Digging a trench for electricity cable

[Nigel Mercier ®]

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?

[Dave Liquorice]

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.

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.

[Rich]

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

Rich

[Wanderer]

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.

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.

[The Natural Philosopher]

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) ) .

[Nigel Mercier ®]

Near Cranbrook in Kent, TN18. In answer to other questions:

[1] Soil (for want of a better word) is clay [2] It's not the incoming feed, just for lighting and a power socket [3] I meant "60cm" ;-)