Page 1 of 10 1 2 3 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 95
  1. #1

    Default Pet Peeves with URD? Suggestions to improve?

    Featured Sponsor

    What would be your "pet peeves" and suggestions for improving URD design and construction?

    I'm starting in URD design for a Utility Contractor. I was ex-mil Narrowback (Interior Electrician) a few yrs (when I was young), and I carried a set of tools long enough to know t/ sometimes the Engineering thinking is just enough to make me dangerous.

    So, what's YOUR biggest URD improvement you'd like to see, common mistakes corrected, and ways to make your life easier and safer with URD and related dip/riser construction? I'm learning, and I want to do this RIGHT (with the line crews and troublemen in mind)! Also any links to your favorite URD "cub"-type resources are welcome too!

    And I would like to thank you for allowing me onto your forum, and I hope I can learn somethings that will help make lives easier and safer, and earn my keep.
    Last edited by URDesignerCub; 05-29-2013 at 11:50 PM. Reason: spelling

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    New York, Long Island
    Posts
    343

    Default Urd

    I think you may find that trouble shooting these area's had presented problems in the past. Outages of longer durations. With the newer fault locating equipment available it has become much easier.

    On the design end, one of the biggest pet peeves I can think of was anything more than a 1 pot (transformer) radial. During the design phase every attempt should be made to create a loop, even if you are using the same phase. Make sense?

    Hope that helps you.

    Something else you may want to consider. On consumer owned cable projects have the electrician install a CTA ( Cable tap assembly) at the base of the pole. Must Utilities take ownership of the cable on the pole.

    Good Luck URD

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    South East Texas
    Posts
    3,278

    Default

    uMM THERE NEEDSTO BE APECKING ORDER for puttin it in, shallow stuff likecatvn phone lines that dont haFTa be deep should be the lAST INSTALLED. would save a ton of locates n unnecessary trying to avoid cutting lines.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Ontario Canada
    Posts
    1,284

    Default

    There is no reason when building new U.G. for the need to be operating live elbows, all transformers and switch gear come with switches that you can operate before moving anything, along with capacitive test points for testing for potential as well as phasing. Also there should be clear easy to understand nomenclature on both primary and secondary. And all cables should be in duct as much as possible. FCIs should also be part of the system.
    Last edited by lewy; 05-31-2013 at 05:36 PM.

  5. #5

    Default A couple of pet peeves

    Whenever at all possible URD should be loop feeds and on the same phase and same circuit. What is the purpose of having a loop feed that you cannot tie. Also do not put both ends of the loop on the same pole as it makes pole changeouts a real pain and more time consuming. Riser poles should be riser poles only when possible. You should try to refrain from having a 3 phase riser on the same pole as a OH transformer or other pole mounted equipment. Ensure there is an adequate labeling and marking system, number transformers sequentiually. Mark elbows with the station number they are going to (if you are at station 4 then one elbow would be marked 3 and one marked 5). Use fault indicators with the fiber optic eyes so the crews do not have to open the tx to see if the indicator is flashing. Avoid "T" splices and elbow fuses at all costs. Install everything in conduit, it is much quicker to yank bad cable out and replace with new cable than to locate, dig up, and repair a faulted cable.

    DO NOT INSTALL SUBMERSIBLE SWITCHES IN MANHOLES, HELL FOR THAT MATTER DO NOT INSTALL MANHOLES AT ALL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED AND DANG SURE DO NOT LOCATE MANHOLES IN THE STREET, IN STREET SIDE PARKING AREAS, OR IN AREAS THAT LIKELY TO BECOME EITHER.

    Always provide a means for grounding cables when using 600/900 amp connections. These should be easy to use and not require disassembly prior to testing and grounded.

    LABEL LABEL LABEL VERIFY VERIFY VERIFY everything, then triple check those labels. In 25 years the installers will not be any where to be found and someone will be troubleshooting, switching, replacing things and the only things they will have to go by is the labeling used during installation.

    Good luck, every system is different. Find the linemen working on the systems you will be designing and ask them what they want to see and how you can make their work easier, safer, and then make the system work for them.
    Take only what you earn, give only what you can, learn to respect yourself before you can expect to respect anything or anyone else.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Ontario Canada
    Posts
    1,284

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by linemanfrog View Post
    Whenever at all possible URD should be loop feeds and on the same phase and same circuit. What is the purpose of having a loop feed that you cannot tie. Also do not put both ends of the loop on the same pole as it makes pole changeouts a real pain and more time consuming. Riser poles should be riser poles only when possible. You should try to refrain from having a 3 phase riser on the same pole as a OH transformer or other pole mounted equipment. Ensure there is an adequate labeling and marking system, number transformers sequentiually. Mark elbows with the station number they are going to (if you are at station 4 then one elbow would be marked 3 and one marked 5). Use fault indicators with the fiber optic eyes so the crews do not have to open the tx to see if the indicator is flashing. Avoid "T" splices and elbow fuses at all costs. Install everything in conduit, it is much quicker to yank bad cable out and replace with new cable than to locate, dig up, and repair a faulted cable.

    DO NOT INSTALL SUBMERSIBLE SWITCHES IN MANHOLES, HELL FOR THAT MATTER DO NOT INSTALL MANHOLES AT ALL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED AND DANG SURE DO NOT LOCATE MANHOLES IN THE STREET, IN STREET SIDE PARKING AREAS, OR IN AREAS THAT LIKELY TO BECOME EITHER.

    Always provide a means for grounding cables when using 600/900 amp connections. These should be easy to use and not require disassembly prior to testing and grounded.

    LABEL LABEL LABEL VERIFY VERIFY VERIFY everything, then triple check those labels. In 25 years the installers will not be any where to be found and someone will be troubleshooting, switching, replacing things and the only things they will have to go by is the labeling used during installation.

    Good luck, every system is different. Find the linemen working on the systems you will be designing and ask them what they want to see and how you can make their work easier, safer, and then make the system work for them.
    I agree with most of what you said. I don't see an issue with the loop being on different circuits, that way if you loose one circuit you can feed them off of the other circuit. Another thing I prefer is to bring your main feeders into switch gears then loop your switch gears and then take your transformers off of your switch gears in another loop from gear to gear. This way you avoid making every pole a riser.

  7. #7

    Default Excellent stuff!

    Thank you for these posts! Some great thoughts, and much appreciated. I will always try to design in a loop where I can, but I'm still a bit confused about the de-rating of parallel cable runs without enough separation, and sometimes that seems to limit where I can accomplish a loop. I'm still sorting out the "whys" of that in my mind. I sure appreciate the posts so far! GREAT forum here!
    Last edited by URDesignerCub; 06-01-2013 at 12:21 PM. Reason: spelling

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    South East Texas
    Posts
    3,278

    Default

    Umm I dont see hoq using 2 different circuits is anything more thanna accident waitin to happen. a fault anywhere in the loop wud take out one circuit an closing in the other end will only take out that other circuit Plum Stoopid if'n ya ask m

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Ontario Canada
    Posts
    1,284

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pootnaigle View Post
    Umm I dont see hoq using 2 different circuits is anything more thanna accident waitin to happen. a fault anywhere in the loop wud take out one circuit an closing in the other end will only take out that other circuit Plum Stoopid if'n ya ask m
    Closing in on a known fault is plain stupid and unnecessary today, whether or not you are on a loop system or a radial. We have multiple circuits and stations all tied together both overhead and underground. I think most understand that if you loose 1 circuit, it is nice to be able to pick up as much load as possible with another circuit.

  10. #10

    Default

    Featured Sponsorr

    Quote Originally Posted by lewy View Post
    Closing in on a known fault is plain stupid and unnecessary today, whether or not you are on a loop system or a radial. We have multiple circuits and stations all tied together both overhead and underground. I think most understand that if you loose 1 circuit, it is nice to be able to pick up as much load as possible with another circuit.
    Dont tell the management types that its stupid around here to close in on a 90% chance the loop will blow back....they simply wont understand that viewpoint.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •