OT: Need To A Tunnel

Money Pit · Apr 14, 2014

friday we woke up with no water pressure. cables went bad so plumber got a replacement cable in place. problem is the last 8 feet of the run is under a concrete patio with a propane line running under it about 4 feet from the edge. not a good candiadate for sawing. so we need to tunnel underneath until we get to the well casing.

outside of hand tools is there any way of useing a power tool to get at least a good start? thinking powered post hole auger but dont know if it would run sideways.

Any ideas? thanks.

Fuddy Duddy · Apr 14, 2014

Are you saying the Well in under the concrete?
Ditch Witch does make a boring machine to bore under roads and such. But in if you can't work around it, Busting out you concrete is probably going to be your best option

Money Pit · Apr 14, 2014

PO must have thought it was a good idea to pour a concrete slab around the well casing. A little leery of busting it up with the propane line; no idea what he did with that or how deep. From other things I’ve seen here wouldn’t doubt it if he pored right on top of the line. Or it could be anywhere underneath. The propane company located the line so I know where it is at just not how deep. That’s why I would only use power tools until I got withing a foot of the line then switch to hand dig.

Fuddy Duddy · Apr 14, 2014

Turn off the propane and have at it. Inspect the propane line to once you get there.

LeoinMI · Apr 14, 2014

I would hand dig to locate the propane line first. Then I would re-locate the new power line far enough from that line so I could use a boring machine to go under the concrete. It is either re-locate or bust up the concrete and then hand dig the final eight feet.

jennifer408 · Apr 14, 2014

sounds like your gonna have to turn off the gas and break out the jack hammer. run conduit this time in case the wires ever need to be replaced you can just pull them through the conduit.

Fuddy Duddy · Apr 14, 2014

One other idea you might consider. Cut a grove in the top of the concrete that you can lay the new wire in. Use a small piece for steel pipe with a couple of 45s in run the wire in where it comes out concrete then back deep in the ground. They make some pretty good fillers you could then use to fill the grove back in. If you do bust out the concrete do like jennifer said and run the new wire in conduit. I think you will find a boring machine to be expense.

ClarkR · Apr 14, 2014

Depending on the size of the tunnel needed, water will tunnel under. Use a galvanized pipe with a reducer(s) and high pressure end to shoot the water out. Add sections as you progress. It will require some digging to get started and connection to a water hose (assuming you have access to water with pressure).

Anonymous-0 · Apr 14, 2014

Perhaps your method using a power washer as a means of pressure. You could perhaps braze a spray tip on the end of the pipe. I wouldn't be surprised that a pencil pointed spray tip might work for this project.

Tom B ENC · Apr 14, 2014

ClarkR's suggestion will work well, my Daddy and I put one under the highway to a horse stable on the other side when I was a kid.

OT: Need To A Tunnel

Money Pit

Member

Fuddy Duddy

Well-known Member

Money Pit

Member

Fuddy Duddy

Well-known Member

LeoinMI

Member

jennifer408

Well-known Member

Fuddy Duddy

Well-known Member

ClarkR

Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Tom B ENC

Member

Similar threads