Finding under-ground utilities

[Dusty MI]

I can find under-ground utilities lines, gas, electric, with a pair of bent L shaped #9 wire that cross when walking over the trench they are buried underground. Is there a way to tell how deep they are?
Thanks,
Dusty

 

[Jim.ME]

The depth is something you, the dowser, would tell, otherwise it is dig down until found. Some dowsers (what you are doing) claim to know the depth by the force on their hands from their dowsing rods. Hard to give a fool proof idea of determining the depth. I have seen success and failures. I have seen a dowser give a depth and be within inches to those that miss not only depth but the source being located by a mile or can't tell/don't know the depth. Many people don't believe in the practice to begin with. JMHO

 

[MarkB_MI]

And away we go...

 

[Non-farmer]

Many people don't believe in the practice to begin with.

I'm a believer. A septic guy taught me how to do it so I could mark all the tiles for the health inspector when I put my house in. The inspector came out and found a tile at every location (12 iirc) I had marked, causing him to allow me to continue to use the existing field and saving me ~$15K for a new raised engineered field.

So ya, I say it works just fine. And I have no clue about depth.

PS: with all due respect to Joan Crawford, I used a wire coat hanger.

 

[tomturkey]

I WAS always a skeptic, and you maybe also. But before you cry horsefeathers at the procedure, do one thing. Get two metal clotheshangers and two pop/beer bottles. Bend the wires into 90 degree bends, place one end in the bottle and hold the bottle in one hand. Do likewise with the othe wire. Thus YOU have no control over the movement of the wires. Now move over a known underground wire or pipe. Hold the bottles next to each other in front of you. Watch the wires react to what is beneath you. If they cross over the known object, be amazed. If they do not react then you can say horsefeathers. It works for me, using my hands or bottles, and as I said I WAS a skeptic. Try it you have nothing to lose. and as MarkB says and away we go gobble

 

[Jim.ME]

I WAS always a skeptic, and you maybe also. But before you cry horsefeathers at the procedure, do one thing. Get two metal clotheshangers and two pop/beer bottles. Bend the wires into 90 degree bends, place one end in the bottle and hold the bottle in one hand. Do likewise with the othe wire. Thus YOU have no control over the movement of the wires. Now move over a known underground wire or pipe. Hold the bottles next to each other in front of you. Watch the wires react to what is beneath you. If they cross over the known object, be amazed. If they do not react then you can say horsefeathers. It works for me, using my hands or bottles, and as I said I WAS a skeptic. Try it you have nothing to lose. and as MarkB says and away we go gobble

Right, And away we go. You are the one saying I am a skeptic. I said "I have seen success and failures. I have seen a dowser give a depth and be within inches to those that miss not only depth but the source being located by a mile or can't tell/don't know the depth." I have not said I did not believe in it. Some people do better than others. I have seen both wires and branches used by dowsers. I have dug by directions from a dowser with about a 50/50 success rate. So, I am willing to see what they locate and say as to where to dig. I have also seen Dig Safe technicians miss the mark with their machines, resulting damaged wires and pipes. Digging around utilities always requires care and attention.

Now to Dusty's actual question of how to tell the depth. I said I think the dowser has to tell the depth by the force they feel. Non-farmer said he has no clue on depth. What is your method and how accurate are you?

 

[tomturkey]

I

Right, And away we go. You are the one saying I am a skeptic. I said "I have seen success and failures. I have seen a dowser give a depth and be within inches to those that miss not only depth but the source being located by a mile or can't tell/don't know the depth." I have not said I did not believe in it. Some people do better than others. I have seen both wires and branches used by dowsers. I have dug by directions from a dowser with about a 50/50 success rate. So, I am willing to see what they locate and say as to where to dig. I have also seen Dig Safe technicians miss the mark with their machines, resulting damaged wires and pipes. Digging around utilities always requires care and attention.

Now to Dusty's actual question of how to tell the depth. I said I think the dowser has to tell the depth by the force they feel. Non-farmer said he has no clue on depth. What is your method and how accurate are you?

Jim please reread my statement, please, I said "I was a skeptic" and you are correct, I did not answer the question if "I" could tell the depth. I cannot. have a great day. gobble

 

[Dingo3]

I WAS always a skeptic, and you maybe also. But before you cry horsefeathers at the procedure, do one thing. Get two metal clotheshangers and two pop/beer bottles. Bend the wires into 90 degree bends, place one end in the bottle and hold the bottle in one hand. Do likewise with the othe wire. Thus YOU have no control over the movement of the wires. Now move over a known underground wire or pipe. Hold the bottles next to each other in front of you. Watch the wires react to what is beneath you. If they cross over the known object, be amazed. If they do not react then you can say horsefeathers. It works for me, using my hands or bottles, and as I said I WAS a skeptic. Try it you have nothing to lose. and as MarkB says and away we go gobble

You still have control over the wires. A slight tilt will make them react. Subconscious movement over a known object. Now if you didn’t know where the underground object is you might not have the same experience.

 

[Jim.ME]

I

Jim please reread my statement, please, I said "I was a skeptic" and you are correct, I did not answer the question if "I" could tell the depth. I cannot. have a great day. gobble

Fair enough. When I read it followed by "But before you cry horsefeathers at the procedure, do one thing.", I felt that was seeing me on the skeptic side.

Have a good day

 

[tomturkey]

You still have control over the wires. A slight tilt will make them react. Subconscious movement over a known object. Now if you didn’t know where the underground object is you might not have the same experience.

I don't agree on the control of the wires but that fine....works for me have a good day gobble

 

[trackrat]

I have a very expensive set of locating equipment does really well but, nothing always works even the best locate services don't get it right all the time, a good dowser is just about as exact with their work, if it works don't knock it

 

[da.bees]

Depth of utilities aside, some evidently have nerves close to the surface (aka thin skin).

 

[Tony in SD]

Having been in the utility business for well over 40 years and dowsing for over 50 years, I can tell you that dowsing is NOT considered a legal way to locate underground utilities. You will be run off the job site if you intend to use wires for locates on a One Call locate. If an utility is hit and it was located by dowsing, the bill is on the dowser, not the digger. As I said, I personally am able to witch with wires but in a crowded easement you can not tell which utility it is nor can you tell the depth. Modern electronic locators are more often than not very accurate and the legal means to locate underground utilities. Now around your own property and your own lines, have at it. To answer your question, I would be very skeptical of any dowser constantly accurate on depth.

 

[moresmoke]

I was taught to use a plumb bob. Start by holding the bob by the string and asking it what yes is, then no. Pay attention to the movement for each. Then using yes-no questions proceed to determine your depth or whatever else you are trying to do. Along the lines of “is the wire between 2 and 3 feet down?”

The man who taught me was quite good at it. I apparently didn’t learn very well.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

I have found water and water carrying pipes through Dowsing with astonishing success . Location only though . I cannot say that I've noticed any difference between the signals from the deepest at 9 feet or the shallowest at 18 inches .

 

[JoeM(GA)]

As for depth, I find that the utility is about 4” shallower than the last scoop of my bucket

 

[sms]

The depth is something you, the dowser, would tell, otherwise it is dig down until found. Some dowsers (what you are doing) claim to know the depth by the force on their hands from their dowsing rods. Hard to give a fool proof idea of determining the depth. I have seen success and failures. I have seen a dowser give a depth and be within inches to those that miss not only depth but the source being located by a mile or can't tell/don't know the depth. Many people don't believe in the practice to begin with. JMHO

My uncle was a dowser. You can dowse with about anything for about anything and even map dowse. He could use a crystal hanging on a chain and ask questions like depth etc.

 

[Texasmark]

When I bought my farm I was thinking about digging a water well. Had a local guy known for his abilities, come out and check the place finding no water. Out of curiosity, I forget the details but I tried the trick over a known water supply and it worked for me....I was amazed. On the guy not finding water, maybe it was too far down....our community well, 3/4 mile from the farm, is dug to 1800' with water pressure (Woodbine Sand) pushing up to 400' depth at the hole.

 

[MSD]

The most accurate locater for location and depth is a backhoe. If there is a line there they will find it.

 

[Oregon Tractor Jack]

The logical engineering part of my brain says this should not work, but it does. I can take two thin welding rods bend them and walk across a field and they will move when I cross water lines. I haven't tried it on power lines yet. Color me convinced...


OTJ