Line identification

[Capm_Spaulding]

Sorry, this one isn’t as exciting as the snake thread.

Had Okie811 come out and mark lines. The main reason I called was due to a line being exposed in the backyard from erosion. The guy marked off our lines which all run through the front and said nothing runs in the back. He checked it just in case and said there’s no power to it.

While I am glad of that, I am still curious what the hell it is.
I nicked it with the mower at some point so I tore at the hole to see what was inside. Attached are pics if anybody knows, because I sure don’t.

 

[Okie4570]

Probably one of of those fiber optic lines that cost $100k to fix......and the reason why nobody can use a credit card in your area now lmao. Honestly I don't know what it is.

 

[Capm_Spaulding]

Probably one of of those fiber optic lines that cost $100k to fix......and the reason why nobody can use a credit card in your area now lmao. Honestly I don't know what it is.

Hahah that is kinda what I was thinking. I didn’t want to cut whatever the center thing is just in case, but it would’ve been great if the company who buried it would have put it deeper than 6” under the dirt or put some sort of identifier on it.

it’s full of mud and water so I guess it’s pretty hearty whatever it is. I figure I’ll heat shrink and rebury.

 

[SoonerP226]

My guess would be some kind of communications cable, most likely fiber. As shallowly as it's buried, it sounds like AT$T.

 

[Tanis143]

It could be fiber, copper twisted pair or rg11 coaxial. Without being able to feel it I couldn't tell you (yes, you can feel the difference between the three). I've not seen black conduit before, but that is just company/regional preference. If more of the actual "wire" was exposed and you could see the manufacturing lettering I would be able to tell you more. Your best bet is to contact your local telecommunications companies and have them come check it out and either disconnect so you can cut it out or rebury it.

 

[Tanis143]

My guess would be some kind of communications cable, most likely fiber. As shallowly as it's buried, it sounds like AT$T.

That's hard to say as each area has their own depth ratings for the companies. Its pretty standard that gas is the deepest, then power, but phone and cable can be varied as to who is deeper. Here in the Tulsa metro if on a pole cable is higher than phone, but in the ground phone is deeper than cable.

 

[SoonerP226]

That's hard to say as each area has their own depth ratings for the companies. Its pretty standard that gas is the deepest, then power, but phone and cable can be varied as to who is deeper. Here in the Tulsa metro if on a pole cable is higher than phone, but in the ground phone is deeper than cable.

I'm just going off how deeply I've seen cable buried. The AT$T cable that feeds my house isn't more than 6" deep (as the jackwagon building the access road next door REPEATEDLY proved), and the last time I talked to Cox they told me it would be $1200 to run cable to my house, so I have no idea how deep they run their cable.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

Is there or has there been any structure back there before? Looks like someone used cheap sprinkler pipe as conduit.

 

[Capm_Spaulding]

I'm just going off how deeply I've seen cable buried. The AT$T cable that feeds my house isn't more than 6" deep (as the jackwagon building the access road next door REPEATEDLY proved), and the last time I talked to Cox they told me it would be $1200 to run cable to my house, so I have no idea how deep they run their cable.

I bet that’s probably what it is. Our house was once wired for AT&T from the prior owners, but those lines run through the front. However, I bet this one goes to the neighbors behind us so it runs across the back. It isn’t a hot line, so I can breathe a little easier now at least when I mow. Once we get our drainage issue resolved, we will refill the lost soil and it will be reburied when that happens. I had just almost crapped my pants when I first saw it as I drove over it with the mower. I didn’t nick it then, and was always careful to go by the sides, but evidently hit it at a future point.

 

[Capm_Spaulding]

Is there or has there been any structure back there before? Looks like someone used cheap sprinkler pipe as conduit.

No, nothing in the back or the neighbors back. That is what I was initially thinking was some sort of irrigation thing until I saw the middle line encased. We have a septic that feeds to sprinklers, but those are on the opposite sides. I was thinking maybe it was an overfill line from the septic, but still wouldn’t explain what that middle thing is. I almost want to cut it to see.... but I’m just gonna seal it and wonder instead lol