The Great Internet Disconnect
One trencher, 172 feet, and an unexpected outage.
The plan was to run electrical service 172 feet from the main house breaker box to a new 200-amp breaker box in the shop. I was working the trenching machine, making progress, and feeling pretty good about the whole project.
What I didn't know was that, somewhere behind me, the trenching machine had also taken it upon itself to disconnect our internet.
I had no idea anything was wrong until my wife came outside, looked at me, and said:
“So, I'm guessing you hit a line?”
I turned around and looked back into the trench I'd just dug. Sure enough, there was the little internet cable—separated into two pieces.
She laughed. I laughed. The internet, unfortunately, was not participating.
Once the laughing was over, I had to call someone to come repair the cable. Turns out a trenching machine is excellent at making a trench, but absolutely terrible at providing internet service.
🔧 Thank Goodness for Family
One thing I'm especially grateful for: I have a fantastic uncle who's been an electrician for more than 40 years. His experience and help with wiring the shop were invaluable. It's a big project, and having someone who really knows electrical work makes a world of difference.
Of course, even with four decades of electrical experience in the family, the trenching machine still managed to add an internet repair technician to the project team.
What We Learned the Hard Way
Before digging, contact 811 to request marking of participating underground utilities. Private or customer-owned lines may not be covered and may need a separate private locator. Follow local requirements and use appropriate excavation practices around marked utilities. If a line is damaged, stop work and contact the utility or service provider; don't attempt an improvised repair.
And if your wife walks outside while you're trenching and asks whether you hit a line, you might want to look behind you before answering.
Final score: Shop electrical project—still moving forward. Internet cable—zero. Wife's comedic timing—perfect.