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#1
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Tracing a sewer line
Trying to help out a neighbor here. He is the third or fourth owner
of this place down the road, so he has no idea how the pipes are run. He has a shop that has a toilet that somehow connects to the septic tank on the other side of the property about 100' away. We know that the drain pipe leaves the shop going north, but the tank inlet is NNW. We're looking for a cheap and relatively easy way to trace the line so that he knows where he can dig without hitting the pipe. We know the pipe is PVC. There are no permits or plot plans required in this county for what was done from the shop (non-occupied building). Ideas? |
#2
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Tracing a sewer line
"Grandpa" wrote in message news:HKlHh.20055$as.14181@trnddc04... Trying to help out a neighbor here. He is the third or fourth owner of this place down the road, so he has no idea how the pipes are run. He has a shop that has a toilet that somehow connects to the septic tank on the other side of the property about 100' away. We know that the drain pipe leaves the shop going north, but the tank inlet is NNW. We're looking for a cheap and relatively easy way to trace the line so that he knows where he can dig without hitting the pipe. We know the pipe is PVC. There are no permits or plot plans required in this county for what was done from the shop (non-occupied building). Ideas? No ideas, just a sure fire way to find the pipe. Take two pieces of metal coat hanger wire, about 18" long. Bend them into L's with a 12" and a 6" leg. Hold one in each hand by the short section, each in a very loose fist, with the fronts of them dropped at the slightest angles forward. You want them to be loose, and turn in your fists. Make your fist as though you were holding something the size of a broom stick. You want the wires to be really loose in there. The ends can go through the opening in the bottom of your fist, but the tops can't rest on your top finger or they won't turn. Try it out. Go where you know where there is a line and get the hang of it first. Have some red flags, or pieces of cloth in your pocket to mark with as you go. You say you know generally which way the line runs. Go out twenty feet, and walk like you would run into the pipe at a right angle. When you are over the pipe, your two ends will come towards you to make a straight line left to right in front of you. Mark the spot with a flag or rag. Go farther out and repeat. Exceptions; this will only work when passing over a line at a right angle. If there are overhead power lines, they can cause the pointers to act haywire. And, you will find every line in the yard, so you might have to do some reasoning to decide which one is the one you're looking for. If you can't master the touch of holding them lightly, go to the 99 cent store and buy two small bottles of hot sauce, the ones shaped like Tabasco bottles. You want the wire to be long enough to hit the bottom and swivel with its weight on the bottom of the bottle. If all you can find is tall bottles, make your short legs longer. They can't rest on the top lip of the bottle, and must rest on the end of the wire on the bottom of the bottle. I have found lots and lots of pipes this way. I have also found survey markers, large pieces of buried metal, old tin cans, anything metal. And YES, it does work on PVC pipes, too. Naysayers will say it can't be done. If you live within 25 miles of me, I'd drive over there and guarantee you $100 to a cold beer I could find it. If you have troubles, post here, and I will tell you where I can send you some helper pictures. It works. Steve |
#3
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Tracing a sewer line
Steve, that was nasty.
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#4
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Tracing a sewer line
On Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:16:07 GMT, Grandpa wrote:
Trying to help out a neighbor here. He is the third or fourth owner of this place down the road, so he has no idea how the pipes are run. He has a shop that has a toilet that somehow connects to the septic tank on the other side of the property about 100' away. We know that the drain pipe leaves the shop going north, but the tank inlet is NNW. We're looking for a cheap and relatively easy way to trace the line so that he knows where he can dig without hitting the pipe. We know the pipe is PVC. There are no permits or plot plans required in this county for what was done from the shop (non-occupied building). Ideas? Shove a long wire fish-tape down it, and connect it to an RF emiter, and get a tuned receiver to wander around the yard with. |
#5
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Tracing a sewer line
"Charles Schuler" wrote in message . .. Steve, that was nasty. Huh? Steve |
#6
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Tracing a sewer line
"Steve B" wrote in message news "Charles Schuler" wrote in message . .. Steve, that was nasty. Huh? Dowsing is folklore. |
#7
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Tracing a sewer line
Take two pieces of metal coat hanger wire, about 18" long. Bend them into
L's with a 12" and a 6" leg. Hold one in each hand by the short section, each in a very loose fist, with the fronts of them dropped at the slightest angles forward. You want them to be loose, and turn in your fists. Make your fist as though you were holding something the size of a broom stick. You want the wires to be really loose in there. The ends can go through the opening in the bottom of your fist, but the tops can't rest on your top finger or they won't turn. Or you could just take a metal rod (Easier, when it has rained some to soften the soil) & probe the dirt for it. My septic guy does that, 100% success rate. he just starts at the house where he knows them to be, and works his way to the tank. |
#8
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Tracing a sewer line
Or you could just take a metal rod (Easier, when it has rained some to soften the soil) & probe the dirt for it. My septic guy does that, 100% success rate. he just starts at the house where he knows them to be, and works his way to the tank. There you go ... an elegant solution. Elegant means effective without excess baggage. |
#9
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Tracing a sewer line
"Charles Schuler" wrote in message ... "Steve B" wrote in message news "Charles Schuler" wrote in message . .. Steve, that was nasty. Huh? Dowsing is folklore. uhhhhhhhhhhhhh, no! It does work! |
#10
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Tracing a sewer line
On Tue, 6 Mar 2007 18:18:21 -0500, "Charles Schuler"
wrote: "Steve B" wrote in message news "Charles Schuler" wrote in message . .. Steve, that was nasty. Huh? Dowsing is folklore. Dowsing for water is folklore. Dowsing for PVC isn't. |
#11
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Tracing a sewer line
"Grandpa" wrote in message news:HKlHh.20055$as.14181@trnddc04... Trying to help out a neighbor here. He is the third or fourth owner of this place down the road, so he has no idea how the pipes are run. He has a shop that has a toilet that somehow connects to the septic tank on the other side of the property about 100' away. We know that the drain pipe leaves the shop going north, but the tank inlet is NNW. We're looking for a cheap and relatively easy way to trace the line so that he knows where he can dig without hitting the pipe. We know the pipe is PVC. There are no permits or plot plans required in this county for what was done from the shop (non-occupied building). Ideas? I had a sewer line problem recently. A local guy that specializes in that stuff put in a snake with some sort of transmitter and could follow it from above. I pinpointed the line within an inch or two. I don't know what he'd charge just for that since it was part of a much bigger job. I'd guess it world be a minimum of $100 to come out though. |
#12
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Tracing a sewer line
call it folklore if you want
We own a $3000 locator and a beacon. When we get conflicting feedback, we get out the copper rods!!! Doesn't cost anything to play, the line is probably not very deep. -- ______________________________ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) "Charles Schuler" wrote in message ... "Steve B" wrote in message news "Charles Schuler" wrote in message . .. Steve, that was nasty. Huh? Dowsing is folklore. |
#13
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Tracing a sewer line
"Charles Schuler" wrote in message ... "Steve B" wrote in message news "Charles Schuler" wrote in message . .. Steve, that was nasty. Huh? Dowsing is folklore. Well, then don't use it. Go out and hire a guy and pay him whatever he wants. The man asked for ideas. I gave him one. It was free, and thoroughly worth the price. If he wants to try it, great. There is no obligation to do anything I suggested. As I said, I have used it, and it has worked for me countless times, and left more than one person scratching their nuts and commenting, "Golleeee." I'd bet a hundred dollar bill against a cold beer that I could find the line. Was I absent the day you were put in charge? Steve |
#14
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Tracing a sewer line
"Steve B" wrote in message ... "Charles Schuler" wrote in message ... "Steve B" wrote in message news "Charles Schuler" wrote in message . .. Steve, that was nasty. Huh? Dowsing is folklore. Well, then don't use it. Go out and hire a guy and pay him whatever he wants. The man asked for ideas. I gave him one. It was free, and thoroughly worth the price. If he wants to try it, great. There is no obligation to do anything I suggested. As I said, I have used it, and it has worked for me countless times, and left more than one person scratching their nuts and commenting, "Golleeee." I'd bet a hundred dollar bill against a cold beer that I could find the line. Was I absent the day you were put in charge? I'm trained in science, and know a hundred reasons why it can't work. But, I grew up in construction, and have SEEN it work multiple times. I try not to think about it- makes my head hurt. aem sends... |
#15
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Tracing a sewer line
"aemeijers" wrote in message ... "Steve B" wrote in message ... "Charles Schuler" wrote in message ... "Steve B" wrote in message news "Charles Schuler" wrote in message . .. Steve, that was nasty. Huh? Dowsing is folklore. Well, then don't use it. Go out and hire a guy and pay him whatever he wants. The man asked for ideas. I gave him one. It was free, and thoroughly worth the price. If he wants to try it, great. There is no obligation to do anything I suggested. As I said, I have used it, and it has worked for me countless times, and left more than one person scratching their nuts and commenting, "Golleeee." I'd bet a hundred dollar bill against a cold beer that I could find the line. Was I absent the day you were put in charge? I'm trained in science, and know a hundred reasons why it can't work. But, I grew up in construction, and have SEEN it work multiple times. I try not to think about it- makes my head hurt. aem sends... I have seen it so many times. People who can't take in what they see, confused so much by what they know. I have heard it as "educated beyond capacity." Drug companies went to jungles and asked old shamans what they used for headaches, for diarrhea, for menstrual cramps, for sleeplessness. The old ones took them to herbs and roots. When analyzed, they had some ingredients that were helpful to the specific complaints. Kind of like modern medicine poo poohing the ideas of acupuncture, acupressure, and holistic medicines in favor of spendier brand name cures. We are all hard wired. When we go against instincts, things we can see, and instead go for things we have been indoctrinated in, there can only be conflict. I turn on the switch. The light comes on. Do I need to fully understand the process? Steve |
#16
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Tracing a sewer line
"Bud--" wrote in message .. . aemeijers wrote: Well, then don't use it. Go out and hire a guy and pay him whatever he wants. The man asked for ideas. I gave him one. It was free, and thoroughly worth the price. If he wants to try it, great. There is no obligation to do anything I suggested. As I said, I have used it, and it has worked for me countless times, and left more than one person scratching their nuts and commenting, "Golleeee." I'd bet a hundred dollar bill against a cold beer that I could find the line. Was I absent the day you were put in charge? I'm trained in science, and know a hundred reasons why it can't work. But, I grew up in construction, and have SEEN it work multiple times. I try not to think about it- makes my head hurt. If the ability can be demonstrated someone can make $1 million http://www.randi.org/research/index.html People have tried and the $ is still there. -- bud-- I doubt that two wires moving with relationship to an electromagnetic field, or some other measurable force would be considered paranormal. How does the water guy come out with a device and find lines? Look. It's simple. It's free. It works. If that's not good enough, let your fingers do the walking. Steve |
#17
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Tracing a sewer line
I'd just dig and fix whatever got hit. It's just PVC. On the other hand, how do you know the toilet is connected to the main septic tank? You might find another tank down there somewhere. -rev On Mar 6, 5:16 pm, Grandpa wrote: Trying to help out a neighbor here. He is the third or fourth owner of this place down the road, so he has no idea how the pipes are run. He has a shop that has a toilet that somehow connects to the septic tank on the other side of the property about 100' away. We know that the drain pipe leaves the shop going north, but the tank inlet is NNW. We're looking for a cheap and relatively easy way to trace the line so that he knows where he can dig without hitting the pipe. We know the pipe is PVC. There are no permits or plot plans required in this county for what was done from the shop (non-occupied building). Ideas? |
#18
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Tracing a sewer line
The Reverend Natural Light wrote:
I'd just dig and fix whatever got hit. It's just PVC. On the other hand, how do you know the toilet is connected to the main septic tank? You might find another tank down there somewhere. -rev Knowing its connected to the one septic tank is real easy as he had a blockage in the house septic line last year and it backed up into the shop! It starts out only about six inches below grade at the shop. He wants to dig a new foundation for an outbuilding somewhere north of his shop and doesn't want to reroute any sewer lines. Wants to know where the line is before he starts with the backhoe. Being a retired engineer, I kind of like the rf emitter approach. Being cheap, I like the rod approach if the ground was softer. May try the snake and use a metal detector, rather than the geiger counter idea. My father was a dowser, but I didn't seem to inherit his "gift." Thanks one and all for your suggestions. I certainly got more than I "paid" for. -- Grandpa |
#19
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Tracing a sewer line
"Bud--" wrote in message .. . aemeijers wrote: Well, then don't use it. Go out and hire a guy and pay him whatever he wants. The man asked for ideas. I gave him one. It was free, and thoroughly worth the price. If he wants to try it, great. There is no obligation to do anything I suggested. As I said, I have used it, and it has worked for me countless times, and left more than one person scratching their nuts and commenting, "Golleeee." I'd bet a hundred dollar bill against a cold beer that I could find the line. Was I absent the day you were put in charge? I'm trained in science, and know a hundred reasons why it can't work. But, I grew up in construction, and have SEEN it work multiple times. I try not to think about it- makes my head hurt. If the ability can be demonstrated someone can make $1 million http://www.randi.org/research/index.html People have tried and the $ is still there. Here is a snip from the above site: To put it simply, the ideo-motor reflex is the same thing that makes dowsers believe that they are actually divining. Although you BELIEVE that you are not influencing the movement of the yo-yo, you actually ARE, though you are entirely unconscious of it. The only way to prove that you are not physically influencing the yo-yo, would be for you to NOT hold the yo-yo string. Nobody has ever successfully demonstrated dowsing under controlled conditions ... and nobody ever will ... it is just horsepucky. But, assay the responses in this thread. It is alarming that science is so ill understood in these times. The dark ages are coming back. Thanks for the link Bud and for the ONLY reasoned response. Scary! |
#20
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Tracing a sewer line
On Wed, 7 Mar 2007 16:25:15 -0500, "Charles Schuler"
wrote: "Bud--" wrote in message . .. aemeijers wrote: Well, then don't use it. Go out and hire a guy and pay him whatever he wants. The man asked for ideas. I gave him one. It was free, and thoroughly worth the price. If he wants to try it, great. There is no obligation to do anything I suggested. As I said, I have used it, and it has worked for me countless times, and left more than one person scratching their nuts and commenting, "Golleeee." I'd bet a hundred dollar bill against a cold beer that I could find the line. Was I absent the day you were put in charge? I'm trained in science, and know a hundred reasons why it can't work. But, I grew up in construction, and have SEEN it work multiple times. I try not to think about it- makes my head hurt. If the ability can be demonstrated someone can make $1 million http://www.randi.org/research/index.html People have tried and the $ is still there. Here is a snip from the above site: To put it simply, the ideo-motor reflex is the same thing that makes dowsers believe that they are actually divining. Although you BELIEVE that you are not influencing the movement of the yo-yo, you actually ARE, though you are entirely unconscious of it. The only way to prove that you are not physically influencing the yo-yo, would be for you to NOT hold the yo-yo string. Nobody has ever successfully demonstrated dowsing under controlled conditions ... and nobody ever will ... it is just horsepucky. But, assay the responses in this thread. It is alarming that science is so ill understood in these times. The dark ages are coming back. It really looks like that sometimes, considering the garbage seen in so many posts. I was thinking of posting a link, but I see Bud already did. I seemed to have already learned BS detection by the age of 5. I still don't understand why so few have. Thanks for the link Bud and for the ONLY reasoned response. Scary! -- Mark Lloyd http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com "How could you ask me to believe in God when there's absolutely no evidence that I can see?" -- Jodie Foster |
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