Fibre lead-in damaged - Not 300mm deep

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eftpos

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Topic # 185765 4-Dec-2015 13:30

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone had any advice or if any of the Chorus members could help.

So. Fibre was installed to my place last year. The ruggerised cable was laid in a "trench" from the sidewalk to the wall of our house to the ETP; a distance of about 8 metres.

Then last week I decided it was time to sort out the front lawn. I dug (**carefully**) my trenches for the irrigation piping and I managed to clip the ruggerised lead-in cable with a spade. The issue that presents itself is this.

a) I was under the impression that that cable was supposed to be 300mm deep
b) The ruggerised cable now has a cut in it (but not bad enough apparently to sever my fibre connection as we still have internet)

Is my assumption that the cable should indeed have been 300mm deep correct? If so is it up to Chorus to then make the repair (of course I would have to log the request with my ISP)? If that too is true and seeing as though I am already doing work on the lawn; should I install conduit before the repair is made so Chorus can re-install in a conduit at a depth I will lay greater than 300mm deep?

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Reply # 1440529 4-Dec-2015 14:03

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as you damaged it i would say you would be liable for paying to fix it

BUT as the cable may not have been laid as it was suppose to it might fall back on the LFC/their contractor

UHD

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Reply # 1440560 4-Dec-2015 14:31

Strap the cable with duct tape and rebury it. :)

mdooher

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Reply # 1440562 4-Dec-2015 14:39

even better, wrap it with self amalgamating tape and stick it back in the ground.. or just stick it back I the ground, I suppose if it fails it will need replacing anyway so why not just take the chance?

Matthew

Jase2985

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Reply # 1440563 4-Dec-2015 14:42

@ChorusNZ

eftpos

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Reply # 1440564 4-Dec-2015 14:42

Fair call and that was my plan to start with. However I am redoing the lawn which means there is still fibre-lead in buried at 80mm. The ultimate question is whether the cable SHOULD have been laid at 300mm or is it at the discretion of the LFC (Chorus in this case) how deep they bury it.

mdooher

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Reply # 1440568 4-Dec-2015 14:47

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eftpos: Fair call and that was my plan to start with. However I am redoing the lawn which means there is still fibre-lead in buried at 80mm. The ultimate question is whether the cable SHOULD have been laid at 300mm or is it at the discretion of the LFC (Chorus in this case) how deep they bury it.

From what I can tell, as Chorus discovers they can't afford to do the job properly they just keep dropping the bar on what "acceptable" means.

One day "acceptable" will mean throwing the end of the fibre over the fence.

Matthew

Jase2985

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Reply # 1440569 4-Dec-2015 14:48

https://www.chorus.co.nz/land-development/subdivisions/developing-a-greenfields-subdivision

its actually 450mm according to that page unless it will be under a drive or path where it can be 300mm

DarthKermit

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Reply # 1440571 4-Dec-2015 14:53

mdooher:
eftpos: Fair call and that was my plan to start with. However I am redoing the lawn which means there is still fibre-lead in buried at 80mm. The ultimate question is whether the cable SHOULD have been laid at 300mm or is it at the discretion of the LFC (Chorus in this case) how deep they bury it.

From what I can tell, as Chorus discovers they can't afford to do the job properly they just keep dropping the bar on what "acceptable" means.

One day "acceptable" will mean throwing the end of the fibre over the fence.

In that case, a couple of second hand sticking plasters will do to repair that cable.

xontech

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Reply # 1440575 4-Dec-2015 14:57

I had to "negotiate" with the Chorus installers when installing ours via trench in our lawn to get it done at 300mm. They were going to do it at 100mm. After 3 pre install site visits they agreed to do the 7 metre trench at 300mm that took 2 guys half an hour with spades :-/

eftpos

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Reply # 1440576 4-Dec-2015 14:58

So by Chorus's own documentation the lead-in should be at a minimum depth of 450mm (just found that link - https://www.chorus.co.nz/land-development/subdivisions/developing-a-greenfields-subdivision)

[b] Trench depth should be 450mm below finished ground level. Where the lead-in will be under permanent material (e.g. concrete driveway) the depth can be reduced to 300mm. [b]

So moving forward there's no point right now to have it fixed or replaced as I am hoping to fix the lawn which requires more digging. Will tape up the break in the meantime to make sure it doesn't get any worse. Seeing as though there will be trenching for the irrigation piping I may as well lay a new green 20mm conduit for the fibre at a depth of 450mm parallell to the existing lead-in.

Now the million dollar question is once I've finished that, would Chorus be willing to redo the lead-in through the conduit I've laid at no charge to me as the homeowner on the basis that there is:

a) damage to the ruggerised cable
and
b) that the original installation was not to (their own) standard

Jase2985

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Reply # 1440578 4-Dec-2015 14:58

on further looking the link above only seems to be applicable if your are installing a duct.

looking at their step by step here: https://www.chorus.co.nz/installing-fibre/from-the-street-to-your-property/getting-fibre-to-your-property-revised#
it says about 200mm

Chorusnz

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Reply # 1440602 4-Dec-2015 15:41

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The 300mm depth referred to in other posts is for 20mm PVC duct.

If the ruggedized duct was laid using a slit-trench (alongside the path edge) then it should be 200mm deep, which is acceptable practice. However, as the OP has discovered it requires very special attention when waving a spade or shovel around.

If you are considering overlaying the duct route with 20mm green duct, then you can find the lay recommendations online at: https://www.chorus.co.nz/land-development/subdivisions/installig-underground-telecommunications-lead-ins-for-urban-premises the standard depth should be 300mm.

Once the new duct is in place you can call 08004network and ask for the lead-in to rerouted via the new buried duct.

^GL

eftpos

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Reply # 1440609 4-Dec-2015 15:50

Chorusnz: The 300mm depth referred to in other posts is for 20mm PVC duct.

If the ruggedized duct was laid using a slit-trench (alongside the path edge) then it should be 200mm deep, which is acceptable practice. However, as the OP has discovered it requires very special attention when waving a spade or shovel around. If you are considering overlaying the duct route with 20mm green duct, then you can find the lay recommendations online at: https://www.chorus.co.nz/land-development/subdivisions/installig-underground-telecommunications-lead-ins-for-urban-premises the standard depth should be 300mm. Once the new duct is in place you can call 08004network and ask for the lead-in to rerouted via the new buried duct.

^GL

@chorusnz Thanks for the feedback.

I completely accept that I was to be careful digging (and knowing where the lead in was meant I knew to be extra careful) but in all reality I didnt expect to hit the cable at a depth less than 100mm.

Have organised some 20mm PVC duct (apparently I'm not allowed to buy green so using plain silver instead :-)

Do you recommend then laying it parallel (150mm) to the existing lead-in at a depth no shallower than 200mm and then following up with 0800 4NETWORK to reroute it?

mdooher

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Reply # 1440610 4-Dec-2015 15:52

eftpos:
Chorusnz: The 300mm depth referred to in other posts is for 20mm PVC duct.

If the ruggedized duct was laid using a slit-trench (alongside the path edge) then it should be 200mm deep, which is acceptable practice. However, as the OP has discovered it requires very special attention when waving a spade or shovel around. If you are considering overlaying the duct route with 20mm green duct, then you can find the lay recommendations online at: https://www.chorus.co.nz/land-development/subdivisions/installig-underground-telecommunications-lead-ins-for-urban-premises the standard depth should be 300mm. Once the new duct is in place you can call 08004network and ask for the lead-in to rerouted via the new buried duct.

^GL

@chorusnz Thanks for the feedback.

I completely accept that I was to be careful digging (and knowing where the lead in was meant I knew to be extra careful) but in all reality I didnt expect to hit the cable at a depth less than 100mm.

Have organised some 20mm PVC duct (apparently I'm not allowed to buy green so using plain silver instead :-)

Do you recommend then laying it parallel (150mm) to the existing lead-in at a depth no shallower than 200mm and then following up with 0800 4NETWORK to reroute it?

Radcliffe/JA Russell have the green stuff

Matthew

MikeAqua

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Reply # 1440621 4-Dec-2015 16:29

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Burying cable at 80mm depth with no warning tape and no ducting - what could possibly go wrong!

Mike

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