Water problem

[ptonsparky]

Customer recently had a 40 yr old 800 amp main breaker self destruct. When we installed new today I noticed moisture dripping from one of the 500s. Only one. Your guess is as good as mine as to how long it has taken this water to fill a drip loop and travel the 30 some feet to the breaker. We used low air pressure over several hours to purge the water and some scotch kote to seal the offending connection.

Because of the time it has spent weeping thru the conductor strands is the water any more conductive than just rain water?

 

[kwired]

The connection needs to be lower than the weatherhead or the end of the conductor needs to be turned so the cut end faces downward or you will always have risk of this happening again.

If the water has taken on any minerals (copper is likely) it will probably be more conductive.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

If the ends of the 500s have to point up, you can use this type of connector.