Digging a trench for electricity cable
 

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 20:07:43 +0100, Nigel Mercier wrote:

I'm crossing a lawn, and I think the regs say 60mm deep.

60mm (2 1/3") seems a bit shallow even for a lawn. B-)

450mm springs to mind for such surface use. Deeper for under areas
carrying vechicles.

Has anyone got any tips how to dig it? Trencher? Hired labour? DIY?

What are the soil conditions? If its good stone free soil tilth to
that depth hand digging wouldn't be to hard but bung in a few stones
and underlying clay at the 12" level it would become hardwork for 25M.

A minidigger would make light work but would chew up the lawn unless
always on good strong boards. A few 8x4 OSBs might have enough
resilance to survive. Put the spoil onto a tarpaulin running the
length of the trench to save the grass as well.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Digging a trench for electricity cable
 

Where are you? I've got a trencher which will dig to a meter deep but runs
on steel tracks!!!!!!!

Rich

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
. 1...
On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 20:07:43 +0100, Nigel Mercier wrote:

I'm crossing a lawn, and I think the regs say 60mm deep.

60mm (2 1/3") seems a bit shallow even for a lawn. B-)

450mm springs to mind for such surface use. Deeper for under areas
carrying vechicles.

Has anyone got any tips how to dig it? Trencher? Hired labour? DIY?

What are the soil conditions? If its good stone free soil tilth to
that depth hand digging wouldn't be to hard but bung in a few stones
and underlying clay at the 12" level it would become hardwork for 25M.

A minidigger would make light work but would chew up the lawn unless
always on good strong boards. A few 8x4 OSBs might have enough
resilance to survive. Put the spoil onto a tarpaulin running the
length of the trench to save the grass as well.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Digging a trench for electricity cable
 

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 20:07:43 +0100, Nigel Mercier ® wrote:

I need to dig a trench for an electricity cable, about 25 metres from
the source. I'm crossing a lawn, and I think the regs say 60mm deep.

Is it an installation cable or a main service cable for an alteration or
new supply. If the trench is for a service cable, ask the leccy company
what depth they want it. There are regulations that cover that.

If it an installation cable then go for about 450mm/18inches a a rule of
thumb.

Has anyone got any tips how to dig it? Trencher? Hired labour? DIY?

Depends how much you like a bit of physical work. For 25m across a lawn,
I'd dig it by hand. Spread some sheeting across the lawn to take the
excavated spoil, cut the turves off the top and lay to one side.

Make sure the first shovelfuls of soil backfill around the cable are
reasonably free of stones. If you leave sharp stones pressing into the
cable, they may eventually cause damage. Don't forget to lay a marker tape
along the top of the cable.

When you back fill, do it layers of about 6" and ram or compact it as best
you can, then put the turves back down and it should settle down reasonably
well given a few weeks.

Digging a trench for electricity cable
 

Nigel Mercier ® wrote:

I need to dig a trench for an electricity cable, about 25 metres from
the source. I'm crossing a lawn, and I think the regs say 60mm deep.

Has anyone got any tips how to dig it? Trencher? Hired labour? DIY?




Hire a mini digger. It will do it in about an hour once you learn how to
drive it.

Tip scrape off topsoil first. and place in pile. Then use it to cover
the mess you leave afterwards. Grass will regrow quickly in topsoli (no
need to seed: Old roots will sprout if not too deep)
) .