Propane Tank install with MX5400

[ericoutdoors]

Hey folks,
Besides brush hogging and moving rocks/tires/trees around (all three seem to grow...) I needed to finally do a different project... install a below ground 500 gallon propane tank! Here are some pictures and a short video I made using my MX5400 to dig the hole, trench, and backfill. Have to give a shoutout to OTT, lurked on the forums for a while to help with maintenance and operational questions so trying to provide some content to give back.

Video:

Hole complete. Hit solid rock at 4' 10". Needed to be 5' total but the installer said get a load of sand and we should be good.

Where the tractor go?

Trench

Tank in with some sand

All sand in

Mostly covered

totally covered



Cheers!
Eric

 

[JeremyBX2200]

Nice. How long did it take digging it with the front end loader?

I have dug a bit with the FEL on my BX. Not the greatest, but it beats a shovel. I am sure the MX has a lot more weight and power than my BX.

 

[dirtydeed]

Good job. I would've chosen a different method but your tenacity is admirable.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Nice. Creative way to make up for the lack of a backhoe.

I see the access port (?) is above the surrounding soil level, as is the concrete. I presume there's going to be more fill brought in? Maybe some topsoil?


Like the color of the house!

 

[woodman55]

looks like a job well done.

 

[mike0000]

The night after my underground tank was Installed rained very hard. The next morning, tank looked like a submarine breaching the ocean. Second install was Filled w/Propane the same day.

Mike

 

[ericoutdoors]

Nice. Creative way to make up for the lack of a backhoe.

I see the access port (?) is above the surrounding soil level, as is the concrete. I presume there's going to be more fill brought in? Maybe some topsoil?

Like the color of the house!

Haha, thank you!
They told me its a good idea to have 2-3 inches of the access port sticking out. Obviously I am higher than that now. I do plan on doing a lot more grading in the area to level things out. In the end the driveway should be about an inch above grade which I think will leave the propane about 3-4 inches above. Need to put in some french drains and other water removal stuff.

FYI the color is "enchanted blue" by valspar if you want to use it. It was overcast that day, when its sunny it really shines! Thank you again for the compliment.

Nice. How long did it take digging it with the front end loader?

I have dug a bit with the FEL on my BX. Not the greatest, but it beats a shovel. I am sure the MX has a lot more weight and power than my BX.

Took about 4 hours of total work. I put one of my dirt piles in the way because I didn't plan the best so I had to move it to the side which added 20ish minutes. Plus I kept getting out to measure and make sure I wasn't messing up. If I did it again tomorrow I could probably do it in 60-90 minutes.

Good job. I would've chosen a different method but your tenacity is admirable.

Open to suggestions. This was my first time digging an actual hole (only moved some piles around before). I tried to rent an excavator but because of all the construction in my area there were none available for weeks! How would you have done it @dirtydeed ?

 

[DustyRusty]

Check with your propane supplier as to how often you need to check the tank anodes and replace them. I didn't see a safety tape above the yellow line. I assume that you installed it as a safety precaution so if 20 years from now someone digs in that area, they will hit the safety tape before they hit the propane line. My electrical line is down about 5' and I had to put one at every foot of backfill as required by the electrical company.

 

[BAP]

When we installed the buried 1000 gallon propane tank at my parents, I put in 2 4x4 pressure treated posts to mark its location so it didn’t get hit plowing snow or driving. I bought a couple of bright yellow bollard covers to put over the posts to make them visible like these in this link.

https://www.bollardcoverusa.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAtbqdBhDvARIsAGYnXBOCtMV-IM2JzjH9Ru7V4D1AcEoa-nDet2fSqlenK4T75UxoOPv_QGsaAqsbEALw_wcB

 

[D2Cat]

Check with your propane supplier as to how often you need to check the tank anodes and replace them. I didn't see a safety tape above the yellow line. I assume that you installed it as a safety precaution so if 20 years from now someone digs in that area, they will hit the safety tape before they hit the propane line. My electrical line is down about 5' and I had to put one at every foot of backfill as required by the electrical company.

That's interesting. Contractor would have to be in a coma to keep digging through four layers of tape!

 

[fried1765]

That's interesting. Contractor would have to be in a coma to keep digging through four layers of tape!

I hand dug my service entrance electric line 40 years ago.
No conduit, or tape, and only 24" deep.
Probably not the best idea, but it was OK then.

Current requirements are to call "digsafe" before digging anything!

 

[D2Cat]

I hand dug my service entrance electric line 40 years ago.
No conduit, or tape, and only 24" deep.
Probably not the best idea, but it was OK then.

Current requirements are to call "digsafe" before digging anything!

And what many do not understand even calling digsafe does not clear you for continuous digging. Around here you have to hand dig 24" each side of the locate marks. If not you are responsible for damages.

 

[fried1765]

And what many do not understand even calling digsafe does not clear you for continuous digging. Around here you have to hand dig 24" each side of the locate marks. If not you are responsible for damages.

I own my underground service entrance from the pole in, so I would be responsible for damages anyway.

 

[JeremyBX2200]

Took about 4 hours of total work. I put one of my dirt piles in the way because I didn't plan the best so I had to move it to the side which added 20ish minutes. Plus I kept getting out to measure and make sure I wasn't messing up. If I did it again tomorrow I could probably do it in 60-90 minutes.

Not bad, especially if you enjoy playing in the dirt with the tractor.

 

[ken erickson]

ericoutdoors,

Job well done! I think you put the "tools" you had on hand to great use to accomplish your goal. Would a backhoe or mini excavator have been quicker and more efficient ? Sure! But in my case and perhaps yours , a lot of the satisfaction of owing tractors is doing the job with what we have. This is my current hole in the ground project that I am digging with my much smaller L2501. A pond dig that is about 70% dug at this time. I hope for 9 foot deep in the area that now measures close to 6 foot.

 

[DustyRusty]

Dig Safe is no guarantee that they even know what is where. Happens all the time when Dig Safe says no utilities and the contractor digs up a utility line that Dig Safe failed to properly mark. On my property, I know where every buried line is, more or less. I know that my water line goes under my garage floor, but if it leaks, then the new line will have to take a longer way around the house to get into the cellar.

 

[dirtydeed]

Open to suggestions. This was my first time digging an actual hole (only moved some piles around before). I tried to rent an excavator but because of all the construction in my area there were none available for weeks! How would you have done it @dirtydeed ?

Oh, I wasn't criticizing you at all, I just have a different set of tools available to me as all I was implying. I commend you on getting the job done. Seriously, good job. And welcome to OTT as well.

 

[ericoutdoors]

Oh, I wasn't criticizing you at all, I just have a different set of tools available to me as all I was implying. I commend you on getting the job done. Seriously, good job. And welcome to OTT as well.

Thank you. I was hoping you were going to give me some special knowledge of how to make it easier with the FEL! Cheers!

 

[ericoutdoors]

Thank you everyone for the feedback and ideas.

Regarding marking the line from the tank to the house, there is no tape, but we did add a conductive wire to it so you can add a small charge to the wire at the house and any detector should pick it up. The line is about 12-14" deep now but after adding more grade it should be around 20-24" when complete.

@BAP that is a really good idea with marking the exact location of the tank with some posts. I may steal that for my project just to be safe.

@DustyRusty Service guy said anode should last ~20 years. So remind me in 15 to go ahead and replace it! Have you ever done that task? I assume it is probably just dig down next to the tank, connect a new anode and rebury it?

And @mike0000 sorry I missed your comment originally and sorry to hear you had that happen to you. I had the exact same concern, especially after 3 weeks of rain and only 2 days of good weather. So far so good the tank is still there as of this morning. They installed the tank with 50 gallons and added about 350 more 4 days after install. The installer highly suggested I bury the tank with real sand (specifically said not to use limestone or manufactured sand because of acidity and coarseness) because it would allow water to flow through and not allow any air pockets. He claimed what happens a lot is when people back fill with dirt the bottom part of the tanks don't actually get backfilled so there are air pockets. They eventually fill with water and push the tank up.

When we were doing the install the guy was actually surprised I had the sand. He said he "tells everyone to get the sand but no one ever does!"

 

[DustyRusty]

Thank you everyone for the feedback and ideas.

Regarding marking the line from the tank to the house, there is no tape, but we did add a conductive wire to it so you can add a small charge to the wire at the house and any detector should pick it up. The line is about 12-14" deep now but after adding more grade it should be around 20-24" when complete.


@DustyRusty Service guy said anode should last ~20 years. So remind me in 15 to go ahead and replace it! Have you ever done that task? I assume it is probably just dig down next to the tank, connect a new anode and rebury it?

Just depends on where you live as to how long the anode will last. I looked at your profile, and all it says is "From USA" which is a rather broad area, about 6% of the world's land mass.