[TowerTalk] Hardline - Direct Bury or Conduit ?

[Mark Ketchell]

Shawn and Rich,
      First, I checked the literature from the manufacturer, which 
states that their product actually IS rated for direct burial. 
Second, call "DOTTIE" or whoever marks underground utilities in your 
area. Even on your own property, there can be liability issues if you don't.

      Naturally YMMV, but for MY application, I then used a 
commercial trencher and ran an 18" deep tench from shack to tower. 
The LDF cables went directly in the bottom, add about an inch of 
dirt, then TWO runs of conduit, 3" minimum one on top of the other. 
One holds rotor and control cables for the multiple stack matches, 
etc. The other conduit currently empty, but should (when?) something 
go bad, it will sure be easier to get a replacement through it rather 
than pulling through dirt or an already half full conduit. Naturally 
sweeping ends on the conduits. Finish by filling in the trench with 
nearly a foot of dirt. *NOTE: SOME jurisdictions may also require you 
to take additional steps ie., specific thickness conduit, IF you have 
any 120 volt cable involved. Took a year before the grass completely 
covered, but now you would be pressed to try to find where it is 
buried. And the best part?? The wife hasn't hit a piece of control or 
feed line with the riding mower since it went in.

      If interested, photos are available at: http://k5er.com/trenching.htm

      Best of luck with the projects, guys.

73,
Mark, K5ER


---------------------------------
>From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of N3AE
>Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2015 5:15 PM
>To: towertalk at contesting.com
>Subject: [TowerTalk] Hardline - Direct Bury or Conduit ?
>
>Hello fellow Towertalkers,
>
>Hopefully spring is around the corner and I can pick up work again on my
>tower project. I plan to make two 150 ft runs of LDF5-50A from the house SPG
>to the base of the tower. Trying to decide if I should run the hardline in
>conduit or just direct-bury. Soil around here is clay mixed with some sand.
>Rare to find a rock, and if I do it's small stream gravel with smooth
>edges.. Part of the run is through a wooded area.
>
>A conduit run would have some low spots (potential for moisture accumulation
>??). But I worry about critters (moles/voles/etc) chewing on the jacket if I
>direct-bury.
>
>Anyone have a bad experience from direct bury of Andrew hardline? Rodent
>damage? Crushing damage due to lawn tractors, etc? Something else?
>
>thx
>
>Shawn
>N3AE