Subsoiler for burying PEX

[Attono]

Found this subsoiler on Craigslist listed as a "1 row planter". Talked them down to $80. $20 worth of exhaust pipe from Autozone and I am hope to bury about 750' of 3/4 pex and about 500' of 12/2 UF with it. I will let you know how it works.

 

[jaotguy]

and now for an old car rim or hose reel to hold the pex / wire ...

 

[Attono]

That's what the thing hanging from the ROPS is for. The crossbar comes off and the roll of pex will hang from it. Are you saying the roll of pex won't spool off?

 

[SPIKER]

Attono:

the PEX will need a large rim to UNROLL into the hole a simple axle will work for most of the stuff but PEX will KINK if it is not unrolled correctly. make up a 3 or more spoke rim that will fit inside the ID of the PEX and use some sort of side plates to keep it un-spooling as if you were rolling it across the yard. The UF will work better this way as well but it can twist more than the PEX so having it pull out of a box is not as bad as the PEX would be.

One other thing is for underground I would not use PEX it should be PEX-AL-PEX or the underground rated black poly type materials.


Mark

 

[dstig1]

No it will kink, and right quickly at that. Probably before you have 2 turns off of it. Ask me how I know... You need a spool of some sort. I have made one with 2 pieces of OSB/ply and 4 2x4 stubs cut to the same length. Drill your center hole, lay the PEX down on the OSB, and then place the 4 2x's evenly and screw them in place. Screw on the other OSB piece, and you have a spool. Hard to get the screw locations right the first time, but after that you mark the correct holes and orientation so you can put a new loop of tubing on it quickly.

 

[Attono]

Attono:

the PEX will need a large rim to UNROLL into the hole a simple axle will work for most of the stuff but PEX will KINK if it is not unrolled correctly. make up a 3 or more spoke rim that will fit inside the ID of the PEX and use some sort of side plates to keep it un-spooling as if you were rolling it across the yard. The UF will work better this way as well but it can twist more than the PEX so having it pull out of a box is not as bad as the PEX would be.

One other thing is for underground I would not use PEX it should be PEX-AL-PEX or the underground rated black poly type materials.


Mark

Can you please elaborate on this a little. I was under the impression that PEX was rated for underground burial.

 

[SPIKER]

Can you please elaborate on this a little. I was under the impression that PEX was rated for underground burial.

Attono:

PEX is relatively soft, it kinks and any rocks will compress it and cut off flow. If you have any sharp edges on those rocks or drag it across something it is a gonner. The Black Polly is a bit more robust, has UV protection. The PEX-AL-PEX has the dual layer of PEX as well as a layer of Aluminum which will keep the PEX from getting crushed & make it a lot more hardy should something sharp land on it when it is trenched in.

Mark

 

[Attono]

Thanks Spiker. The soil here about 2' down is mostly sandy loam. Don't think I've ever dug a rock up, so should be good with the PEX I've got. I guess time will tell.

 

[davedj1]

What is the purpose of the pex? Could maybe use regular black plastic pipe. If it's for heat then you need insulated pex.

 

[texasjohn]

I'm a tad confused...750' of pex and 500' of 12/2? Are these two separate burials, or is the 12/2 inside the pex?

Good work and good price on the subsoiler.

 

[Attono]

PEX will carry water from the house to the horse water tanks and chicken coop. 1 at the barn, 1 in the pasture, and the coop. 12/2 is for lighting to a flag pole light, automatic gate, tank heater, and chicken coop. I'll use 2 different circuits for the electrical.

For the water, I'll come out from under the house, go about 20' and then do a T. Left for about 300' to get to the barn and then right to go about 250' to get to the pasture tank where I'll T again and then another 200' to get to the coop.

For the 12/2, I'll come out with both ckts, go right into a junction box above grade with both circuits, then I'll take one and go forward about 30' to my flagpole and then on out to the end of the driveway for the gate. The other circuit will come out, go to the right to the pasture tank where I'll pull it to another junction box above grade and then carry it on to the coop. I'll get power for the barn tank from the barn.

Just got really tired of carrying water last winter.

 

[petes]

For the water, I'll come out from under the house, go about 20' and then do a T. Left for about 300' to get to the barn and then right to go about 250' to get to the pasture tank where I'll T again and then another 200' to get to the coop.

For the cost of an extra 20ft of tubing, I'd put the first T under the house where you can get to it... less buried junctions is better. I sure wish the previous owner of my property had thought that way!

 

[texasjohn]

Attono, sounds like a good plan... best wishes... yep, water and power are wonderful once in... a pain to install...but, I think you will be wonderfully pleased how fast the subsoiler will do the major part of the work. Use your slowest speed and go SLOW. Try a few times before inserting the pex/12/2 to do it for real. Might cut a trench first to get the soil worked up and then repeat for real.

 

[Attono]

For the cost of an extra 20ft of tubing, I'd put the first T under the house where you can get to it... less buried junctions is better. I sure wish the previous owner of my property had thought that way!

I am going to use a sharkbite T in the existing copper to pull my supply and then add a cutout valve before I pass it through the foundation. This is a good idea though. I'll have to see if I've broken a large enough hole in the cinderblock to accomodate. Thanks!

 

[Renze]

When burying electrical cable or Tylene water hose, you need to either have a wheel in the pipe to put the hose down into the furrow, OR you need a man walking beside the subsoiler to push down the hose or cable into the guidance pipe, otherwise you'll get so much friction that it will rip off the cable or hose.

 

[Attono]

Seems like it works fine for everybody else... What about dumping some cable lube into the pipe? I'm not using Tylene, it's PEX. Or are you saying that they are the same thing?

That's not funny, by the way. I just googled Tylene while sitting at work...

 

[cletus99]

That's not funny, by the way. I just googled Tylene while sitting at work...

Haha, nice!

 

[SPIKER]

One thing I have learned is to make two or maybe 3 passes BEFORE you insert the cable/tube for this type of plowing in. That way it loosens up the soil in the first pass and it is easy to follow your wheel path to keep the sub soiler in the same trench. The person who said no Ts underground is the way I say too, sometimes ya have to but avoid it like plague if ya can...

 

[hobonc]

Found this subsoiler on Craigslist listed as a "1 row planter". Talked them down to $80. $20 worth of exhaust pipe from Autozone and I am hope to bury about 750' of 3/4 pex and about 500' of 12/2 UF with it. I will let you know how it works.

I tied the zaust pipe trick and it did not work for me....

Plow'n in pipe - Ford Forum - Yesterday's Tractors

 

[ishiboo]

PEX will carry water from the house to the horse water tanks and chicken coop. 1 at the barn, 1 in the pasture, and the coop. 12/2 is for lighting to a flag pole light, automatic gate, tank heater, and chicken coop. I'll use 2 different circuits for the electrical.

For the water, I'll come out from under the house, go about 20' and then do a T. Left for about 300' to get to the barn and then right to go about 250' to get to the pasture tank where I'll T again and then another 200' to get to the coop.

For the 12/2, I'll come out with both ckts, go right into a junction box above grade with both circuits, then I'll take one and go forward about 30' to my flagpole and then on out to the end of the driveway for the gate. The other circuit will come out, go to the right to the pasture tank where I'll pull it to another junction box above grade and then carry it on to the coop. I'll get power for the barn tank from the barn.

Just got really tired of carrying water last winter.

Remember voltage drop at long lengths... not sure long your driveway is.

Burying 12/3 for future use is not a bad idea as with a MWBC it gives you 2X the amperage by having a second 120v circuit, for only a little more money. Not necessary on the flagpole, but might be a good idea for the end of the driveway.