The cable is placed as we go, just in case the sandy walls of the trench let go and cave in.
Photos by Marc LaBossiere / Winnipeg Free Press
George Jasper, from Neighbors Construction, operates his Kubota U17 mini-excavator.
During a major renovation, clients often decide to go all-out and tackle multiple upgrades.
For Keith Yallits and Sheri Tharnovitch, amidst adding a 300-square-foot addition to their four-season cottage, this meant electing to bump up their hydro service from 100-amp to 200-amp — and the removal of unsightly overhead power lines.
When changing out a main electrical feed, co-ordination is key. First, a call was made to Manitoba Hydro requesting a service upgrade. To pull the required permit, we contacted Lionel Cure at C.A. Electric, who would also install the new 30/60 breaker 200-amp panel positioned at a new location within the dwelling as well as prep the meterbox at the pole, where Hydro would then tie in the upgraded service.
Before this could all occur, a new 250mcm ACWU aluminum cable must be run underground from the pole with the meterbox to the cottage, more than 33 metres away. The cable must be set no less than a metre in the ground and protrude upward at both the pole and under the cottage, to junction with the meterbox and new 200-amp panel,respectively. So, how does one counter-sink a thick and heavily sheathed cable a metre underground? George Jasper from Neighbors Construction has the answer.
Meet the Kubota U17 mini excavator, dubbed Mini Ex — the perfect machine for tackling jobs in confined areas, providing superior manoeuvrability and maximum digging capability.
Once on-site, Jasper began digging nearest the pole and within minutes, a six-metre trench to the prescribed depth was ready to receive the underground cable. Because the geology of the local area is very sandy, we elected to place the cable as we went, just in case the sandy walls of the trench began to cave in. As such, I followed behind the Mini Ex as Jasper dug, carefully placing the cable within the trench a few metres at a time. And within a couple of hours, more than 33 metres of cable was placed in the ground and the trench was ready to be backfilled.
The entire process with the Mini Ex seemed effortless, largely because of the fact Jasper is a skilled operator. The rubber tracks of the Kubota permit the excavator to glide along the surface without ever sinking or getting stuck. The narrow front bucket easily pierces the ground with every reach, and the rotating cab allows Jasper to quickly dump off to the side what has been so gracefully scooped up. And although the front blade on the Kubota is used to push and level, its less-obvious feature serves to stabilize the excavator during front-bucket operation. It was truly a joy to watch this machine in action — Jasper’s years of experience displayed his proficiency throughout the process.
With the trenching task completed and the driveway fully backfilled, the next stages of the 200-amp service upgrade could get underway. Yallits and I took a short break before continuing with the day’s other construction chores. We gabbed awhile with Jasper — his brother John and Yallits have been friends for many years. Jasper’s brother happened to swing by later that same day, and the siblings regaled us with tales from the "old days." They also both opted to lend a hand by helping Yallits and I hoist and place a 150-pound rake-head window, 4½ metres above a sloped landscape into the gable-end rough opening of the newly framed and sheeted 300-square-foot addition. In retrospect, I’m not sure we could have done it without them! It was a very "neighbourly," much-appreciated gesture.
With that epic trench day long behind us, Cure from C.A. Electric has since installed the new electrical panel and prepped the meter-box and pole for tie-in by Hydro. Only the protruding underground cable at either end is proof that the driveway had ever been disturbed — when trenching was required, Yallits knew exactly who to contact in his area. Jasper from Neighbors Construction not only got the job done, he put on quite the show while doing it! And soon, the old 100-amp overhead power line will be a thing of the past, all thanks to the Mini Ex.
bossenterprise@outlook.com
