REQUIREMENTS FOR INDOOR INSTALLATION OF PADMOUNTED TRANSFORMERS

Introduction

An applicant applying for permanent electric service who opts to have the padmounted
transformers installed inside his building shall be required to provide and construct a
transformer vault conforming to the standards of Meralco. In view of the difficulties likely
to be encountered by the building owner in providing the required location for the
transformer vault inside the building once construction has started, he or his authorized
representative should consult Meralco regarding this requirement during the initial design
stage of the building.



Transformer Vault

All padmounted transformers to be installed inside customer-owned buildings shall be contained
inside a PEC-approved transformer vault to be provided by the customer/building owner and to be
used exclusively for the Meralco equipment. The walls and roof shall be constructed using
reinforced concrete (buhos) not less than 150 mm thick. The floor shall have adequate strength for
the load imposed on it and shall be not less than 100 mm thick reinforced concrete when in direct
contact with earth or not less than 150 mm thick when located above another storey. Floor finish
shall be trowelled smooth and painted with one coat of polyurethane sealer and two coats of epoxy
dustproof coating.

There shall be a maximum of two (2) padmounted tranformer units in a vault. Generally, the
minimum required dimension for the vault shall be 5 m (width) X 4 m (depth) for one (1) three-phase
padmounted transformer or 8 m (width) X 4 m (depth) for two (2) three-phase padmounted
transformers units. This assumes that a 3-m clear space in front of the equipment for switching
operations can be attained when the transformer access door is open. For 2nd floor and 1st
basement installations where this is not possible, a 6-m minimum depth for the vault shall be
required. [Exception: For 2nd floor transformer vault where a hatchway is used, the depth required
is 8 m.]

There shall be no openings, e.g., doors, vents, etc., from the transformer vault to any part of the
building interior. All openings of the transformer vault shall only lead to the outside of the building.

The customer shall be required to provide a concrete pad for the padmounted transformer, 75-
mm height.

A 150-mm high door sill shall be provided by the customer as part of the transformer vault liquid
confinement area.

Adequate and permanent ventilation to the outside air in the form of louvered vents shall be
required to be provided by the customer as part of the transformer vault design. The vents shall
have a combined net area of opening (less the area occupied by the louvers) of not less than 20
sqcm. per kVA of the transformer bank capacity installed. For adequate natural air circulation, the
intake and exhaust vents shall be located on opposite sides of the padmounted transformer with
half of the total area of openings situated near the floor (intake vent) and the other half near the
ceiling (exhaust vent).

Where the location of the transformer vault will not allow adequate natural circulation of air, or
where the minimum required area of ventilation opening cannot be attained, the customer shall be
required to provide an exhaust fan per transformer bank installed. In addition, G.I. sheet exhaust
duct shall be installed on top of the transformer tank to the exhaust fan. To avoid unnecessary
operation, the fan shall be temperature-controlled with switching ON setting of 40-deg. C (104-deg.
F). A by-pass switch (test switch) shall be provided in the vault so that Meralco maintenance crew
can, from time to time, check the operation of the exhaust fan. Power consumption and
maintenance of the fan shall be assumed by the customer.

Typical transformer vault layout for one padmounted transformer installed at the ground floor is
shown below. For typical transformer vault layout for two padmounted transformers installed at the
ground floor, please contact your nearest Meralcos Sales Office. Typical transformer vault layouts
for one and two padmounted transformer(s) installed on the 2nd floor and 1st basement are also
available.











LEGEND:


EXHAUST FAN: FOR FORCED AIR VENTILATION; TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED; DIRECT
DRIVEN BY TOTALLY ENCLOSED MOTOR WITH GRAVITY TYPE DAMPERS. THE FAN SHALL
BE RATED HP, 71 CU.M/MIN (2500 CFM) @ 3.2MM (1/8 IN) STATIC PRESSURE.


EXHAUST DUCT: MADE OF G.I. SHEET, GAGE 20.


DOORWAY: FOR PERSONNEL ACCESS FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING, 0.8M WIDE
X 2.0M HIGH X 3.2 MM THICK STEEL DOOR, OUTWARD SWING WITH 150MM HIGH DOOR
SILL. THE DOOR SHALL BE FITTED WITH A LATCH DEVICE FOR MERALCO PADLOCK. IT
SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH A PANIC BAR DESIGNED TO OPEN THE DOOR OUTWARD
UNDER SIMPLE PRESSURE DURING EMERGENCY.

TRANSFORMER ACCESS DOOR: 3.0M WIDE X 2.5M HIGH X 3.2 MM THICK, STEEL DOORS;
DOUBLE OUTWARD SWING WITH 150MM HIGH DOOR SILL FOR EQUIPMENT IN AND OUT
ACCESS. THE DOORS SHALL BE LOUVERED AT THE LOWER HALF AND SHALL BE FITTED
WITH A LATCH DEVICE FOR MERALCO PADLOCK.


DANGER SIGN: TO BE PAINTED AND/OR POSTED AT THE STEEL DOOR.



TRANSFORMER: PADMOUNTED, COMPARTMENTAL TYPE, DEAD FRONT, 3-PH., 60 HZ.
LESS-FLAMMABLE LIQUID-FILLED; EQUIPPED WITH PRESSURE-RELIEF DEVICE,
EXPULSION FUSES AND CURRENT LIMITING FUSES; BUILT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANSI
C57.12.26, LATEST REVISION.

GROUND ROD: GALVANIZED STEEL ROD, SIZE 25MM X 3 M LONG, OR EQUIVALENT.


GROUND LEAD: SIZE 100MM (AWG #4/0) BARE, STRANDED, SOFT-DRAWN COPPER, FROM
GROUND ROD TO GROUNDING SYSTEM INSIDE THE TRANSFORMER VAULT.



GROUND WIRE: SIZE 100MM (AWG #4/0) BARE, STRANDED, SOFT-ANNEALED COPPER,
CONNECTING THE TRANSFORMER NEUTRAL TO THE GROUND LEAD INSIDE THE
TRANSFORMER VAULT.

FLOOR DRAIN: FOR DRAINAGE OF ANY ACCUMULATION OF WATER IN THE
TRANSFORMER VAULT; 200 SQUARE X 100 MM DEEP TRAPPED DRAIN WITH STRAINER
AND 50MM DRAIN
PIPE CONNECTED TO A POSITIVE DRAINAGE SYSTEM OR SUMP FACILITIES. THE FLOOR
DRAIN SHALL BE LOCATED WHERE IT SHALL BE VISIBLE AND SAFELY ACCESSIBLE FROM
THE DOORWAY. THE DOOR SHALL BE PITCHED TOWARD THE DRAIN.

BOLT-EYE: GALVANIZED STEEL, ATLEAST 10,000KG STRENGTH; ANCHORED ON THE WALL
1000MM HIGH.

CONCRETE PAD: 75MM HIGH.



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Location of Transformer Vault

The required location for the transformer vault shall be at the ground floor of the building where it
can easily be accessed from the outside. This is to ensure ease of installation and future
replacement/retirement of the padmounted transformer.

In cases where the source of power is coming from networks or underground facilities, 1st
basement or 2
nd
floor installation may be allowed provided that direct access from the outside of the
building for equipment and Meralco personnel can be provided at all times. [Note: Basement
location for the transformer vault, i.e., where the building has only one basement, will not be
allowed in order to safeguard Meralcos facilities against possible flooding.]

For flood-prone areas, padmounted transformer shall only be allowed to be installed on
the 2
nd
floor.

A transformer access doorway shall be provided to be used when conveying the padmounted
transformer into the vault. For vaults located on the 2nd floor or 1st basement, a hatchway maybe
employed. Transformer access doorways and hatchways shall be readily accessible from the
outside of the building at all times.

A separate personnel access doorway shall be provided for use exclusively by Meralco
crew/contractors conducting regular inspection, vault cleaning, operational switching and
maintenance of the padmounted transformer. For vaults located on the 2nd floor and 1st
basement, an independent staircase leading to the personnel access doorway shall be provided.
The personnel access doorway shall be readily accessible from the outside of the building either
directly or by way of the staircase. It shall be provided with a panic bar or a pressure plate or other
means that is normally latched but will open the door outward under simple pressure during
emergencies.

A clear and permanent vehicle access road leading to the transformer vault entrance shall be
provided by the customer and available at all times for use of Meralco vehicles. The basic
requirement is that during installation or replacement/retirement of the padmounted transformer,
the Meralco truck and crane can maneuver and position effectively to load/unload the equipment
right outside the transformer vault entrance. A minimum of 6.5-meter road width shall be required.
The access road shall meet a minimum 20-ton construction.





Hoisting Facility

Where the transformer vault is located on the 2nd floor or 1st basement, customers/building owners
shall be required to provide and maintain a hoisting facility consisting of an I-beam and chain block
with roller with a combined capability of not less than 10 tons.

Where the transformer vault is located on the 2nd floor and provided with a transformer
access doorway, the hoisting facility shall be installed inside the vault. The I-beam shall
extend 1.5 meters outside the doorway.

Where the transformer vault is located on the 2nd floor or 1st basement and provided
with a hatchway, the hoisting facility shall be installed directly above the hatchway.

A clear headroom of 4.0 meters from the bottom of the I-beam shall be required when
hoisting facility is provided. This is in order to maintain the desired sling angle of lift of 30
degrees from the vertical when lifting the padmounted transformer at its standard four
lifting hooks on top of the tank. A lower headroom will result in a sling angle more than
the required which would compress the upper portion of the tank with a force that could
compromise the tanks structural integrity.

The customer shall submit to Meralco a certification, signed and sealed by a registered
structural engineer attesting to the designed lifting capability of the hoisting facility
provided.

Where the transformer vault is located at the ground floor, customers/building owners
shall not be required to provide a hoisting facility inside the vault. Therefore, a 3.0-meter
minimum headroom is already adequate for this type of installation. The padmounted
transformer shall be rolled to cover the short distance from the vault entrance to the
concrete pad using approved type of rollers (i.e., pagong). Use of any other means for
rolling such as steel rods or pipes placed underneath the padmounted transformer is
not acceptable.



Secondary Main Circuit Breaker

The customer shall be required to install a secondary main circuit breaker at the service connection
point. This means that direct connection of secondary cables from the transformer to multiple circuit
breakers or panel boards of the customer shall not be allowed.

In order to limit the length of unprotected secondary cables, the customer shall be required to install
his secondary main circuit breaker immediately outside the transformer vault, i.e., in the adjoining
room, mounted on the opposite side of the common wall with the transformer vault.



Primary and Service Cables

Primary cables shall be installed in concrete-encased ducts, 110 mm in diameter, thick-walled, red
orange color, made of unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) in accordance with PNS 14. The
thickness of the concrete envelope from the surface of the duct shall be 75 mm. The primary cables
shall be supplied, installed and terminated at the primary terminals of the padmounted
transformer by Meralco.

The service cables shall likewise be installed in concrete-encased ducts, 110 mm in diameter, thick-
walled, red orange color, made of unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) in accordance with PNS
14.

Meralco shall supply and install the service cables from the secondary compartment of the
padmounted transformer up to the customers main circuit breaker. The customers electrical
contractor shall be the first to terminate the service cables to their circuit breaker using their own
terminal lugs. Meralco shall then terminate the service cables to the secondary terminals of the
padmounted transformer.