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...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[gstrom99]

Thanks for the replies. They're aluminum, but big. I think I'll try to pull 'em out with the tractor, when the ground is wet (as much rain as we've had, that's every/any day - our ground is saturated). If they break, oh well...

 

[plowhog]

I'll try to pull 'em out with the tractor,

Not sure of your setup but if it was me I'd be taking some precautions against whiplash if some came out and then it broke. But then again I don't know if aluminum stretches or not.

 

[grsthegreat]

Even if you did pull it out. Aluminum wire isnt worth the effort to strip it for scrap.

 

[4570Man]

I tried pulling some 10 gauge copper out of the ground that was direct buried. It kept breaking so I gave up.

 

[sandman2234]

A few years ago I worked for a trucking company that also did warehousing. They had an overflow, so leased a warehouse to handle it. Right after they moved it, somebody stole the 600 foot of copper entrance cable (8 conductors) so the company was on the hook for $12k to replace it. They replaced it and two weeks later it got stolen AGAIN! They cancelled the lease, moved the product elsewhere! Still had to pay for the second bunch of wiring!
David from jax

 

[DarkBlack]

Thanks for the replies. They're aluminum.

Not sure of your length but sounds like it’s long enough it isn’t going to simply pull out.
You could try digging a hole down to the middle of the span, cut them in half there, then try pulling the half lengths, but even that might not work

 

[oldballs]

If one knew approx location one might run a potato plow or a box blade with the rippers down to loosen things up????....maybe run a string line to stayin line with the cables as the tractor moves along???..........of course the string would have to be off set..........

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Runner]

When the electrician installed my new service lateral conductors, they just ran a trencher right over the old one and chopped it up in little pieces. Made quite a mess, that was 10 years ago and I'm still finding pieces of wire and insulation in the yard.

 

[bdhsfz6]

As others have stated, I doubt you will be able to pull it out. If you try, be aware you could damage other nearby underground structures, like pipes, or other underground cables. Was anything else placed in the trench when the line was installed?

If it were me, I'd cut the ends flush with the ground and be done with it.

 

[gstrom99]

As others have stated, I doubt you will be able to pull it out. If you try, be aware you could damage other nearby underground structures, like pipes, or other underground cables. Was anything else placed in the trench when the line was installed?

If it were me, I'd cut the ends flush with the ground and be done with it.

There "should" be nothing else in the area. I have no idea how deep they put 'em. The loose ends are about 3 feet long and poking up next to the bin pad. I don't mow near them, but the weed whacker catches them once in a while - which is why they are now on my target list. I'll give pulling them a try, soon. Wood splitting is on the schedule today, before the heat comes in.

Pics and update to follow...