Laying Pipe

[304065]

Now that I have your attention!

Need to run some water pipe underground about 75m as the crow flies. (Forgive the units, I am using a Leupold rangefinder and can't figure out how to get the damn thing to read out in feet.) All right let's call it 250 feet.

My thought is to get a coil of 3/4" PVC pipe and use a "subsoiler" on a three-point hitch behind a tractor to embed the pipe in the ground. It won't be below the frost line, but I plan to blow it out with compressed air in the winter anyway.

A "subsoiler" is basically a single tine with a hardened steel tooth on it. You lower the tine with the three point hitch and make a pass. Some tractors are powerful enough to pull the pipe on the first pass, others require more than one. Depends on the soil conditions, depth, etc., Some of these subsoilers include a shear pin so that if the tooth hits a rock, rather than breaking the hitch, the pin (actually a bolt mounted in shear) gives way rather than something more expensive. Some don't use a shear pin, the tractor isn't that powerful, it just stops.

Now some questions:

1) Anybody ever done this themselves before?
2) Is there a preferred method? I realize that there are alternatives, such as a vibratory plow, but am not sure whether these can be rented, and if so, at what expense.
3) If I had a professional install this, such as the folks that do underground sprinkler work, is this an expensive service? For reference, I think dealer rates for Porsche service are "expensive."

Given the distance to run I think hand trenching is out of the question and something more elaborate such as a Ditch Witch is probably overkill.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance, there seems to be a tremendous amount of tractor and farm implement know-how here (guys who like mechanical stuff tend to like a lot of DIFFERENT kinds of mechanical stuff)

[peppy]

How about renting a walk behind ditch witch. Blowing it out with air is going to be a pita.

[peppy]

How about renting a walk behind ditch witch? Blowing it out with air is going to be a pita.

[304065]

Originally Posted by peppy

How about renting a walk behind ditch witch. Blowing it out with air is going to be a pita.

Do you mean so it can be placed below the frost line? I see the advantages of that but in this climate (upstate NY) that probably requires 48" depth.

[peppy]

Yes, below the frost line. 48" is deep down here it's about 18".

[TimT]

48" cut will take a wheel that is at least 8" in diameter... that is not a cheap machine to rent.. I am talking about a Vermeer.... others have co-opted the "ditch-witch" name..

Anyway its not a big deal to blow out the lines.... Most of the tri-state area sprinkler systems get "blown" late November every year....

[304065]

Originally Posted by TimT

48" cut will take a wheel that is at least 8" in diameter... that is not a cheap machine to rent.. I am talking about a Vermeer.... others have co-opted the "ditch-witch" name..

Anyway its not a big deal to blow out the lines.... Most of the tri-state area sprinkler systems get "blown" late November every year....

Tim, is the blowout something that can be accomplished with a normal compressor or am I going to have to get a freaking Sullair 180 CFM wet bath rotary screw type

All this so I can grow my own vegetables.

Vermeer like the painter?

[TimT]

Forgot about those....

in the fall you see all the sprinkler/lawn services in the 'hood with the 185 CFM compressors..

Anti-freeze, biodegradable...

Or you can get some RV anti-freeze

Where are you doing this?

[turbo6bar]

Despite being a big fan of Kubota, I don't think your tractor has enough ass to do the job.

Depends on the soil. I would rent a small trencher and install 18-24" down. Put caution tape in the trench for future reference.

[pete3799]

I would rent one of these and have at it.

[Mark Henry]

I don't know where you are, but in the country I'd ask some of the local farmers if there's a local guy with a backhoe for a reasonable price. My guy is $50/hr and if you have your ducks in a row can lay and backfill that trench in about 4-5 hours. $250 well spent and you won't have to worry about frost.

Just make sure you wait till around June so all the wet is out of the ground.

[rfaust6024]

Laying pipe! Why back in my day, that meant something else! Your talking about work. Think I'll go back to sleep, have a nice day.
Robert Faust

[porsche4life]

I'd try a backhoe, or renting a trencher before I tried that plow thing.... It just looks like a bad idea....

[Skytrooper]

You need to get it at least 24" deep, for a french drain. I did this 2 years ago around my barn and it works great !

[GWN7]

I have about 37m of 1/2" plastic water line layed from the house to the back of the garage. Use it for power washing cars & trucks. Summer only. It's about 18 years old. Bought it at a Lowes type place. Freeze thaw stable. I blow it out with my 5hp compressor. Mine is above ground, but I'd just put yours a couple inches underground and not worry about it. You could burry it with a shovel in a couple hours. All you want to do is protect the water line from damage, not ensure you have a winter supply source. Unless your wanting to supply a grow op in the back 40.

[Zeke]

You'd be there forever using a backhoe, especially that little toy. I'd go with blowing it out and bury it just out of harm's way.