Installing fence over buried power lines?

[sligoNoSPAMjoe]

Any comments or suggestions on installing a fence over buried high voltage power lines.

I had the power company come out and mark out their power lines. There is no problem with the 220V lines to my home or the neighbors, as I can miss them, but the fence will need to go over a long stretch of buried high voltage lines.

I contacted the power company after they marked the lines and they are unable/unwilling to provide information about how deep those lines are. I would guess they don't want to say they are three to four foot deep, only to have me found out that they are only two feet deep where I am digging.

The fence is to be about 4 foot tall with an open (about 80% open so minimal wind force issues, but young children may well try to pull them so it does need to be solid.

I was thinking of building a mound of soil giving me more distance from the power lines. However I can see that it might take a year or two for that mound to solidify enough to help support the fence. I was also considering using some sort of concrete, maybe buried in or under the mound.

Just looking for ideas comments and maybe some experiences.

[aemeijers]

What? You didn't like the first set of answers and suggestions we gave you yesterday?

But since you now provided additional detail- only 4' tall and mostly open- here is another idea. Get some of those trapezoid-shaped 'tip proof' concrete blocks like they use to hold signs in grocery store parking lots, but that can be removed for snowplow guy. Put a plastic rail fence on top them, suitably pinned together, so wind gusts don't dismantle it for you. Disguise the concrete blocks with clumps of some sort of tall-growing decorative grasses or flowers. You can also stain or paint the concrete, to make it blend in. 5-gallon buckets of concrete set six inches into the dirt would also work, if you can't find the purpose-built blocks at your local concrete specialty products dealer. If buckets are too ugly, same concrete dealer has mushroom-shaped footing forms that would work to make a shallow footings for lightweight fencing with low wind-load sail areas. All of these would make a 'strong enough' fence that didn't deeply penetrate the soil over the power lines, and could be easily and reusably removed if the power company needed to dig back there.

-- aem sends...

[Colbyt]

I missed the posts from yesterday so I don't know what might have been said.

Code (here) calls for house drops to be a minimum of two feet deep and the main lines to be deeper. A 24" deep 4x4 in concrete on 8' CC posts will support a 6' privacy fence if you take the time to pick center cut posts and stringer material. You can't just grab the first pieces of lumber in the pile!

You are not going to crack a pvc conduit with a clam shell digger so dig away. If you find a shallow conduit simply increase the width of the hole and pour a bigger wad of concrete. You can get away with a 24 inch circle

12" deep for a post or two. And the chance of hitting it more than once or twice on a 50 run is slim.

The utility company will most likely never need to dig it up and if they do they will repair what they tear up.

Colby

[dpb]

Colbyt wrote: ...

The run won't be in conduit.

--

[evodawg]

Believe code requires the power line to be 52" deep, but grades change. Usually if the power is in the street or along sidewalks it's direct buried, if crossing under your property or along a property it should be deeper and in conduit. Keyword: SHOULD How deep do you need to go for a fence post or footer?

[dpb]

Utility lines in general are not, strictly speaking, subject to NEC but to whatever the particular utility specifications are.

But, while it is _possible_ they ran conduit, it would certainly be unusual anywhere I've seen for it to be except very specific areas; not the entire length of a run.

That said, it is likely to be deeper than OP is going to need to dig but it would be much smarter to simply move to one side or the other of the line for the fence. Or, go ahead but just be damn'ed careful. He won't get any sympathy at all from the utility company if he finds it after they specifically came out and marked it... :)

[JIMMIE]

If the power company has marked it off just set your post to straddle the cables. Thats what just about eveybody in my neighborhood has done including yours truly.

JImmie

[sligoNoSPAMjoe]

...

Old age I guess, I know I was thinking about posting the question yesterday, but I did not remember doing it and it did not show up under new messages when I posted this one.

You have given me some great ideas. Hopefully I can use a couple of them.

Thanks

[sligoNoSPAMjoe]

...

That would be difficult since they marked off about a three foot or wider line. It crosses my property line at an angle.

Thanks anyway.