adding gravel after handhole is installed

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malachi constant

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Minneapolis
Hi all,
We have an install still under warranty where handholes are filling with water (which stands for a week). The spec calls for a gravel bed under the handhole but these were installed direct on earth. The Owner would like this corrected, so I plan to approach the contractor about fixing this and am curious about work effort / what means are required. I hope they can hand dig around it without disconnecting conduits and wires. FWIW the handholes are roughly 18"x36"x24" deep with 208 & 480 volt circuits. I didn't see any splices but there was quite a bit of cabling underwater and/or caked with mud which made it difficult to say for sure. Most if not all the handholes are not in an area prone to standing water - it should keep running off for a good distance.

Three questions here:
1) Will a gravel bed significantly mitigate the issue?
2) Any recommendations on size/depth of bed?
3) It's not really my problem, but what work effort would you expect here for the contractor to add the gravel after the fact?

Thanks!
 
malachi constant said:
Hi all,
We have an install still under warranty where handholes are filling with water (which stands for a week). The spec calls for a gravel bed under the handhole but these were installed direct on earth. The Owner would like this corrected, so I plan to approach the contractor about fixing this and am curious about work effort / what means are required. I hope they can hand dig around it without disconnecting conduits and wires. FWIW the handholes are roughly 18"x36"x24" deep with 208 & 480 volt circuits. I didn't see any splices but there was quite a bit of cabling underwater and/or caked with mud which made it difficult to say for sure. Most if not all the handholes are not in an area prone to standing water - it should keep running off for a good distance.

Three questions here:
1) Will a gravel bed significantly mitigate the issue?
2) Any recommendations on size/depth of bed?
3) It's not really my problem, but what work effort would you expect here for the contractor to add the gravel after the fact?

Thanks!
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Probably best to consult an expert in drainage such as a landscape architect or civil engineer.
 
Water may run off the surface, but if this is in a runoff channel you are going to fill your "hole" pretty much every time there is runoff. If soil around the hole doesn't absorb water very fast it can stay in there for quite some time.
 
Quazite instructions state to install a 6" gravel bed. I usually spec more.

You can also get gasketed covers and bolts that reduce the amount of water that will run into the box (but it won't stop it completely).
 
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