Removing buried electric lines

[gstrom99]

I have several buried, unused electric wires and am thinking of pulling them. One set (3 BIG "0" gauge and 3 "8" gauge) that go to a long ago removed grain bin drier, and others to two out buildings. My electrician and some buddies tell me to "just leave 'em". The dangling ends have been there for 30 years probably, and are not connected to power. I'd really like to get rid of them. How can/should I pull these? I'm thinking of wrapping/securing them to the drawbar on the tractor and just pull them. I'm not going to trench them out... If they break, I'll just cut 'em and leave them buried. Anyone do this?

 

[Topzide]

I think that's the best you can do. Just gear down slow and PULL! Good luck.

 

[Runner]

I have several buried, unused electric wires and am thinking of pulling them. One set (3 BIG "0" gauge and 3 "8" gauge) that go to a long ago removed grain bin drier, and others to two out buildings. My electrician and some buddies tell me to "just leave 'em". The dangling ends have been there for 30 years probably, and are not connected to power. I'd really like to get rid of them. How can/should I pull these? I'm thinking of wrapping/securing them to the drawbar on the tractor and just pull them. I'm not going to trench them out... If they break, I'll just cut 'em and leave them buried. Anyone do this?

Sounds like what you are proposing is worth a try. Worst that can happen would be that the conductor might break and the remainder stays in the ground.

 

[Carl_NH]

If they are copper, the scrap value could be good, otherwise if they are aluminum I would cut the ends 6" below ground and leave them.

 

[grsthegreat]

IF there in pipe, that will work. If there direct buried….. dont bother trying. Cut off ends and forget they ever existed.

 

[ponytug]

I'd leave them. If the sight of them bugs you, bury the ends. Pulling them is not without risk.

All the best,

Peter

 

[oldballs]

I guess, if you want to pull 'em out, do it after a good rain........guess it depends on how deep they are..
Cheers,
Mike

 

[LittleBill21]

i'd be shocked if you can move them a inch before they snap, i have dropped coax in the grass and a year later i couldn't remove it, and was snapping it trying to pull it.

 

[Fixastuff]

Digging them out is the only way.

 

[MossRoad]

I have several buried, unused electric wires and am thinking of pulling them. One set (3 BIG "0" gauge and 3 "8" gauge) that go to a long ago removed grain bin drier, and others to two out buildings. My electrician and some buddies tell me to "just leave 'em". The dangling ends have been there for 30 years probably, and are not connected to power. I'd really like to get rid of them. How can/should I pull these? I'm thinking of wrapping/securing them to the drawbar on the tractor and just pull them. I'm not going to trench them out... If they break, I'll just cut 'em and leave them buried. Anyone do this?

Are the danglers on both ends? As in, are they still connected at the source? That could get ugly if you pull them out. Just asking.

I recall someone on here years back that came home to find their service entrance cable had been stolen... yanked out of the ground...

Ahhh, here it is. It was Eddie's neighbor. Interesting read, and might give you some ideas how to pull them out.

Thieves stole my neighbors Electrical Lines

Some of you may remember a thread that I did a few years ago about a barn that I built from two storage containers. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/33401-my-container-barn.html Then a few years ago, I sold it to the current owner. He and his wife lived in it for a few years, but...

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