Chris
Well-Known Member
I don't remember talking to you but 99 cents an hour is a raise sometimes.
Here's what I did last weekend
- Thread starter Mr_David
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Chris
Well-Known Member
Here is what I did today.
Chris, what exactly was your job there? Did you all know about the gas pipe buried down that deep, or was it a suprise to you?
Chris
Well-Known Member
We knew it was there kinda, It was supposed to be a few feet away and they buried it in native so there was no different colored sand. (Probably because the native is pretty much beach sand) We did however hit an unmarked 480 volt line but thankfully we just bent it and not tore though it. This morning we are tapping a 6" and a 1-1/2" tap on the 8" PVC main for a new fire hydrant and domestic water. If you get bored we are off the 10 and pepper at food 4 less.
Chris
Well-Known Member
Well here is a pick of the hot tap machine if any of you haven't seen one. Its pretty neat drilling into a live line.
Wouldn't just be easier just to shut down the water for a bit?
Not always possible.
Don't be so logical! I say shut 'em down and make 'em suffer a bit!
Chris
Well-Known Member
We could have actually shut this one down but the cost was so close for a hot tap and it is a much much cleaner way then cutting out a section of pipe. Imagine a couple thousand gallons of water in the same hole you are working in, it makes a mess.
Chris, when you tap a line like this is the drill equipment yours or do you rent it?
Looks like easy money.
You just sit on a back hoe and dig away but actually I know it's not all that easy.
It's an art being careful you don't pull up something you don't want.
Like a gas or electrical line.
You call Dig Alert to get lines marked .
If you pull up something like an electrical conduit or gas main that wasn't marked or you still liable?
You just sit on a back hoe and dig away but actually I know it's not all that easy.
It's an art being careful you don't pull up something you don't want.
Like a gas or electrical line.You call Dig Alert to get lines marked .
If you pull up something like an electrical conduit or gas main that wasn't marked or you still liable?
Chris
Well-Known Member
I sub out my taps. there is whole lot more than what you see there. it is hydraulic run off the truck. It is deffinitly an art to avoid tearing things out of the ground. It's not so bad when things are marked but when they are not it is more hand digging then tractor work. I do call dig alert every time I dig even if it just to try and cover myself. I call so much i have the number memorized 800-422-4133. It is hit or miss on who is to blame on hitting an unmarked line but they always try and blame me. It is better if it is a city line because they will usually except fault if it is theirs.
I see on the news right now that the intersection of a main freeway junction (22 and 405) has been closed down for most of the day because they accidentally sheared off a 12" natural gas main line. That my friends, is called a major "oops!"
Chris
Well-Known Member
That is called more of a bankruptcy. Unless of course it was a government agency then it would just be a planned release of excess gas.
Chris
Well-Known Member
Here is a pick of a a grand worth of brass in the ground. Any of you plumbers ever seen a more complex water service? The do this so that they have a swing joint with the two 90's in case someone hits the line down the road it will give a whole lot more before breaking. Plus now they have an accessible valve to shut down the line if need be.
All of the crackheads are sharpening their hacksaws, just waiting till dark to go jack all of that copper.
Exactly what I was thinking. That right there would probably buy them two dime bags after hocking the metal at a recycler.
Chris
Well-Known Member
I buried it within minutes of the picture. The only thing above ground now is the meter and RPDA device but that has a vandal proof cage on it.
