Duct Banks for Trench Profiler

Duct banks are an integral part of many underground electrical construction projects, allowing electrical cables to be safely laid within insulating PVC pipes. As the demand for electricity is ever increasing, be it for home use or business, so too is the demand for the ability to produce duct bank systems easily and efficiently. 

SharpeSoft Estimator’s Trench Profiler is already a tried and true feature utilized by hundreds of estimators in the United States, and across the globe. With the addition of duct banks, SharpeSoft seeks to offer even more support to the side of the industry engaging in underground electrical work.

This blog is intended as a supplement to the original Trench Profiler blog. For more information, please read that blog here.

Creating the Duct Bank

After a trench has been initially created, users can opt to insert a duct bank in place of a normal pipe. To do so, simply click on the Bank Pipe button under the Pipe section of the Trench Profiler window. The Edit Pipe window will open.

After entering a description for the pipe, specify the pipe’s location, by entering its distance from the subgrade (to flow line) and its distance from the center, and the pipe’s dimensions, by entering its inside diameter (or height and width for elliptical pipe) and wall thickness.

Note that the UM you specify for the inside diameter is also used for the wall thickness.

Select a color for the pipe and then enter or select the pipe material itself.

Finally, check the box that says Bank Pipes. Select how many pipes total are going to be part of the group, how many pipes wide, and the distance between each pipe in your chosen unit of measure.

In the example, we opted to create a duct bank 0.25 Linear Feet from the subgrade, with a diameter of 0.25 Linear Feet. Nine pipes were chosen as the total, at three pipes wide, creating a box of 3x3. 

Note: Attempting to delete any part of the duct bank will give a warning that the entire duct bank will be deleted. To start over on a duct bank, delete the one in place and create a new one.

Conclusion

Getting started with SharpeSoft is a breeze. Whether you are looking to create a new job or add one, SharpeSoft has got your back. We have the tools and expertise necessary to help you make it happen without breaking a sweat.

You can continue on to other helpful Fast Trax articles below. To learn more about this particular subject, consult your system Help manual, or just give us a call and we’ll be glad to walk you through it.