remove sealing compound

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whisert

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Doe's anyone have a trick or idea on how to remove sealing compund that has leaked past a seal off. Apparently packing was not adequate when the seal off was poured about 12 years ago. Now we need to pull additional conductors to upgrade to a new card reader in an existing gas station.
 
I'd probably pull the old conductors and try to clean it out with a snake or maybe even cut it apart and put it back together with new pieces.
 
whisert said:
Doe's anyone have a trick or idea on how to remove sealing compund that has leaked past a seal off. Apparently packing was not adequate when the seal off was poured about 12 years ago. Now we need to pull additional conductors to upgrade to a new card reader in an existing gas station.
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POWER OFF !!!! LOTO!!!

If you can't chisel out the chico through the raceway, and, need to save the wires, well......

You can take a saw'zall or band'saw and kerf a notch all the way through the seal off side wall, stopping when you first get into the chico. One cut on each side of the seal, and one across the face....then take two large ball peen's and smack each the side using one ball peen for a back up on the opposite side. With a little persistance you can bust out that seal and save the wires....

Then re-plumb, ALWAYS leaving the next electrician a UNF to easily remove the seal-off in the future.
 
Good luck trying to clean out sealing compound that leaked by. If its alot the old wiring probably won't move either.
 
You actually found one that was sealed? I havn't found one yet that has been sealed unless I was the one who installed it. Don't know why these gas jockeys refuse to seal them, probally so they will not have the problem that your having.
 
hillbilly1 said:
You actually found one that was sealed? I havn't found one yet that has been sealed unless I was the one who installed it. Don't know why these gas jockeys refuse to seal them, probally so they will not have the problem that your having.
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I sometimes find them sealed with things other than Chico. A sandwich baggie, duct seal, spray foam, silicone caulk.
 
There is a retro fit seal called an EYSR bringing a pic if I can find it...


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It will allow you to cut out, and fit to close tolerance. May want to call Crouse Hinds to insure that it will cover the area rating your in...(C1D1 OR C1D2)

You can even get them over on Ebay!
 
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Rockyd said:
There is a retro fit seal called an EYSR bringing a pic if I can find it...

You can even get them over on Ebay!
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That looks like a real problem-solver. Neat. Never seen the likes of one. It's good to know about this odd stuff in case you get jammed up one day.
 
Lot of oil patch time in Alaska. Pretty amazing the things you can see when money is the least of the problems. Hope this helps get the job, and still be the best contractor in the neighborhood!
 
The retro-fit seal is only good for Division 2 applications and one of the conduits has to be threaded and the other not threaded.
 
Removing the old seal off was not the problem. The runs to the pumps exit a gutter in a very small electric room in a convienance store/gas station. This room is located near the center of the building. The sealing media leaked past the seal off in to the radius of the bend below the floor. I understand the mechanics of replaceing the conduit and related seals. The problem is trying to avoid removal of the concrete floor to access the open (unsealed)portion of the conduit(s) to replace them while trying to keep downtime of the fuel pumping abilitys to a minimum. This facility is located in a remote section of the Olympic Penensula. The next availble fuel is about 50 miles. The question was (still is) HOW TO REMOVE SEALING COMPOUND FROM IN SIDE A CONDUIT WITHOUT DESTROYING THE PIPE?
 
I think about all you can do is break the seal. its cast so it should not be too hard to break without hurting the pipe.

One of the flexible drill bits/augers can then be sent down the pipe to remove whatever is inside them so you can run new wires.
 
whisert said:
Removing the old seal off was not the problem. The runs to the pumps exit a gutter in a very small electric room in a convienance store/gas station. This room is located near the center of the building. The sealing media leaked past the seal off in to the radius of the bend below the floor. I understand the mechanics of replaceing the conduit and related seals. The problem is trying to avoid removal of the concrete floor to access the open (unsealed)portion of the conduit(s) to replace them while trying to keep downtime of the fuel pumping abilitys to a minimum. This facility is located in a remote section of the Olympic Penensula. The next availble fuel is about 50 miles. The question was (still is) HOW TO REMOVE SEALING COMPOUND FROM IN SIDE A CONDUIT WITHOUT DESTROYING THE PIPE?
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Sometimes inconvenience (downtime and / or concrete removal) is part of the job. You may have to get everything lined up for a late night shutdown. The owner could put up flyer's saying on such and such date at x:00 PM the gas pumps will be out of order for up to 12 hrs (or more) for renovation.

Roger
 
what about some kind of deburring tool such as an engine cylinder sander? I guess if the sealing compound isn't way down the pipe you could get some kind of extension on the thing and "go to town."
 
I've been told that "Chico" sealing compound is nothing more than portland cement. Depending on what the portland/water ratio the original installer used as to how well it will come out. I have seen some that crumbled very easily and some that was "granite" hard. You can also take a 4" side grinder and grind along the front and back about 1/2 way through the seal and then just hold one 2 lb. hammer in back and hit it with another 2 lb. hammer in front. You can also try this, I've never tried this on sealing compound before but we used to do this on mortar that the masons dropped in the conduit by "mistake". Dilute muriatic acid with water and pour down the pipe, but you'll need a way to get it back out. (We would let it sit a little bet and then flood the pipe with lots of water.) As always remember to wear proper PPE when working with the side grinder and/or muriatic acid, please. I can't remember if the conduit that we used the muriatic acid on was GRC or not, it might have been Sch. 40 PVC.
 
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