Digging 1700' Of Power Line To The Cabin Fighting Groundwater!

www.letsdig18.... for shirts and more

[@stephena2390]

That is the longest and narrowest pond I’ve ever seen you dig. 😂

[@zzirSnipzz1]

😂😂😂

[@jonathanjudd3168]

Pretty shallow, too.

[@jjMcCartan9686]

Poverty pond .

[@roberts208]

It's not a pond its a lazy river !!!! LOL

[@zzirSnipzz1]

@@roberts208 even better when the customer asks what's the biggest pond you have made just say I dug a river that's a mile or 2 long

[@Nick-HBC]

48:24 Run little turtle!

[@jbonegw]

Escaped just in time. 😅

[@Gotblade]

That was pretty cool 😅

[@JohnShalamskas]

Fast turtle!

[@ronaldharmon9891]

🐢

[@John13Edge]

No Hare catching that baby😂😂😂😂😂

[@Dontworryboutit315]

No one talking about the damn golf green of a front yard, it’s looking good!

[@shitloveaduck]

Secretly Chris’ favourite comment!! 😂😂😊

[@ryanshoemaker]

Turtle escape at 48:20! 🐢

[@dongalloway6888]

Turtle almost became a permanent fixtire 3 ft down...

[@Vickie-Bligh]

Nice work, Chris. Looks awesome as usual. And knowing it's dug properly has to be worth the time, if not the money. Geoff showed the hurricane aftermath at his place, and I want to compliment you on not only how well the ponds and drainage direct all that water, but your dirt work. You sculpted so much of the land around the lake. And it all acts like undisturbed ground. The 20+ acres (front & back) look so fine. No erosion, no sinking, no soft spots. You are the king. And you shared every step with us. Thanks, Chris.

[@Wattbar]

That was cool seeing the turtle come out on highspeed.

[@erichagler7842]

that turtle said thank you , you saved its life .... who else caught that at 48:20

[@Machines.In.Action]

Another massive job done with precision and skill! 💪

[@stevenlatham4397]

Should have dug it with the Bantam😉. You definitely would have been a pro with that machine by the end of that project.

[@GARDENER42]

I remember it cost Diesel Creek something like $50,000 to have 1,500' of cable run through conduit he installed!

[@chuckpreston4981]

Don't forget the differences in where they live...the Carolinas are totally different from "Taxylvania."

[@louGriggs1944]

Yes, I remember that episode.

[@wolphin732]

Trench filled with water... is a good way to find "level" :)

[@chrisdagg5117]

73year old Aussie here Mate enjoy your videos a lot always different never boring Thanks let’s dig 18

[@thatdave86]

Its really good that google maps have been updated,even Bealy Good shows the pond now and the beginning of the castle outlines

[@dougmay8924]

AWSOME AGAIN my friend 😀 Let's Dig 18,Over and over again 😀 ❤. Thanks for Sharing ❤😊

[@itzmikeomg2755]

You are great at digging a straight line. You`d be surprised how many roller coaster lines i have seen.

[@redtussock]

Can ya see them now ... I mean really whos handing out the medals ... 🙂

[@chuckbrown2765]

“Just went ahead and took over” 😂😂

[@SusanPoersch-rd7bj]

Bet they were glad for your help.😁 Awesome job getting it done right and before the storm. 😎😍😅

[@jamesharvey6030]

One of the first times I noticed a cuss word 😂 happens to us all! Still love your show!! Now feed that pump to one of those Cats

[@2badger2]

🤣🤣🤣 Funny to see the turtle go running away at the 48:20 mark.

[@rhinotec72]

I seem to remember that Diesel Creek had to use gravel, conduit, and a red plastic ribbon that said "danger power line".

[@harveylong5878]

just watching you trench giving me flashbacks from the 300 lightpoles our complex did. 2.5 miles in total trenching with walk behind trencher, 60% hand digging and fighting very high water table, unusually rainy summer, buried boulders, construction debris. trench came out damned good for as long as it was , the battle with ground water

[@redfish7644]

Awesome you got all the work done before the storm 👍👍

[@bosshogg3548]

Job well done 👍🏻 8:22 he didn’t have his ice cream 😂 25:12 nice scoop 30:00 I like watching the water too 48:22 that turtle said I’m out of here

[@michaelc.3812]

I’m only a few minutes into the video, but I sure hope you are pulling in primary voltage cable and a new transformer. Primary voltage is often 12.47 kV or 13.2 kV (phase-to-phase). Boy, if you are running several thousand feet of secondary wire (120/240 Volts), it may be just too far a distance to prevent significant voltage drops. (My background is in electrical engineering and I designed utility feeders at primary voltages, and I’m a master electrician working on the 600 volts and lower systems. Thanks for the great content!!

[@letsdig18]

yes its primary

[@steveperry2314]

I have been thinking about y’all a lot today. I hope you all are safe and well. I know your area of NC got a good bit of rain from Debby. Hopefully flooding isn’t too bad. We are due to get it tonight and tomorrow as well here in VA. Y’all are in my thoughts and prayers. Thanks for the video. Great job as always! Take care!

[@paulcooper9135]

From Ponds to Canals! Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦

[@scottburk4083]

Howdy Chris! I hope you made it through all the rain without any damage. Take care and God Bless!!!❤😊

[@davidweeks1997]

Yeah, that was a lot of rain here in Tampa. Looks like burning is going to a "go," once it dries up enough to start the piles (if any). Hope this rain doesn't hurt the ICF house and pool.

[@user-ot1hn1yb6y]

trenching my life away ...just replace driving with trenching and some other words and you almost have a new song...Drivin' My Life Away Song by Eddie Rabbitt Well, the midnight headlight blind you on a rainy night Steep grade up ahead, slow me down, makin' no time But I gotta keep rollin' Those windshield wipers slappin' out a tempo Keepin' perfect rhythm with the song on the radio But I gotta keep rollin' Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away Lookin' for a better way for me Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away Lookin' for a sunny day Well, the truck stop cutie comin' on to me Tried to talk me into a ride, said I wouldn't be sorry But she was just a baby Hey, waitress, pour me another cup of coffee Pop it down, jack me up, shoot me out, flyin' down the highway Lookin' for the mornin' Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away Lookin' for a better way for me Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away Lookin' for a sunny day Well, the midnight headlight blind you on a rainy night Steep grade up ahead, slow me down, makin' no time But I gotta keep rollin' Those windshield wipers slappin' out a tempo Keepin' perfect rhythm with the song on the radio But I gotta keep rollin' Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away Lookin' for a better way for me Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away Lookin' for a sunny day Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away Lookin' for a better way for me Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away Lookin' for a sunny day, yeah Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away Lookin' for a better way for me

[@Rick_Lane]

Is that from your new CD? 🙂

[@markpashia7067]

Remember the old ice cream scoops that had a thumb pushed lever to empty the scoop? How about something like that for the trenching bucket that was worked with hydraulic button? Might be a new "Letsdig18" designed attachment patent.

[@sharonmiller6436]

I kept wondering if WD-40 might help?

[@njonebale7889]

1 foot bucket sucks….any kind of dirt sticks in them

[@daveparry100]

TERTLE, at 48.20 making a run for it and just making it out the ditch in time

[@peteacher52]

I thought it was a fresh water crab. My southern hemisphere eyes are not attuned to turtles! Chris usually spots turtles and gives them time. Col, NZ

[@williamhenderson9535]

You saved a big bunch of money by doing the trenching yourself Chris! I just love the way the Yanmar does trenching. Hopefully, you didn't loose too much by not being on a job. It's great to see that you're having such a great season.

[@dirtfarmer7472]

Someone once said that “a penny saved is a penny earned”

[@daleallen7634]

​@@dirtfarmer7472: I believe that's been credited to a Mr. Benjamin Franklin 17/01/1706 - 17/04/1790.

[@dirtfarmer7472]

@@daleallen7634 Thank you Sir

[@maxmacdonald7174]

Doing the trench work saves you a bundle and if the power company pays for the power line that's a sweet deal.

[@randybourdon2791]

Nice job on the trench and wire install Chris!

[@timkelley6616]

What no $56,000 bill like Diesel Creek had?

[@nandi123]

That always sounded like something crooked was going on. I was sorry to see that happen to Matt.

[@mrbig4819]

Poor Diesel Creek had to put in conduit for his run. you can tell different parts of the country and different ways of doing things i guess.

[@daneclark3161]

Can’t speak for NC or Penn, but around here the utility will set a transformer for a residence for no fee but anything else costs $30K to set a transformer.

[@donf3739]

42:44 I like how you lay the dirt out by type, and then fill it back in the way it came out, not unlike an artist.

[@keithdunlap2701]

That's exactly why, I don't loan my shit out anymore, unless I know for damn sure you take care of your tools and stuff like I do !! If I even think ya don't , your not getting nothing !! Have had to much stuff ruined just like that pump tore up and broken, and then the fckr's don't even tell ya, it's broke !! That really pisses me off !! Yeah, just watched Geoff's video, you guys have got a ton of freaking rain, and more coming it's looking like... But, that was one hell of a little run there Chris !! Glad ya got it in before that Big Storm hit ya !! Great as Always Man, Have a Great Evening, And , on too the Next !!

[@rodneystewart8958]

I've had to tell people I didn't buy equipment to loan it out

[@williammatthews2948]

I don't let anyone borrow anything, especially family.

[@rodneystewart8958]

@williammatthews2948 Yeah there first to get you and say it was broke when they got it

[@williammatthews2948]

@@rodneystewart8958 And they'll get mad at you if you look at them wrong when you see that it's broken.

[@kenore4003]

And that's why Chris allows only a very small group of friends run his machines. The one time someone had an incident the person owned up and repaired the error himself.

[@donnamullins2089]

Fantastic ditch dig. Beautiful trenching. You can do it. Of course you took over!!! Time is money and it's your money!!! Great gob and video. Wish Texas had some of your rain and topsoil. Thanks Chris. Enjoyed the video. Have a good week.

[@anthonytidey2005]

Hi, let's dig. Here in the UK, we put plastic tape and think it's yellow with a black stripe about 2 to 3 in wide, say 6 inches over any cables in the trench of electrical telecoms, fibre, or pipe. It may be different colours for rhe diffrent sevices. Dont know if it's mandatory? But when someone is digging and gets near the pipe, the shovel or digger bucket exposes the tape first. Even if it's not mandatory, I think it's a good idea re the small cost and is outweighed by the cost of hitting a sevice or worse an accident, cost of repairing a main fibre line is an arm and a leg. Thanks for all your videos. No wonder you have a constant supply of work. Keep it up.

[@tomnugent845]

Chris, we used our tile plow and put in 3500 feet of primary for our local power company in 1 hour, definitely easier than digging.

[@markpashia7067]

12:50 Man oh man that is a nice thick layer of top soil. If hay prices drop, you know where to get some good quality top soil to sell.

[@nelsonannett5427]

that would have been pain full to wait to get done by them. sure went better your way. well at lest they had wire. well done. cheers.

[@oleran4569]

It would probably have been messier as well, with dirt spread all over.

[@charleswelch249]

The difference between PA and NC is like here between IN and IL. PA and IL both want everything you made and your firstborn for something everyone else gets for free. You gotta love like in a rual state. If I ever buy a mini, it's going to be a Yanmar. It is very dependable and does a great job with no major issues like a lot of those mini excavators have. Hopefully, you get some rest, Chris, and the cabin looks awesome.

[@dougadams9419]

Matt at dieselcreek dug the trench for power to his building almost as long, and the Electric Company dinged him for $52K to run the power. He laid all the PVC and risers for the junction boxes, but he was not allow to run the wires himself.

[@cathiwim]

What a ripoff!

[@njonebale7889]

I’m sure cuttybone’s paid a pretty penny as well…..they got you by the you know what’s!

[@terryrogers1025]

Excellent job sir, pretty straight forward 1700’ of trench I would say. The mini sure does a nice job for you, thanks for the farm/ cabin update, enjoyed watching sir.

[@garryjonessr4208]

Should get one of those home made trenchers like mike has no digging required 😂

[@austinavery4772]

Not with power

[@kevinkenyon7045]

Chris looking great! Thanks for sharing! Kevin

[@billr2996]

And that is why I don’t lend equipment out any more. Walk behind rototiller came back with a busted gear box.

[@danny88dh]

Dude was genuinely pissed at the pump😅😅😅im suprized the thunder creek trailer doesn't have a built-in water pump on it

[@normhowes2975]

When we have a horse buried the operator used to spread the dirt around until I asked him to heap it up. I got tired of having to go back with more dirt to fill up the big divot. Haven't had a divot since.

[@letsdig18]

yup if it came out of the hole it will eventually settle back into it

[@arkansas1336]

Sometimes those narrow buckets will make you "pull your hair out!" But you did a fine job of getting the work accomplished. Well done.....as usual!!!

[@woodygall955]

DPs field trenching set up would have been the cats meow for that task

[@philipsavickas4860]

I was thinking the same just to far a drive to get it

[@robertmccullough4822]

Don't know if pulling electric cable or conduit is the same as drainage tile....??

[@jaquigreenlees]

naw, his water line ripper would work better. 120 attachment.

[@IR-nq4qv]

The machine DP has is fine for roughing in big stuff drain /tile, water pipe and power conduit to an empty lot, it's too much of a machine for where Chris needs it. The tracks on dozer would had grass and road torn up , there was no rock to deal with , the Yanmar with the small bucket done a neat and tidy job in 5 hours, that's not bad for over a quarter of a mile digging and back filling.

[@jaquigreenlees]

@@robertmccullough4822 DP has a ripper modded into a 120 attachment to install water lines, easy to rip larger bore pipe for electrical into the ground as long as it fits the tool.

[@Greaterthan60]

That was a lot of work. Well done as usual.

[@bullittdog4352]

Clean and efficient as usual..the rental is looking awesome sitting back there!

[@hydraulic-hum]

nice work Chris, glad you got it done before the deluge struck.. saw all the flooding, hope all is good on the farms, stay safe ..

[@jz1340]

Matt of Diesel Creek had a very long run for power to his new shop. He chose to rent a ride on trencher. Much faster than using a mini excavator. Matt's utility charger him approx $60k and Matt had to purchase and install the PVC conduit and pull line for the wire...a very unhappy camper. You got off "dirt cheap."

[@cathiwim]

That’s one of the reasons why so many Pennsylvanians are moving south!

[@midastouch9217]

That turtle @ 48:19 was a nice touch

[@davidbrown8231]

Famous last words "I am never going to put anything there"!😮

[@wayneullman5079]

Mr. Turtle escaped the trench as you were filling in yay!

[@wallbawden5511]

Dam missed that

[@dirtfarmer7472]

@@wallbawden5511 I went back to see for myself

[@thomasburton5843]

Funny seeing that turtle pop up out of the trench as you filled into the drain pipe

[@dmwi1549]

48:20 that Turtle got water lifted out just in time.

[@OldSchoolDNA]

Nice job Chris….Top soil to the right and clay next to the hole makes for grass coverage much sooner. Professional job as always.

[@mickbaker2483]

Hi Chris after seeing what it cost Mat at Diesel Creek to have power connected to his place I think you got the best deal out there and he cut the trench too but as usual you have done another great job and all done before the hurricane hits, I see all the water that Geoff got on his place so I see not alot of work will be done over the next week thank's for another interesting and great video it looks like everything is coming together for you.

[@billtudman7867]

Not putting locate/warning/marking tape 30cm (12 inches) above the cable makes the backfill much easier.

[@brucemoore2163]

And that’s why I hate to lend out my equipment, small or large. Finally put in a new rule, if it breaks when you have it you fix it or buy me a new one. Don’t care if it’s your fault or not. If they won’t agree to that they don’t get to use it. Hated to be that way but it just got old going to use something and it being broke.

[@jjMcCartan9686]

Maybe maintain it before you lend it out should be one of your rules too .Easy to pass the buck when it was laziness & carelessness from the owner that was the initial 😏 problem.

[@bobmahnamahknob]

Makes total sense. Either that or you can pay me and my equipment rate and I will take care of maintenance.

[@rodneystewart8958]

It's a shame you have to do that so it's a small list who I trust who will take responsibility

[@tedsaylor6016]

I hate to borrow.use others anything for that reason. If it breaks I'm on the hook to fixit.

[@brucemoore2163]

Not the case at all. Some don’t care but equipment and tools are too expensive not to take care of. Hell, I sharpen,clean and spray all the hand tools with diesel before being put away for winter. Most people just don’t understand. If you want it to last take care of it.

[@johnjazwinski2661]

24 years ago here in western pa i had electric run to a new home 200 ft. from the road. Regulations then were 42 inch deep trench with 6 inches of sand and had to be backfilled immediately. I opted to have it run in conduit and it was able to be backfilled at a later time. Power co. place a pole at the road with a tranform, ran the power through conduit to the meter box. They never charged me a dime. My cost was having the trench dug and the meter box on house ( which i purchased locally). I later backfilled the trench with my tractor.

[@Ty-yv6cn]

Watching that ditch being dug is so satisfying We have nothing but rock here and it pisses me off daily. Lol you’re the only operator I can watch on KZbin. You actually know what you’re doing

[@ronpeacock9939]

and from the looks of the Bealy Good Farm this mornings vid showed, you were right to get it covered. Nice when you have your own equipment to do something like this.

[@user-dn6ij6lm2g]

Thanks for the video like it it was very long trench , and here in Canada Ontario wee have to dig 3 ft, and coverd it 6 inch of sand and barry it

[@user-yo3hr2po4d]

perfect job for trencher.

[@KB-gs8zi]

Hey Chris !!! Look at the ""FUN"" you missed by NOT digging the ditch with the ""BANTAM"" !!! HAHA

[@Kanooky_Jones]

"I just went ahead and took over--gotta get things done." Im let's mother f*cking dig. I can do all this faster and better. Lol

[@breakfastandlunch]

48:20 awesome!!!!

[@jamesholtman4026]

Another one of my great ideas… grab a 5-6ft log or something with thumb, turn at a 45 degree angle and “walk” along with mini to drag dirt back in ditch!

[@jaquigreenlees]

You need the water line ripper DP made as an attachment for his 120, rip the tubing in then the pull can be fed through to pull the wire. no trenching needed.

[@JohnShalamskas]

Only makes sense to do that if you are doing a lot of trenching / laying tile.

[@PatrickHarris-tc3dh]

What a talented guy!

[@jasonlechler577]

Who the turtle

[@ohhpaul7364]

48:20 you saved that poor turtle that had gotten stuck in the trench. Didn't even know it.

[@matthewstencel8298]

Idk if anyone noticed, but even on the trench, Chris separated the topsoil and clay so he could put the topsoil back on top. The fine details are what he is so good at!

[@alansmith9745]

A rare show of anger from you, over the abused pump Chris! Great video, keep ‘em coming

[@dmwi1549]

48:20 That turtle got water lifted out just in time.

[@chetthejet3896]

Great bartering Chris free for the labor of digging.

[@regsparkes6507]

That poor ol' water pump needs to be 'tuned up' to allow the engine to run more smoothly. After properly tuned and serviced, it'll also pump water more efficiently too. Nice looking ditching job Chris.

[@TinyHouseHomestead]

DUDE! Ya need a TRENCHER fur dat! 😝🤪🤣👍👍🇺🇸

[@Cherylquilts]

Everything you do is so meticulous. That’s why I like watching your channel.👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@redeyetrucker520]

Chris you should've had DP come down with the 850J to sink the line with the tile plow! 😅

[@heatherlane9270]

Have mini excavator and mini baby bucket save $$$$ and many of them. That soil looks nice. Great effort and clean up before the 'storm'.

[@MichaelHolloway]

that system of piling worked perfectly!

[@pamelabowling7959]

That was a whole lot of digging lol 😂

[@michaelmartin3475]

Hey Chris Matt from diesel creek pated 50.000 to get his power ran and he dug the ditch and bought the pipe and put it in.Good job

[@gcflower99]

Matt from Diesel Creek has entered the chat!

[@donnytucker]

That was definitely a teenage mutant ninja turtle with that speedy getaway!

[@r1mein54]

Must be nice to dig in air conditioning. When I started in 1973 as an electrical apprentice, we had a choice of round point or square point. People who burn the seals out of small pumps like that need to be the ones to replace the seals. Always prime, if it doesn`t catch shut off the engine and get more priming water. Hurricane Debby gave us Cat 1 winds and almost 6 inches of rain. Parts of the local area is flooded.

[@mattwisniewski4896]

Big storm coming with a lot of rain watch out be safe

[@zifnabalias5062]

handy having a 1600' water level

[@markpashia7067]

Seems like you got very lucky getting that all in before Debby got to ya. Matt from DC has to be green with envy. They made him put in conduit with pull points and still charged him fifty thousand for labor and materials. Just shows how different areas are extremely different in how they do things.

[@cathiwim]

Which is why many of them who can are moving down here(East TN, in my case)

[@larrypeavy4517]

How about location tape top of the line?

[@CriticalThinker27]

It'd be sweet if there's retractable wings for the mini bucket to maximize the bucket size. I imagine you'd have to retract some when dumping clay.

[@williammatthews2948]

Word is the turtle at 48:20 is still running.

[@SuEnRoD]

Chris, how dare you interrupt that turtle's bath at 48:20. 😁

[@johnpyle8027]

I wish your logic and just physics in general worked in my world! I could have put a 12" pipe in there and still would have had to haul dirt in to fill it before it was all said and done!