Digging trenches under the mudflat solar photovoltaic panels

Is trenching a cable NEC-compliant?

So, trenching it is! There are a few ways to trench cables through this area in a NEC-compliant manner. I could go with 6” of trench depth and metal conduit, I could go with 18” of trench depth and PVC, or I could go with 24” of depth and underground feeder.

How deep should a cable be in a NEC-compliant trench?

There are a few ways to trench cables through this area in a NEC-compliant manner. I could go with 6” of trench depth and metal conduit, I could go with 18” of trench depth and PVC, or I could go with 24” of depth and underground feeder. Talking to electricians out here, everyone had the same advice: “Go with PVC.”

How do you dig a trench with a pickaxe?

Swing the pickaxe while straddling the trench, cutting up the bottom and loosening any rocks. You’ll get a feel for what’s down there quickly. Once the rocks and dirt are loose, kneel down next to the trench with your trenching shovel and, working sideways, clean out the bottom. It sucks. It’s slow.

Can you use PVC conduit in a trench?

PVC is flexible enough that you can work with a not-entirely-straight trench (like the “isn’t” stretch on Grand Tour), and offers enough protection that you can pull regular wire through it. There are two options for PVC conduit - Schedule 40, and Schedule 80.

Is there a lower power inverter for a south facing panel?

For two, it didn’t matter, but there’s a lower power inverter (3kVA vs 6kVA) for the south facing panels, and that needed to be run properly. How do you identify long conduit runs?

How does a trencher work?

Depending on the nature of the dirt and size of the rock, it may bang on it for a while, rip it free, and toss it out, or it may simply hang up on it. The trencher is run by a hydraulic motor system, so if the chain hits something immovable, the chain just stalls (the hydraulic bypass opens under pressure, leaving the engine running).