burbank, ca 5/25/2004

04-0525CAtechnical archives

TRIC Training Log: 05-25-04

Client: Midtown Rooter, Burbank, CA

Job: Residence, under front lawn to property line

Pull: 45’ / 4” / SDR17


The site: A Hollywood bungalow, just blocks from the big studios.


The path: roughly 40’ under the sloping front lawn. Though relatively short, a trench here would still produce a lot of dirt.


The pulling hole: Breaking out the old pipe up to the property line connection.


Clearing the way.


Preparation: Remove all protruding pipe from the pulling wall, and make that wall as vertical as possible. Plug the downstream connection if necessary.


Resistance plate: Sizing up the fit.


First things first: The heating element takes about 30 minutes to warm up. New owners, be sure to remove the plastic packaging!


Temperature: The factory setting is usually 450º (between 450º and 500º is optimal).


Tricks of the trade: Get an old tire to store each cable.


Shiny and new: 4” bursting head with band cutting blade, and clevis head with PE end cap.


Fusing area: Find some place as open and level as possible. Here the carport would be useful in bad weather; in good weather it provides shade.


Connecting the clevis head: A short piece of pipe is cut to fuse to the PE end cap.


First weld: The end cap is fused to the short piece, allowing access to the cap bolt.


Clevis head: Use a socket wrench or large basin wrench to tighten the cap bolt.


Tightening up.


Facing: Shown here is the shaver and 4” fusing unit.


Cooling: Generally, about 10 minutes per joint, or until just slightly warm to the touch.


Heating: Watching the melt. After contact, pressure is neutral.


Getting in position: Moving the fused pipe up to the entry point.


Band cutting blade: The “dorsal fin” is used to split bands and couplings underground. This sewer is 4” bell-and-spigot VCP; therefore the blade is not needed.


Blade screw: When not using the blade, replace the allen screw to keep threads clean.


Attaching the clevis: Arrange the clevis and head so that they “hinge” or bend along with the pull upon entry.


Monitor the entry: A good start is important.


An unrestricted approach.


Keep resistance wall vertical: Here the resistance plate is inset (roughly 8”) due to burrowing at base of resistance wall. Uneven digging brings the pulley and ram closer to the dirt, restricting access to ram and inviting dirt in jaws. Cribbing can be used to alleviate this.


Underway: Collecting cable and watching the pressure gauge.


The pull: Keep track of the pipe in the ground, and be ready for the clevis to appear.


Keeping tidy: The cable can be reeled into a tire during the pull.


Arrival: The clevis sheath is almost at the threshold of the pulley housing.


Watching the cable: When the clevis sheath (cable terminator) reaches the threshold of the pulley assembly, it’s time to stop. The clevis should never be wrapped under the pulley.


Disconnecting the bursting head.


Bumping down the hill.


Connecting the top end.


Mission accomplished: Ready to backfill.

burbank, ca 5/25/2004

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