Nicked an underground cable

[dmh165638]

I have been working on replacing my privacy fence for quite awhile. I am removing the old wood post/concrete and going back in the same hole with steel posts/concrete but about 6 inches deeper. Yesterday while digging one of the holes deeper I hit what looks like the power cables going from the pole to my house. I can see two of them both black about 3/4" in diameter and the one I nicked looks like it has an aluminum core. Can this be repaired without replacing the entire run? No I did not call a cable locator service to come out first because I thought I was safe going back in the same holes. Any suggestions?

[orphan Shelby]

cover it back up and carry on! you might get charged to repair it

[BradM]

What's it do when you touch it?

[KBScobravert]

cover it back up and carry on! you WILL get charged to repair it

ftfy

[dmh165638]

What's it do when you touch it?

Unfortunately I wiped my fingers across it several times pulling dirt out of the bottom of the hole but fortunately I didn't get jolt. I would like to at least seal it some how but hate handling it.

[brandon01rt]

cover it back up and carry on!

Solid advice lol
You need to address the issue now. Get a voltage tester and see if the line is hot. While the hole is open, call and get locates. If they don't mark the line is probably dead and you can go about your day. If its hot and you have hit it, the worst thing you can do is cover the hole.

[mikec]

I like the "liquid electric tape" that you can get at Depot or Lowes. Stuff works really well at sealing nicked cables and the like. In a can/bottle with a brush applicator on the inside of the lid.

You might try a brush of some sort to scrub the dirt from the cut...

[dmh165638]

It is not hot. Looks like it might be the neutral to my house electric feed. I called the locator service and they will be out in the next few days. I will probably go the 3M liquid tape route. The cover is torn but the core didn't really get damaged. The house goes up for sale in about 2.5 months.

[GrayStangGT]

Scotch 88(electric tape) followed by Scotch 130(rubber tape) then cover in scotchkote and bury it. This is what we use for splicing underground 480v line to oilfield equipment.

[dmh165638]

Looks like it wasn't electrical after all. Bought a non-contact volt probe and both lines had no voltage. My guess is they may be lines for cable. Also bought the stuff that GrayStangGT mentioned so I was going to patch it today. Dug the hole out to get better access and used a small spade to clear out around the cable. Discovered the cable was beat to hell twice as bad on either side I uncovered today compared to where I nicked it. So I just did a quick wrap and coated with Scotchkote. Thanks for the suggestions.