by the board. Telecom isnt going to want to pay joint user attachment fees. For what our OP is doing UG is probably the best choice, and although, in my area, the bedding wouldn't be normal, nothing seems unreasonable. UG power/water/sewer/gas, you really do want to keep real trees atleast 5 ft from the buried utility as well though.

Do call and check if they want jet line or mule tape, as its easier to stuff when gluing, and check if they need to visually see it, and at what stages. Other than that, just dig, and move on

I’m honestly surprised our provider still allows overhead considering they’re responsible for tree damage up to the meter. The jet line takes 10 seconds to pull through with a shopvac and plastic bag. I’ve done it one piece at a time by tying a weight on the line and dropping it through one piece at a time but the shopvac is way easier.

 

[future_vision]

You consider running it above ground like the power and internet people do.

Don't want a pole and wires flying through the air. The only way to go is to do the extra work and get them underground.

 

[future_vision]

I’m honestly surprised our provider still allows overhead considering they’re responsible for tree damage up to the meter. The jet line takes 10 seconds to pull through with a shopvac and plastic bag. I’ve done it one piece at a time by tying a weight on the line and dropping it through one piece at a time but the shopvac is way easier.

And I understand you run the risk of getting your jetline glued to the inside of your conduit if you do one at a time.

 

[Lena]

Ok. I am deferring to the power of group think here. Here is my situation. I need to trench 300' for electrical and telecommunication conduit. Electrical is 3" wide conduit and telecommunication will be 2" conduit. The minimum depth for electrical is 30". I am trenching from a pole that is pretty much in the drainage ditch next to the road and up a hill. I am guessing I'll start somewhere around 36" at the pole and be around 3-5' deep when I start ascending the hill. Over a certain number of feet I'll eventually get back up to the 30" (36" to be safe). I think I got that all worked out. Here is my issue. The electrical service is asking for a bed of sand(or stone dust) below the conduit and 12" above. I can't get any answer out of the fiber internet company so I was going to do the same for their conduit. No problem but here is the issue. The telecommunication conduit needs to be 12" away from the electrical. If I dig a wide trench to accommodate both conduits and the spacing, I am looking at a minimum 17" wide trench. Realistically it'll probably be closer to 20". Ok. So what is the problem? The problem is the 12" of sand on top of the conduit. How do I get 12" on top of both conduit and not have to buy a ton of extra fill for the 12" gap in between? I had considered renting a trencher but that might be a little treacherous on the slope and I would need to put a much large gap in the rock wall to navigate through. Plus, being in New England, I'll likely hit some large rocks. Then what? It's not like you can just bend 3" around them or dig multiple new trenches hoping to find a clear path. There is also the fact the electric company only allow a certain amount of bend in the run and I already need to do a 45 degree turn at one point.

A trencher, that can go that deep, is about $310/day from Home Depot. I'd have to do some serious looking to find one somewhat local for cheaper. The easy route is just do the wide trench with the CAT 306 but the cost of filling that 12x12x300 area, in between conduits, is prohibitive.

ever think about renting a ditch witch.

 

[eolesen]

We bought a trencher attachment for the skid steer. Been used for water, electric, and drainage... paid for itself compared to rentals and no time pressure.