LOCATING BURIED UTILITIES DIG SAFE B.C. Wednesday, March 31,2010 Cranbrook, B.C. Fundamental Principles And Techniques In Buried Utility Location Presented By Brian Kidwell, Eecol Electric

WHY WE LOCATE BURIED UTILITIES BEFORE WE DIG 3 People Died 11 People Were Injured

WHY WE LOCATE BURIED UTILITIES BEFORE WE DIG 3 Workers Injured

What happens when you don’t locate……

LOCATING: THE 5 EASY STEPS TO SUCCESS Understand Magnetic Fields – What are they? Know How Magnetic Fields React. Be Confident In Your Locating Abilities -  Through Training And Experience. Be Confident In Your Locating Equipment -  Through Purchasing up to Date Technology. Have A Basic Understanding Of What You Are Locating – The Infrastructure.

WHAT ARE WE ACTUALY LOCATING? ALWAYS REMEMBER Cable locators do not find cables they find magnetic fields.

WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT? BECAUSE FIELDS DO THINGS THAT PIPES AND CABLES DON'T DO ! THEY MOVE!!!

WHAT IS A MAGNETIC FIELD ? A magnetic field is radiated by a current carrying conductor.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT MAGNETIC FIELDS? One Conductor Will Create A Field On Other Conductors. The Result - - Target Field Moves Away From Alternating Fields.

THE TWO METHODS OF FIELD LOCATNG/DETECTION First: PASSIVE POWER & RADIO Current moves on source conductor causing magnetic fields. Those Magnetic Fields Jump Onto Underground Pipes Or Cables As A Return Path. Magnetic Fields Are Located.

THE TWO METHODS OF FIELD LOCATING/DETECTION POWER MODE RADIO MODE

THE TWO METHODS OF FIELD LOCATING/DETECTION Second: ACTIVE CLIPS, CLAMP & INDUCTIVE Most Reliable & Accurate Puts A Signal On Or In A Conductor. Provides Better Information, Such As Depth Readings.

THE TWO METHODS OF FIELD LOCATING/DETECTION The Best Method Rated The 2 nd Best Rate 3 rd Place

CLIPS: THE RULE OF THUMB Ground Stake To Be As Close As 90deg As Possible. As Far As Possible (Max. Distance)‏ Use Lowest Frequency

CLAMPS: THE RULE OF THUMB Set-Up Similar To Clips, 90deg & Max. Distance Clamp Must Be Closed – Around Conductor Can Be Applied Anywhere Along Target Use 8kH Or Higher

INDUCTIVE SPILL: THE RULE OF THUMB Will Cause More Ghosting / Multi-Signals Must Have Min. 60ft Between Rx & Tx Must Be Min. 90ft For Depth Readings Can Be 1 Man Or 2 Man Uses 65kH Or Greater

PEAK & NULL: TWO WAYS TO SEE THE SAME FIELD PEAK: High Signal, High Tone NULL: Low Signal, Low Tone, Arrows Peak = Very Accurate Location Null = Can Be Off-Mark From 6” To 6-10ft

DISTORTION: THE LOCATE KILLER Multi-Conductors = Multi Fields (Ghosting) Each Field Will Push & Pull On Others Fields Are No Longer Round – Distorted Distorted Fields Are Harder To Locate Accurately

THE DISTORTION SOLUTION! Low To Very Low Frequencies  512Hz Or Less (256Hz)‏ Always Locate In Peak Mode Test For Distortion With Null Mode Use A Transmitter With Medium To High Power  3 watts To 10 watts

THE DEPTH CONFUSION! Correct Depth = No Distortion When Peak & Null Line-Up = Good Depth Also Use Lift Test - Lift 12” & Take 2 nd Reading ALWAYS Compare Peak & Null Peak Null d Peak Null d

THE FREQUENCY ISSUE! WHY MORE THAN ONE? Each Frequency Performs Differently Very Low (Under 1kHz) = Further Travel & Much Less Ghosting Medium (1kHz to 40kHz) = Medium Travel & Some Ghosting High (40kHz to 80kHz +) = Small Travel & Great Amount Of Ghosting

THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR LOCATING The Locator:  A Basic Knowledge Of The Locating Principles  A Basic Knowledge Of buried Utilities  A Good Comfort Level On The Use Of Equipment The Equipment:  At Least 1 Frequency From Each Category  Clip Cables At Least 10ft Long  A Ground Stake Of At Least 12”  A Transmitter With A Minimum Of 3watts

REMEMBER!!! Locating Can Be Accomplished Accurately And With Little Difficultly If: You Obtain Proper Locate Training & Support Use Current Equipment With the features that you need..... don't cut corners! Ensure that you receive Full Training On All Features & Techniques For Your Equipment Work With Your Local Utility Owners & Organizations (Such As BC One Call, BCCGA)

ECOL Electric Ltd. And Radio detection Are Here To Help!!!!! Suppliers Of: Basic To Advanced Locating Equipment Full Locate Training Full Equipment Feature Training & Support Your “Locating Problem” HELP LINE!!!

What’s New? Marker Balls for locating end of utility services, distribution boxes. Color Coded as per Utility Colors, e.g. Yellow- gas, Red- power Tracer wire or Marker Tape for ease of locating PVC water waste services Flexi Trace & Sonde accessories for additional locating capabilities of PVC/Plastic services G.P.S, Data Logging, BlueTooth wireless line of site

What’s New? CERTIFICATION- BC RoadBuilders- Utility Gradesperson program WorkSafe BC/BC Safety Authority Initiative - Locator Certification

DIG SAFE, B.C,,Cranbrook Questions? Thank you!