Moling Water pipe

[Goggles]

Could anyone give any hints or tips on how to mole in water pipe?
No time to hire in a specialist machine. Can I do it to a reasonable standard with our trailed mole plough.
Thanks.

 

[Kidds]

Stones are the biggest issues usually, especially if your ground has flints.
Pull through with the mole plough first before doing it again with the water pipe attached just to make it a bit easier.
Done plenty like that with no issue

 

[organicguy]

We have an adaption so we can feed the pipe down the back of the mole leg rather than drag the pipe.
Just a piece of pipe with a bend at the bottom, the base of which is cut out to allow the pipe to drop out without being crimped.
As above, pull through first.

 

[Northern territory]

Stones are the biggest issues usually, especially if your ground has flints.
Pull through with the mole plough first before doing it again with the water pipe attached just to make it a bit easier.
Done plenty like that with no issue

Thing I always worry about is drains. I have quite a bit to do. How deep to people do it.

 

[Kevtherev]

Do a dummy run first and dig with digger on ends to get initial depth straight away.
Stones can scar the pipe if pulling it in
Works well unless ground is extremely stony.

 

[Goggles]

Thankyou, all good points.

 

[Kevtherev]

Also pull through first with the expander on then take it off when pulling the pipe through I find it gives you a bit of extra clearance.

 

[Kidds]

Also pull through first with the expander on then take it off when pulling the pipe through I find it gives you a bit of extra clearance.

Really? I tie the pipe behind the expander in the hope there is less contact with any stones.

 

[Kevtherev]

Really? I tie the pipe behind the expander in the hope there is less contact with any stones.

That’s what I’ve always done

 

[Goggles]

Thanks for all the advice. Went well today. 800 m buried in short time. Dummy pass was essential. Fairly heavy, stony ground with some flint. Didn’t scratch the pipe much at all.

 

[zyklon]

How deep does that pipe be buried? Also, hope you tested the pipe for leaks first. Wouldn’t believe the amount of pipe we purchased and left above the ground for a few days to test for leaks ended up with pinhole leaks.
A lot of bad quality pipe around.

 

[Goggles]

It’s buried to 600mm.
That’s pretty poor if brand new pipe leaks!
All joins left exposed until pressure test complete.

 

[DanniAgro]

Thanks for all the advice. Went well today. 800 m buried in short time. Dummy pass was essential. Fairly heavy, stony ground with some flint. Didn’t scratch the pipe much at all.

My pipe put in using this method 30 years ago was only lightly scratched, but it was obviously weakened by these and kept leaking in the past decade.

 

[Badshot]

Pulling round bends will be where the pipe gets most damage, even slight bends.

 

[Goggles]

I see your point. Luckily we were all straight lines (the beauty of RTK), apart from one bend, which I dug out with the 360.
I think if we do any more I’ll try and build a feed in device, as mentioned earlier, so we don’t have to drag the pipe.

 

[fermerboy]

Last lot I did with an ancient Ransome single leg subsoiler with a tube welded down the back of the leg to feed in the pipe.
We found a trial run a must and also the last time we had to put the weight of an loader tractor on the subsoiler to hold it in to depth.
Don't think I'd try pulling the pipe in here, too many stones to damage it.

 

[Goggles]

Was the pipe you welded to the back of the leg wide enough so that a joiner could pass down it?

 

[fermerboy]

Was the pipe you welded to the back of the leg wide enough so that a joiner could pass down it?

No, a 32mm blue pipe slides through perfect, not big enough for a coupler.
Usually dig up a pit and drop the leg in to full depth and pull away and go till the pipe is in, mark the spot then dig up a pit and go again.

 

[bert]

I made one, out of a 3 leg subsoiler and an acrobat, dad came back and said what’s happened to my subsoiler and acrobat, I said the subsoiler will soon convert back but good riddance to the acrobat

I wouldn’t fancy pulling pipe in, this is only 20mm pipe so we put the joiners down the pipe aswell, it worked but digging in the joins would be better really to check for leaks

 

[Jerry]

See this a little while ago

Sub soiler pipe layer single leg. Manufactrued by J Silk Agricultural Co. Ltd

Heavy duty subsoiler designed for the toughest conditions fitted with a heavy cast leg and knock on point. As standard the subsoiler comes with a pipe tube for laying cable and water pipe with minimal disturbance to the surface. The folded steel frame is designed to withstand the high loads...

www.jsilkagri.co.uk