3M iD Ball Marker Installation Manual

3M™ Electronic Marking System (EMS)
iD Ball Marker

Installation Instructions

1.0 Introduction

1.1 3M™ iD Ball Markers provide an accurate,
convenient, long lasting method of marking
underground facilities during construction or
maintenance. They also make the job of precisely
locating underground facilities easier. Other
buried markers can be disturbed by backfill
dirt or installed improperly so they don't stay
positioned correctly. The 3M iD Ball Markers
unique self-leveling design ensures the marker is
in an accurate, horizontal position regardless of
how it is placed into the ground. 3M iD Markers
enable you to return to the exact location of the
marked underground feature and ensure positive
identification by reading the stored data and unique
serial number in each iD Marker. Unlike surface
markers such as stakes, flags or paint, the iD Ball
marker cannot be inadvertently moved or worn
away by weather.

2.0 Removable Identification Number Tag

2.1 Prior to burying the iD Marker, remove the
identification number tag and attach it to
“as-builts”, or facility documentation, as required
by company procedure.

3.0 Writing Information to iD Markers

3.1 Second generation iD Markers launched in the first
quarter of 2012. Please make sure your Dynatel iD
enabled locator has the latest software. The latest
PC-Tools can be downloaded at www.3m.com/
dynatel.

3.4 For iD Marker writing instructions, please refer
to the following Operator’s Manuals: 3M

Dynatel
Cable/Pipe/Fault Locator 2250M/2273M Series
or 3M
2550/2573 Series.

™

EMS-iD Locator 1420, 3M™ Dynatel™

™

Dynatel™ Cable/Pipe/Fault Locator

™

4.0 Installing the iD Marker

4.1 Before placing the iD Marker over the key point
of the facility, decide if a tie down procedure is
necessary to keep it in place. If so, secure the iD
Marker by inserting a cable tie through one, or
both, tie down tabs on the iD Marker and the key
point (for example, pipe, cable or splice).

4.2 If the key point is metallic, it is recommended that
the iD Marker be separated from it by a minimum
distance of 4 inches (10 cm) of clean fill dirt.

4.3 If the key point in non-metallic, place the iD
Marker over the desired location.

IMPORTANT: The iD Ball Marker cannot reliably
re-radiate the locator's signal at a depth greater than 5
feet (1.5 m). If using an E-model locator in countries
following CE limitations, or equivalent, the maximum
depth is 4 feet (1.2 m). This is the maximum allowable
distance between iD Ball Marker and the locator tip.

4.4 Hand fill at least 6 inches (15 cm) of soil over
the iD Marker to prevent movement, or damage,
during backfill.

4.5 Backfill the hole.

3.2 If the iD marker is intended to contain specific
facility information, write the information to
the iD marker prior to burying using one of the

™

Dynatel™ iD enabled locators (see list below).

3M

™

3.3 Hold the 3M
receiver over the top of the iD marker. The
maximum distance between the marker and the
locator tip during writing is 12 in. (30 cm).

Dynatel™ M-Series iD Locator

January 2012
78-8130-6423-1-E

3

5.0 Specifications

Specifications

Read Depth (max)
Locator, US-Version
Locator, E-Version

Program Distance (max) 12 in (30 cm)

Vertical Separation from Facility (min) 4 in* (10.4 cm)

Horizontal Separation from Facilty (min) 4 in* (10.4 cm)

Distance Between iD Markers (min) 3.5 ft (1.06 m)

Marker Diameter, Sphere 4 in (10.4 cm)

* Target size and material dependent. Depth estimation may be adversely

affected when placing the marker above a large metallic object, such
as a manhole cover. To improve depth estimation accuracy, increase the
vertical separation from the metal object or perform a field test for depth
accuracy.

5 ft ( 1.5 m)

1.2 m (48 in)
(Telephone, Gas,
Waste Water,
Communication)

1.0 m (40 in)
(Power, Water)

5 ft. (1.5 m)

maximum

separation

*4 ft. (1.2 m)

with E-Model Locator

maximum

*Max depth for Power and Water iD Markers with an E-Model is 1 meter (40 in).

See inset

3M and Dynatel are trademarks of 3M Company.

3

Infrastructure Protection Division

6801 River Place Blvd.
Austin, TX 78726-9000
1-800-426-8688
www.3M.com/dynatel

Please Recycle. Printed in USA.
© 3M 2012. All Rights Reserved.
78-8130-6423-1-E

cover with 6 in.
(15 cm) of firm
soil before backfill

minimum 4 in.

(10 cm) separation

from metallic surface

Inset

cable
tie

tie-down

tabs

ID number

tag