3M Passive Ball Marker Installation Instructions

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3M™ Electronic Marking System (EMS)
Extended Range (XR) Ball Marker
Installation Instructions
1.0  Introduction
1.1  3M™ Extended Range (XR) 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 XR 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  markers enable 
you to return to the exact location of the marked 
underground feature. Unlike surface markers such 
as stakes, flags or paint, the XR Ball Marker cannot 
be inadvertently moved or worn away by weather.
2.0  Installing the XR Ball Marker
2.1  Before placing the XR Ball 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 
marker by inserting a cable tie through one, or 
both, tie down tabs on the Marker and the key point 
(for example, pipe, cable or splice).
2.2  If the key point is metallic, it is recommended that 
the marker be separated from it by a minimum 
distance of 4 inches (10 cm) of clean fill dirt.
2.3  If the key point in non-metallic, place the marker 
over the desired location.
IMPORTANT: The XR Ball Marker cannot reliably 
re-radiate the locator's signal at a depth greater than 
5 feet (1.5 m). This is the maximum allowable distance 
between Ball Marker and the locator tip.
March 2010
78-8128-0476-9-A
5 ft. (1.5 m)  maximum
separation cover with 6 in. 
(15 cm) of firm 
soil before backfill
tie-downtabs
Inset
minimum 4 in.
(10 cm) separation
from metallic surface
cable
tie
See inset 
						

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© 3M 2010. All Rights Reserved.
78-8128-0476-9-A
2.4 
Hand fill at least 6 inches (15 cm) of soil over the 
marker to prevent movement, or damage, during 
backfill.
2.5  Backfill the hole.
3.0 Specifications
Specifications
Read Depth (max)
 Locator, US-Version
  Locator, E-Version 5 ft ( 1.5 m)
5 ft ( 1.5 m)
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.