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Street light wire ran around property line, fence post digging.

Street light wire ran around property line, fence post digging.


  #1  
Old 09-01-16, 03:06 PM
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Street light wire ran around property line, fence post digging.

So i called today to have the yard utility lines marked by julie and i noticed the street light wires run in a non-straight line around the property line. Has anyone had to deal with this? The notice said to dig around flagged areas 8-10 inches away, and by hand. Are these flags pretty accurate? What is the rule of thumb used between using a hand tool and auger when digging around the power lines.. i hate to lose too much yard space, and its really rediculous the way this wire is ran. I will be digging the holes around 43 inches, anyone know how far down these wires usually are. Knowing I'll be digging near two street light wires makes me pretty nervous.

I also planned on making a nice box keeping the utility boxes outside the fence, which idk if i can do easily anymore..


Pictures:

https://imageshack.us/i/pla23Rj7j
https://imageshack.us/i/poaPuN5Wj
https://imageshack.us/i/plAuPR7Zj
https://imageshack.us/i/plZZGPlCj
 
  #2  
Old 09-01-16, 03:27 PM
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I would follow their instructions and dig 10" away. I would be nervous also, but you have to assume if they are letting you dig that close, the flags are very accurate.
Do not use any power tools. If you hit a line/conduit with a shovel, it will hopefully cause little or no damage. An auger could be bad news.
 
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Old 09-01-16, 03:32 PM
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Can't get much of a feel for the job with your pictures.

Do they have painted red lines connecting the flags or are you supposed to not dig between the flags ?
 
  #4  
Old 09-01-16, 03:42 PM
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I can take updated pictures in a bit. There are two red lined marks indicating two separate wires running along side each other that split off in the front of the house. The flags go directly over wherr they believe the wire is located.

Correction* i got off the phone with them again and they did to use a hand tool within 18 inches of marking.. which still is scary pounding a clamshell digger into the ground near a live electrical wire.

I was just curious how you guys deal with this..
 
  #5  
Old 09-01-16, 07:56 PM
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Here is another picture. You can see it cuts over right around where i would need some posts. Maybe i can keep the posts closer together around that area to offset where the posts go and then go back to around 8ft apart.

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https://imageshack.us/i/pngZ92JEj
 

Last edited by ray2047; 09-01-16 at 08:50 PM.
  #6  
Old 09-03-16, 07:02 AM
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Okay, well when hand digging near the wires how big should i make the hole? Should i be using a post hole digger, or a spade shovel?

Im confused if i should dig straight down as normal or dig more of a trench a foot or so wide, so i can use a spade and sloce across rather than straight Down.

How would i backfill it properly to size when done?
 
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Old 09-03-16, 07:43 AM
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I would not be using a clam shell post hole tool. When they say had tools they are talking a shovel and using it very carefully. You can't drive stakes into the ground in the designated area nor can you drive a post hole digger in there.

You will need to hand dig at some point to locate how deep the wires are, but you cannot rely on all locations being the same.

They should have an easement for that wire and you should avoid that area. If you must, it should be all hand digging. A fence post will most likely fall sideways so trench in at an angle rather than perpendicular.

Remember, if they need to replace that wire, your fence will most likely need to go.

Bud
 
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Old 09-06-16, 06:03 AM
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Thanks for the response Bud. It is in an easement, which is 5ft. I would rather not lose the five ft of yard. Looks like i will have my work cut out for me.
 
 

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