480 volt circuit connections under water

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starsandstripes

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SE Michigan
While troubleshooting parking lot lights at a high school here in SE Michigan, I opened a Quazite box and found 480 volt circuits wire nutted and under water. The box was full to the top. I think I might need to redo the box and get more gravel under it so it will drain. But the bedrock and water table are high here and I am not sure if it will work. What connection method would you use if you know it will end up under water? I looked at Polaris Blues but could find the right size. I am connecting one #8 to two #10's for each leg of the 480 volt circuit.
Should I put a box on top of the Quazite box so I know it will stay dry? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
 
starsandstripes said:
While troubleshooting parking lot lights at a high school here in SE Michigan, I opened a Quazite box and found 480 volt circuits wire nutted and under water. The box was full to the top. I think I might need to redo the box and get more gravel under it so it will drain. But the bedrock and water table are high here and I am not sure if it will work. What connection method would you use if you know it will end up under water? I looked at Polaris Blues but could find the right size. I am connecting one #8 to two #10's for each leg of the 480 volt circuit.
Should I put a box on top of the Quazite box so I know it will stay dry? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
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I'd use an IP66 box. NEMA 4X I think.
 
the wire should be rated for wet areas anyway.

just get some splice kits that are also wet rated and get rid of the wire nuts.

the water is not a big deal IMO. no matter what you do there will be water underground.
 
starsandstripes said:
While troubleshooting parking lot lights at a high school here in SE Michigan, I opened a Quazite box and found 480 volt circuits wire nutted and under water. The box was full to the top. I think I might need to redo the box and get more gravel under it so it will drain. But the bedrock and water table are high here and I am not sure if it will work. What connection method would you use if you know it will end up under water? I looked at Polaris Blues but could find the right size. I am connecting one #8 to two #10's for each leg of the 480 volt circuit.
Should I put a box on top of the Quazite box so I know it will stay dry? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

When we had hand holes like this where standing water was an issue we used this: https://www.graybar.com/store/en/gb/scotchcast-connector-sealing-pack-25402186#{Length%20(Inches):0.0}
A little labor intensive and expensive but it solves the problem.
 
Besoeker said:
But shouldn't you keep it out of electrical enclosures?
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It's a handhole, not a manhole (which fill to the top with water), normally just some #2 stone If I recall is placed to aid water drainage of grade water run off. Sounds like he has clay soil and water isn't capable of draining; or until summer.
Being a parking lot compaction would be very high around the electrical per plans, not helping drainage any.
 
petersonra said:
the wire should be rated for wet areas anyway.

just get some splice kits that are also wet rated and get rid of the wire nuts.

the water is not a big deal IMO. no matter what you do there will be water underground.
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:thumbsup:

We would use crimp style connectors and heat shrink but there are other ways. As mentioned the poured epoxy.
I would not use the ones that just slip over the wires. Junk, IMO
 
Besoeker said:
How big is your Quazite box and what is it's ingress protection rating?
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They are typically open bottom so it don't have an ingress rating. It is assumed that it will fill with water and you have to use appropriate wiring methods for the application.
 
I would look at Raychem GelCaps over a crimp ring and bolted connection. The GelCap is filled with a re-enterable silicone gel that keeps the water out.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
They are typically open bottom so it don't have an ingress rating. It is assumed that it will fill with water and you have to use appropriate wiring methods for the application.
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Thank you for the explanation. IP11 possibly but that's besides the point here if it is expected to get filled with water and it has to have an internal waterproof components and connections. I can see that.

But, is there any reason why those Quazite boxes couldn't be replaced with IP66/67 boxes?
 
starsandstripes said:
It is a 12"x12" box with no bottom. I will check into your suggestions. Thanks!
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OK.
My only experience with boxes that could be submerged was for down hole submersible pumps which required a connection box close to the motor.
We used IP66, NEMA 4X equivalent.
 
Any method of making a waterproof connection would be fine... You could use a split bolt and epoxy even. I would tie a string around each connection and attach it to a float, like what you would use for fishing, that way if you need to retrieve the conductors in a possibly energized box, you would not have to pump the water out first or put your hand in there. If the wires are not long enough, I would add wire to do that to make that possible

you might be able to find a 480 volt single phase small sump pump to get rid of any water that *will* get in.
 
Besoeker said:
...
But, is there any reason why those Quazite boxes couldn't be replaced with IP66/67 boxes?
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There may be, depending on where they are installed. Often the Quazite boxes are "traffic rated", that is suitable for vehicles to drive over. There are various ratings from ones that are only suitable for things like riding mowers, up to ones that are rated for large trucks.

There would be a lot more labor to install a box where you had to connect the conduits and or cables to the box. Often with a quazite box, you run the conduit and turn up short 90s and set the box over them.
 
3 M scotch cast epoxy kits would work well, I have done probably a 100 of these.
For submersible pumps, 33 and scotchcoat will work well, many of my splices are down 150ft for 30 years and are still ok
both are done over compression but splices

Now I have done some submersibles splices with heavy wall heat shrink with sealer, its seems too easy. In this case the wire jacket will need to be clean.

Raychem or 3M is a good source for these products.

Don't worry about the water, just do a water proof splice.
 
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