Floor Boxes Filled with Water

[davidhuck1]

I have roughy 40 floor boxes filling up with water after heavy rains. The contractor want to fill the boxes up with an epoxy sealant to stop the water from coming into the box. What type of sealants would you use?

 

[renosteinke]

You don't.

Filling the boxes with some mystery goop is a code violation, and will not correct a flawed installation, or inappropriate use of the product.

 

[davidhuck1]

What can be put in the box to seal it off and not violate NEC? That's what I am asking.

 

[infinity]

What about potting compound used for pool lights?

 

[Twoskinsoneman]

You don't.

Filling the boxes with some mystery goop is a code violation, and will not correct a flawed installation, or inappropriate use of the product.

which code would that be?

 

[Cow]

Sounds like a bandaid solution. Seems like a better permanent fix would be to install some weeping tile to pull the water runoff away from the buildings foundation.

 

[sandking]

Where is the water coming from? You need to fix this issue at the source, not floor box.

 

[cadpoint]

Where is the water coming from? You need to fix this issue at the source, not floor box.

I totally agree!

How high above sea level are you, if only 20' you might as well be at sea level... ? ! (sorry I didn't look at exact address)

Is the building foot print down hill from a mountain or at the bottom of a cliff ?

Between MS and "ALABAMA", they get the most rain in the SE per year as I recall.

There's more going on here than you know the slab or under slab filling with water is
either a missed un-addressed issue, or a oh we can work the slab, damn the torpedo's...

Poor run off, stopped up drains, a stopped up roof drain in a key part of the building.
Was there Contruction or alteration in the immediate area. Construction disturbed a natural spring. It just get's endless.

If they want to just say it's water in the floor boxes, fine, Good Luck.

You going to clear the lines? Are your going to QA and start a record on the Service and Circuits?

I'd suggest having the water tested if you can't qualify or discount anything otherwise presented.

As A condition of you sealing anything, You need to know what your sealing from and have
a clause out otherwise.

Have the water tested... Call ahead and ask questions of what you need for a sample
ask how many samples and get details.


20 year, 50 year, 100 year -Floods, I've heard all the expressions lately, we've all felt most of something on the East Coast....

& yes they could be sitting on slate a flat of natural mass and there's other problems to address to cure the ill.

 

[davidhuck1]

Man those are some great comments and questions. The buildings are on the MS Gulf Coast and what I was told is that there was not a moisture barrier put down before the slab was poured.

Outside of that I do not have any answers. I wish I would have joined this forum much earlier in my electrical career.

 

[Twoskinsoneman]

Man those are some great comments and questions. The buildings are on the MS Gulf Coast and what I was told is that there was not a moisture barrier put down before the slab was poured.

Outside of that I do not have any answers. I wish I would have joined this forum much earlier in my electrical career.

Yeah you got that right. I was lucky that my instructor at school knew of Mike's books. Even though he doesn't participate in the forum it lead me here.

 

[renosteinke]

Which code would that be? We need go no further than Article 110.

a) Products must be suitable. Floor boxes are not designed for 'wet' locations- only to exclude minor amounts of mop water;

b) The need to follow manufacturers' instructions. If they wanted the boxes filled with goop, they would have provided it with the box; and,

c) The requirement to use listed materials, as intended, for our wiring methods.

Trying to seal the boxes is like catching the sunrise; it can't be done. At best (or is it worst?) all you will accomplish is to trap water inside the box and start a fungus farm. Water can enter through the box, by way of the conduit, and even through the slots in the face of the receptacle. Even a minor amount of trapped water will corrode the device apart in no time at all. Gulf coast? Lovely ... add salt water to the mix.

If you're going to try anything, try putting a drain hole through the box and slab. At least the water then has some place to go.

As an aside ... "forgot" the moisture barrier? I might call this guy several things, but 'professional contractor' isn't on the list. Makes me wonder what else he 'forgot.'

 

[Fulthrotl]

Man those are some great comments and questions. The buildings are on the MS Gulf Coast and what I was told is that there was not a moisture barrier put down before the slab was poured.

Outside of that I do not have any answers. I wish I would have joined this forum much earlier in my electrical career.

without a moisture barrier, you are screwed, to be honest.
you can't keep the water out. sealing the conduits won't really help,
the water will get in there one way or another.

now, that being said, there is an epoxy product that they blow
into copper domestic water pipes to seal them up when they get
porous and full of pinholes.

i'm not suggesting using it. you'd have to pull the wire out,
and make sure the bonding pigtails were put on well, cause
you won't be able to bond the box afterwards, as the whole
thing will be epoxy coated.

and if you have couplings pulling apart cause they weren't glued
properly, this solution may have negligible benefit. you only need
one coupling leaking to make a mess of things... ask a plumber.

and i'm not suggesting anything, so don't flame me guys... i'm
just noting a product exists.....

and it's not cheap. neither is sawcutting the slab and doing it over.

 

[Fulthrotl]

and if you have couplings pulling apart cause they weren't glued
properly, this solution may have negligible benefit. you only need
one coupling leaking to make a mess of things... ask a plumber.

on another note, underground substructures and vaults are
*very large* floor boxes, with larger conduits, but the same
principal applies... ONE poorly installed vault or ONE poorly
glued coupling pulled half apart, in the wrong place, will fill
everything over time.

most sparky's don't use purple primer on pvc. i didn't until
i worked at LADWP. they prime all their pvc, and it's not a
bad idea. i do now. the glued joints are stronger, and don't
leak.

i'm guessing that what is going on is that you have couplings
that are leaky, and while you could pull wire thru them, water
is getting in, and migrating thru the floor box system.

good luck with the solution.....

 

[GUNNING]

slab leak

slab leak

Anyway to fix the environment? Put a sump in to lower the trapped water? Maybe fix the slab leak first? Are you dealing with clay or sand substructure?

As I recall you can use gray duct conduit sealant to keep moisture from conduits, It looks like plumbers putty. I'm pretty sure it wont keep out water under pressure and its not to seal up weep holes in box's but to keep out ground moisture via conduit out of equipment .

Fix the environment . This might be one of those things where you get to rerun using the right wiring method or techniques. A vapor barrier wont stop water table pressure if the slab is poorly designed, placed, or catching rain water. The missing vapor barrier speaks to the contractors expertise. It also separates the occupants from the termite treatment.

Check the water meter for a slab leak.

 

[Strife]

Buy a bunch of candles, melt them and pour it a bit above the conduit line, and a little under the device line. Not sure how kosher this is, but is effective. It'll seal pretty good (unless there's high pressure) and it'll be easy to remove if needed.

I have roughy 40 floor boxes filling up with water after heavy rains. The contractor want to fill the boxes up with an epoxy sealant to stop the water from coming into the box. What type of sealants would you use?