Hi,
I have to replace two direct buried light poles with surface mount (10'x4").Where can I find specification for the pole foundation(how deep does the hole have to be )? Does the Inspector have to check it before I pour concrete on?

Thanks,

MJ

MJ:

Specs for the foundation is from the manufacturer of the pole. Or, (here in NJ) a Lic. PE is required.

I can tell you here a electrical insp is required for the trench/conduit and the pole base, along with any supplemental grounding (lightning) & bonding.

Our members in Canada will get back with CEC & provincial regs.....

You might have to ask a Strucural Engineer, depending on your circumstances.

The size and depth of the base is affected by the pole's height, how much stuff is on it (EPA=Effective Projected Area) and how windy it gets where you are.

Our Electrical installation department started buying and specing a precast base for all lamp and traffic standards.

For years we had used bolts and sonotubes with concrete but they take 28 days to reach full strength and often temporary traffic signals could be up for a month. Copper theft and other matters make this a poor choice.
I don't know what standard you are installing but the manufacturer should have a spec for the base and a bolt template for casting the foundation in place. Our stock bases are about 6 feet tall and shaped like a 4 sided pyramid. 4 feet across at the base and 1 foot across at the bolts.

Inspection rules fall under section 2 of the CEC and in provincial regulations which can vary from province to province. In BC it is the Safety Standards Act and the Electrical Safety Regulation that are the primary legislation governing electrical work.

These provincial acts can be found on the BCSA website.

In general an inspection is required for each phase of a job and before anything can be concealed whether by dirt or drywall.

A telephone pole has a 12 foot gain mark and depending on the length you must bury 1 meter plus %10 of the length of the pole. We use the gain mark to measure to ground level and subtract the above surface gain from 12 feet to determine if you buried the pole deep enough. Most pole contractors know this very well.

Thanks for the suggestions,

The existing pole was three feet buried in the 12" sonotube.
The pole is between the houses(wind isn't an issue) with vertical load(50lb). I will ask for a manufacturer spec, they should provide it.

MJ