Looking for DIY Subsoiler to install direct burial 4/0,4/0,2/0,4 URD

[BloomingtonMike]

I own a 3320 Deere (29hp) and a cnc knee mill, 1340 metal lathe, small metal bandsaw, and a couple welders. Looking for pictures or plans to build a subsoiler so I can install about 200' of 4/0, 4/0,2/0,4 to a polebarn being built next month. Anyone make one they would like to show? Mikie

 

[bullbreaker]

Heres something to get you going :Worksaver Small Tillage Equipment

Hit on parts list , then go to "download manual" . You will see what I mean . I did not know how to copy it , been thrown off too many bulls back in the day !!!!!
Hope it helps some ! :thumbsup:

 

[BWSSR]

Hiring Machinists - TexasBowhunter.com Community Discussion Forums

 

[Cord]

Won't happen. That cable needs 24" of cover and you don't have the HP to dig that deep. I'd suggest a chain trencher if the soil is clear or a mini excavator if it's rocky.

Also, because this is a sub panel, I believe you need the neutral to be the same size as the conductors. Don't forget to include a disconnect in the building.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I used the same wire to feed the subpanel in my barn and the inspector had no trouble with it.

I put mine in conduit but it is rated for direct burial. Obviously I had to open a trench for the conduit, but I would do the same for direct burial. I would be concerned about getting it deep enough and the wire holding up well to the stresses of using a subsoiler.

 

[bigdeano]

Yah, I think your tractor is a little small. I pulled 1-1/4 poly pipe 2' deep 100' at a pull. My 2wd tractor weighs 6k with the FEL. The tires were slipping the sod the whole way. One place it wouldn't go, so I hooked my 4x4 pickup on the front for more pull.

I made a small tooth out of 1/2 x 3 steel for my garden tractor to put low voltage wires in 12" deep. It has a 3/4 pipe down the back with a long sweep elbow at the bottom. It has a mount for a cable reel on top. It works fine if ground is wet and I don't hit big rocks. Tractor is 4x4 and weighs 1500 with me on it.

You might be able to do it if you have additional pull available, but it would depend on your ground and whether something breaks.

 

[GPintheMitten]

You can check out these two threads for how to's and pics. There seems to be some debate about how deep it needs to be but my inspector told me that with conduit, 18" except under the drive it needed to be 24", so I went 24 for the whole thing. That would be tough with a subsoiler but maybe you could do it with your tractor and a custom built subsoiler.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/122515-pulln-cable.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/135103-burying-wire-subsoiler-advice.html

Kennyd made one but I think he buried something 12" but you could try something similar but longer. Maybe make the leading edge pointed along the whole 24" depth, not just the bottom point.

Let us know how it works, if you build something.

 

[BHD]

I would think one could run a few dry passes until one obtained the depth one needed and then pull in or feed in the wire at that time,

I have a lot larger tractor and with out hydrostatic and vibration I do not think I could go down 24" in one pass,

even the large cable plows usually have vibration on them, or Vibratory Plow.

I made one once for a lawn tractor and use a little gas engine that operated a short PTO shaft and spun two weight (opposes direcitons and timed so the vibration would be up and down) so there would be vibration on the plow shank so I could pull in lawn pipe, worked fairly well but could not cut 3 and 4 inch roots,

I just found a design that uses an eccentric to vibrate the plow insted of weights like many of the commercial units do, Vibratory Plow For Ramrod, Vibratory Plow, Hydraulic Plow, Ditch Witch
pictures below

and I am going to suggest conduit as well,

 

[GPintheMitten]

Seems like the key may be to have a knife edge on the shaft. Subsoilers don't have a knife edge as far as I know and therefore the need for more hp, in my opinion.

 

[tractorgp]

I own a 3320 Deere (29hp) and a cnc knee mill, 1340 metal lathe, small metal bandsaw, and a couple welders. Looking for pictures or plans to build a subsoiler so I can install about 200' of 4/0, 4/0,2/0,4 to a polebarn being built next month. Anyone make one they would like to show? Mikie

Check out this video (mine) its been viewed pretty often on youtube and it worked for me when I needed to bury cables for my weather station and security camera. No doubt you would need a few passes for your trench.