Things you need to know about manhole covers.
Discussion
We bought a house - new build. Eight or more years ago. It's got a manhole cover in our tarmac driveway. Then we had the garden done and some fair sized trucks with cranes on the back came and went. In due course some numbnut rests a support on the manhole cover and it cracks.
That's OK our main contractor says - we'll fix it. And duly they did. They fitted a new surround and cover of a new type. All was well we thought.
Then a delivery driver in a van drives over the new manhole cover and it breaks into two!
At this point my wife exhibits the mental and I end up needing to come home to sort it out.
So I just buy a replacement and pop it in the pre-existing frame.
A few months go by and we notice a crack in the manhole cover. So this is the second one of the new type to go.
I get on the manufacturer's website and find that the manhole we have is rated A15 pedestrians only. So yesterday I bought a B125 cars and pedestrians version and got a couple of local lads to fit it today. They go up to a "D" rating that can withstand HGVs stationary on them if you feel like paying for it.
Yes. Manholes come in different grades. Get the right one or you will be pissing away money. Pedestrian covers should not be fitted where cars/vans and so on can go over them.
Pain in the arse.
That's OK our main contractor says - we'll fix it. And duly they did. They fitted a new surround and cover of a new type. All was well we thought.
Then a delivery driver in a van drives over the new manhole cover and it breaks into two!
At this point my wife exhibits the mental and I end up needing to come home to sort it out.
So I just buy a replacement and pop it in the pre-existing frame.
A few months go by and we notice a crack in the manhole cover. So this is the second one of the new type to go.
I get on the manufacturer's website and find that the manhole we have is rated A15 pedestrians only. So yesterday I bought a B125 cars and pedestrians version and got a couple of local lads to fit it today. They go up to a "D" rating that can withstand HGVs stationary on them if you feel like paying for it.
Yes. Manholes come in different grades. Get the right one or you will be pissing away money. Pedestrian covers should not be fitted where cars/vans and so on can go over them.
Pain in the arse.
silverMX said:
Soovy said:
My gran used to call knickers "manhole covers"
HAHAHAHA!To the OP, any comeback with the builder..?
After all, they fitted it on a driveway so should have guessed there'd be more than people going over it!
However it was quite a mistake to fit pedestrian grade covers on a driveway. An honest mistake, I suspect. I compounded this, though, as when the first cover of the "weak" sort broke I just replaced it. At that point I should have suspected something. It wasn't until the second cover developed a crack that I became suspicious.
Still. It's all fixed, now. Its' just that whilst we got the first "weak" cover done free I pissed away £60 on it's replacement prior to spending £180 to get it done properly.
Apparently it's common to fit the wrong sort and often people get away with it for years. Ours went because delivery drivers in vans go over the top of it...
This is why our delivery drivers get the owners to sign a disclaimer before leaving the road.
FYI, and you can file this if you like, Inspection Chambers Covers (as they're officially called, but manhole covers is easier), are measured across the inside clear opening of the frame. NOT the cover, but the frame. The open bit you put your hands/rods etc in. The most common sizes are 600 x 450mm and 600mm square. There are a huge variety, if you're not sure, speak to your local Builders Merchant, they'll advise you.
As has been said, there are three common loadings, A15, B125 and D400, for Cast or Ductile covers. It doesn't really help that the specs were changed a few years back, A used to be the top grade, but there you go. You'll also find that there are on the galvanised covers tonnage ratings, Pedestrian (which also used to be 2.5 tonnes IIRC), 5T, 10T, 17T, 25T, 32T, 38T and Fork-truck. Although when you get to fork-truck I'd go for the D400 covers, unless the hole is a funny shape. The tonnage refers to the Gross Vehicle Weight and galvanised covers should only be used in low-speed areas, ie walking pace. Go over one fast and it can pop out of its frame.
HTH
FYI, and you can file this if you like, Inspection Chambers Covers (as they're officially called, but manhole covers is easier), are measured across the inside clear opening of the frame. NOT the cover, but the frame. The open bit you put your hands/rods etc in. The most common sizes are 600 x 450mm and 600mm square. There are a huge variety, if you're not sure, speak to your local Builders Merchant, they'll advise you.
As has been said, there are three common loadings, A15, B125 and D400, for Cast or Ductile covers. It doesn't really help that the specs were changed a few years back, A used to be the top grade, but there you go. You'll also find that there are on the galvanised covers tonnage ratings, Pedestrian (which also used to be 2.5 tonnes IIRC), 5T, 10T, 17T, 25T, 32T, 38T and Fork-truck. Although when you get to fork-truck I'd go for the D400 covers, unless the hole is a funny shape. The tonnage refers to the Gross Vehicle Weight and galvanised covers should only be used in low-speed areas, ie walking pace. Go over one fast and it can pop out of its frame.
HTH
mrmaggit said:
This is why our delivery drivers get the owners to sign a disclaimer before leaving the road.
FYI, and you can file this if you like, Inspection Chambers Covers (as they're officially called, but manhole covers is easier), are measured across the inside clear opening of the frame. NOT the cover, but the frame. The open bit you put your hands/rods etc in. The most common sizes are 600 x 450mm and 600mm square. There are a huge variety, if you're not sure, speak to your local Builders Merchant, they'll advise you.
As has been said, there are three common loadings, A15, B125 and D400, for Cast or Ductile covers. It doesn't really help that the specs were changed a few years back, A used to be the top grade, but there you go. You'll also find that there are on the galvanised covers tonnage ratings, Pedestrian (which also used to be 2.5 tonnes IIRC), 5T, 10T, 17T, 25T, 32T, 38T and Fork-truck. Although when you get to fork-truck I'd go for the D400 covers, unless the hole is a funny shape. The tonnage refers to the Gross Vehicle Weight and galvanised covers should only be used in low-speed areas, ie walking pace. Go over one fast and it can pop out of its frame.
HTH
I got to find all this stuff out yesterday whilst working out just why the bloomin' thing was breaking! Interesting you say that the gradings changed and "A" used to be the top one. Maybe that was what led to the first A15 cover being fitted - in error as it turned out.FYI, and you can file this if you like, Inspection Chambers Covers (as they're officially called, but manhole covers is easier), are measured across the inside clear opening of the frame. NOT the cover, but the frame. The open bit you put your hands/rods etc in. The most common sizes are 600 x 450mm and 600mm square. There are a huge variety, if you're not sure, speak to your local Builders Merchant, they'll advise you.
As has been said, there are three common loadings, A15, B125 and D400, for Cast or Ductile covers. It doesn't really help that the specs were changed a few years back, A used to be the top grade, but there you go. You'll also find that there are on the galvanised covers tonnage ratings, Pedestrian (which also used to be 2.5 tonnes IIRC), 5T, 10T, 17T, 25T, 32T, 38T and Fork-truck. Although when you get to fork-truck I'd go for the D400 covers, unless the hole is a funny shape. The tonnage refers to the Gross Vehicle Weight and galvanised covers should only be used in low-speed areas, ie walking pace. Go over one fast and it can pop out of its frame.
HTH
I didn't go for a D400 one as I'm sure I can avoid HGVs going over it in future. Cars and vans, though, will definitely be doing so so I opted for a B125 jobbie. 600mm square to match the outgoing one.
IIRC the change happened in response to an EU Directive about 2000-2001. The normal double triangular covers that you see in main roads used to be MA60's, changed to D400's overnight. B125 will be fine for your drive, if a bit heavy to pull the cover off if you need to access the chamber.
Don said:
silverMX said:
Soovy said:
My gran used to call knickers "manhole covers"
HAHAHAHA!To the OP, any comeback with the builder..?
After all, they fitted it on a driveway so should have guessed there'd be more than people going over it!
However it was quite a mistake to fit pedestrian grade covers on a driveway. An honest mistake, I suspect. I compounded this, though, as when the first cover of the "weak" sort broke I just replaced it. At that point I should have suspected something. It wasn't until the second cover developed a crack that I became suspicious.
Still. It's all fixed, now. Its' just that whilst we got the first "weak" cover done free I pissed away £60 on it's replacement prior to spending £180 to get it done properly.
Apparently it's common to fit the wrong sort and often people get away with it for years. Ours went because delivery drivers in vans go over the top of it...
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