BURIED ELECTRIC LINES

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
JUST GOT A FARM THAT HAS ALOT OF OUT BUILDINGS.TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LOCATE THE BURIED WATER AND ELECTRIC LINES TO THEM. IS THERE ANY SENSORS THAT YOU CAN GET TO USE TO LOCATE THEM.JIM
 
There are companies that do locates. Could call an electrician, some may have the tool required to do it, or the local power company might do it or tell you of someone in your area that does.
 
I've seen the guy from the water company bend a piece of wire at a 90 degree angle and hold it as he walked back and forth. When he crossed the water line it would turn in the direction the line was buried. Couldn't believe it but he said that's how they find them. Was a 2 inch PVC line.
 
Put in some fence posts and I bet you can find the wires! :) Like Retired Farmer said they do make a locater that is attached to the wires and with a radio signal it will locate them. I believe they are accurate to within 18" by law(basically giving you a 3' wide strip. The accuracy is usually determined mostly by the operaters as to just how accurate they are. Most of these locaters also can tell you how deep the wire is. These locaters can also be used on steel or copper water lines, but if plastic is used then you need a tracer wire to have been run with the pipe. When I needed to locate my water line from out of the house I disconnected it where is came through the basement wall and pushed a 150' fishtape through it and hooked the locater onto that.
 
I've seen guys do that too for wells. This guy was from the rural water company. Their early lines they didn't put a tracer wire in so that is how they do them.
 
If in doubt call your electric company. I have had it done several times and they charge nothing for the service.
 
electric utilities typically will not locate privately owned buried electric lines due to liability issues as locating them is not an exact science.
 
There are locators that sense 60 hertz and also a generate a signal for non powered stuff. You probably can rent one. If you have plastic pipe you may need to run a fish tape down them and connect to a signal source to trace them....
 
(quoted from post at 21:04:12 01/30/13) electric utilities typically will not locate privately owned buried electric lines due to liability issues as locating them is not an exact science.

That is how they are here in Wisconsin.

All the guys that talked about radio locators are correct.
 

The L shaped wires do work, I was using mine yesterday morning for the same reason that you want.

Here in Michigan we have Miss Dig. Before any contractor does any digging they must call her and there is no charge.

Landscapers call before planting trees. The County Road people call before driving posts for any sign posts.

But try the wires. I've been using them for about 60 years, any shown it to doubters and even had them try it and have it work for them.

Hold 1 in each hand with them sticking straight out in front of you, the will cross as you walk over a buried line, and then go back straight after passing over it.

Yesterday I did something I had never done, or tried, before. I followed a tile line by walking right over it. When the wires would start to uncross I would just turn and follow it. It made a large sweep to my left.

Dusty
 
What I would like to know is how the wires work ?

I have located;
Water lines, steel, copper, and plastic.
Tile, both plastic and clay.
Natural gas lines.
Electric lines, direct bury, copper and alumiumn and in conduit, plastic and steel.
Grave sites. We have not dug up a grave to prove someone was buried there.

Dusty
 
I don't know for sure how they work but I have an uneducated theory.... I think its based on differences in the ground density - disturbed vs undisturbed soil.
Had an electrician on a job who swore by it. We were trying to locate his line from the past fall and he thought he found it. I had done my own as-built drawings and measurements on that job and told him he was about 15 ft off.
10 minutes later digging with the shovel where he thought it should be, he found a perimeter french drain line. Had him move in about 15 ft and he found his electric lines both with the shovel and with his 2 wires method... but it was a stronger read at the french drain with his wires method.
So, good chance I'm wrong here but I think it has something to do with disturbed soils or voids.
Tony
 

That has been my guess also. But one would think that with direct bury electric wires that had been in for many years, the ground would get packed back down like the ground around it.

Dusty
 
Jim, when you do get one located, take the time to photograph the marks, being careful to align the picture angle with permanent landmarks in the background. Then draw it up on a map, with dimensions from building corners and other permanent points. Then file the pics and the map away for future use. You (or whoever comes behind you) will be glad you did. Don't you wish the previous owner had done that?

For a new line - I like to stretch a string line from point to point, paint a line, then trench the paint mark. Sometimes there's obstacles that won't allow you to do that, but I've got several buried water and electric lines here on the farm that go point to point like that. Never have to wonder where they are, and it only takes 5 minutes to lay it out on day one. . .
 
I have located and found a lot of phone lines with wire that a good locate machine missed. Only thing is I have dug empty holes and looked overhead and was following an aerial wire.
 
(quoted from post at 09:48:44 01/31/13) If you can actually dowse with your bent coat hangers, there's a check for a million bucks waiting for you.

Dowsing is nothing but superstitious nonsense.
James Randi Million Dollar Challenge

MarkB I don't know where you are at in Michigan. I'm also in Michigan. PM me and sooner or latter we'll get to gather and I'll show you how to find a line. And I'll bet it will work for you also.
That goes for anyone. Maybe for all who are interested we could have one big get together.

Dusty
 
I'd call that 800 before you dig number. But be careful they come close ,but my backhoe still finds them outside of where they marked. LOL
I still remember splicing all those little wires together for the phone when it was really cold out too.
 
As said in this before.. I have ran All my wiring from house to barn to shed to shed, etc. What I did was go to google earth where you can see your photo of your place from above...I saved the pic and cropped it. I draw on the color map all the water and electrical lines, etc. Figure in the future when im long gone next folks will appreciate it.
 
Dusty, I'm not going to waste your time and mine. If you can truly pull this off, you should be collecting your cool million from James Randi.

Let me suggest a (literally) blind test: Have yourself blindfolded and led outside by an assistant. Have the assistant point you in the general direction of a buried line or whatever it is you think you can locate. Don't peek, you're only cheating yourself. Have your assistant tell you when your bent coathangers cross or uncross or whatever it is they do. Then start digging. Let me know what you find, be it waterline, pet cemetery, spring-tooth harrow, mastodon tusk or buried treasure. Don't give up! Sooner or later you're bound to find something. When you do, you'll know you're ready to collect your million dollar prize.
 
I've used the wires too, and they do find underground wires, tile and pipes. They also cross when there's nothing down there to find. So how do I know if the wires are really finding something or just pulling my leg?Using only one wire works too and it always goes across my body when it goes sideways. So I theorize that's why two wires cross each other. It's not because they are attracted to each other, it's because they naturally go across your body, but I don't know why. Jim
 
(reply to post at 06:56:15 01/31/13) [/quot

For the water lines I think that the best that you can do is at each end, if possible note from inside where and what direction they go out, Then go outside and dig down to find out what direction they go.
 
(quoted from post at 20:22:14 01/31/13) I've used the wires too, Using only one wire works too and it always goes across my body when it goes sideways. So I theorize that's why two wires cross each other. It's not because they are attracted to each other, it's because they naturally go across your body, but I don't know why. Jim

I've never used just 1 wire.
If you use just 1 wire, and it's in your right hand. Does it rotate counter clock when you cross something? And if so. If you had the wire in your left hand, does the wire rotate clock ways?

I've got to try that.


Dusty
 
(quoted from post at 09:48:44 01/31/13) If you can actually dowse with your bent coat hangers, there's a check for a million bucks waiting for you.

Dowsing is nothing but superstitious nonsense.
James Randi Million Dollar Challenge

At JREF, we offer a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event.

I would NOT call dowsing for a buried line paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event.


Dusty
 
BTW, if you bury plastic waterline put a tracer wire down with it. It may have been mentioned already, but I didn't reread the whole thread. Just buy a cheap little wire and you are ok.
 
(quoted from post at 15:09:48 02/01/13)
(quoted from post at 09:48:44 01/31/13) If you can actually dowse with your bent coat hangers, there's a check for a million bucks waiting for you.

Dowsing is nothing but superstitious nonsense.
James Randi Million Dollar Challenge

At JREF, we offer a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event.

I would NOT call dowsing for a buried line paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event.


Dusty
H! Absolutely NOT! Clearly it is scientifically based in hard physics, solid irrefutable science, with every element of the operation easily explained, demonstrated, repeatable and independently proven by every well known university science & physics department as well as the US Government NIS. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Well, Dusty, it doesn't really matter if you think dowsing is paranormal or not. It's not your million bucks that's on the line. Randi says it's bunk, all you have to do is prove him wrong. Many have tried and failed.

Of course there is a good explanation for dowsing: the wires, stick or whatever is completely controlled by the dowser. Just put a blindfold on the dowser and see what happens.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top