PEPCo numbering system

[ProfessionalLocator]

I have yet to complete this article and when I do I'll put it in the training wiki.

Since I am going to be very busy I will not be able to complete the article for at least a week. So I am putting up what I have so far.

I also am in the progress of writing a training wiki for the Metrotech 810 which is much more involved.

So for now.......

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Understanding and using Potomac Electric and Power Company (PEPCo) pole, transformer and manhole numbers.


PEPCo has a system that provides a unique number for every pole, pad mount or subsurface transformer or manhole on it’s system. You may still find some old PEPCo numbers such as 32554 on a pole somewhere but these have largely been replaced by the newer numbering system. You may also find both the old number and new number on the same pole. Some poles belong to Verizon with PEPCo equipment also on them and they will probably only have the Verizon number on them.


The subject of this article is how the newer numbering system works and how you can make use of it.

First; How it works.

The object’s (pole, transformer, manhole, etc.) number is determined by it’s geographic location.

In the PEPCo area the standard map for Miss Utility is the ADC (Alexandria Drafting Company) book maps. Pick any map page and look a the top, bottom and side margins. You will see a series of numbers which may be printed in any color.

The numbers on the bottom have matching corresponding numbers along the top of the page.

What your are going to see along the bottom is a number like 870,000 and along the side numbers like 420,000. Depending on the map edition they may have the designation “ft” for ‘feet’ after them

That bottom number means that that point on the map is 870,000 feet east of a fixed geographic point west and south of that location.

The side number means that that point is 420,000 feet north of a fixed geographic point south and west of that location.

The numbers on the bottom, top and edge of the page are marked out every 10,000 feet.

Lets suppose we have a PEPCo pole number 873422-4075.

The pole number is made up of two parts, the six number first part and then the final 4 numbers.

The first six numbers come from the numbers on the top, bottom and side of the map page.
The first six numbers are made up of two parts, the first there and the last three numbers.

The first three numbers come from the top and bottom of the map page and in this case means 873,000 feet.

The last three numbers come from the side of the map page and in this case means 422,000 feet.

These first six number anchor the southwest corner of a square on the map. The SWC starts at 873,000 west and 422,000 feet north. The square starts at the SWC and goes north for 1,000 ft to the northwest corner (NWC). From the NWC it goes east 1,000 ft to east the northeast corner (NEC). From the NEC it goes south 1,000 ft to the southeast corner (SEC). From the SEC it goes west and ends back where you stated at the SWC.

The last four numbers is determined by where the pole is physically located in the 1,000 ft by 1,000 ft box.
The last four numbers , 4075, is made up of to parts where are the first two and last two numbers.

The first two numbers in this case mean 400 ft as measured from the SWC on the east west bottom line of the box.

The last two numbers in this case means 750 ft. You measure from the bottom east west line of the box at the 400 ft mark north 750 ft. and there is the pole.

As you notice this numbering system is only accurate within 10 feet. This is because when they first started this system over 40 years ago they decided that for poles they did not have to be any more accurate than 10 feet.

Now that we know how PEPCo pole numbering system works lets put this knowledge to some practical application.

You have been given a location which is only an intersection and to mark around pole number 873422-4075 which you do not see. You need to get the number of the PEPCo pole nearest to you.

You find pole number 873422-4015 and use this as a point to find pole #873422-4075. Since the first six numbers match you know you are close, in the same 1,000 fit by 1,000 ft box.

The east west number measured from the box’s SWC is the first two of the last four numbers. Both have the same number of 40 so they are in line with each other.

The north south number as measured from the bottom line of the 1,000 ft by 1,000 ft box is different. The pole you have found has for the last two numbers 15 and the last two numbers of the pole you are looking for is a bigger number of 75. This means the pole you are looking for is further north than the one you have found. Subtract 15 from 75 and you get 60. This means that if you go north 600 feet north from 873422-4015 you will find the pole you are looking for.


Most pole you wish to find will not be directly north or south of the pole you did find, for this you need a little more math.

Suppose you are looking for pole #873422-4075 and the pole you find is #873422-2347.

Again you will be working from the pole you have found rather than the one you need to find.

On the drawing below there are the two poles -2347 and -4075

There is an East West line drawn from the pole -2347 , where you are, towards -4075 and the line stops directly under -4075.

Next there is a North South line drawn from -4075 towards where the East West line from -2347 stops.

Now determine the distance of the East West line by simply subtracting the first two number of one pole from the first two numbers of the second pole. Here we have 40 - 23 = 47 which is 170 feet.

Next determine the distance of the South North line by subtracting the last two numbers of one pole from the last two numbers of the other pole. Here we have 75 - 47 = 28 which is 280 feet.

You will notice in the drawing that by drawing an additional line directly from one pole to the other we have formed a triangle. Specifically we have formed a right triangle because one of the three angles is 90 degrees. By using established geometry formulas we will determine the distance of this additional line, called the hypotenuse, and at the angle it is from pole -2347. By following that angle from pole -2347 for the distance of the additional line, hypotenuse, will be taken to pole -4075


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The perimeter of a triangle is the sum of its three sides. It should be noted that the sum of any two sides of a triangle must be larger than the length of the third side.

Since this method always uses a right triangle we can use the formula below

Pythagorean Theorem: A2 + B2 = C2 where A = one leg, B = the other leg, C = hypotenuse


Since the triangle is right, one can solve for the length of the unknown side.
x2 + 52 = 132
x2 = 132 - 52
x2 = 169 - 25 = 144
x = 12

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There is my drawing of the poles buy I have not figured out how to put tha tin here. Later on that.

[beyond help]

Holy Crap, Pythagoras lives!!!

[Wingfoot]

Holy Crap, Pythagoras lives!!!

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[skwardog]

Not finished! If you have to do this much math and field measurements just to find the locate, is there time left to do the locate? What's a Wiki? Seems it should go the same place Verizon put Vipers, the Garbage Wiki.

Wiki Wiki Wiki

[skwardog]

Damn, I Keep forgetting.

Remember the dog's motto: If you can't screw it, eat it or ride it, piss on it.

[ProfessionalLocator]

Not finished! If you have to do this much math and field measurements just to find the locate, is there time left to do the locate? What's a Wiki? Seems it should go the same place Verizon put Vipers, the Garbage Wiki.

Wiki Wiki Wiki

Well, you cannot locate it if you cannot first get to it.

The methods described have been succesfully used for decades to find a pole, manhole, padmount or subsruface transformer.