Sand and Salt

[ElectricianJeff]

I'm on "vacation" staying at a friend's house on the Gulf of Mexico. They asked me if I could bring some tools and take a look at some electrical issues while I'm here.

This is the typical beach house on silts with shallow access to several parts of the home. It's about 30 years old and has seen its fair share of hurricanes.

What they have is a bunch 12/2 UF strung everywhere with what used to be metal juntion boxes which are now just rust dust. As the boxes have failed and shorted out the wires they have just taped the ends together and left them hanging.

In looking at the surrounding homes I'm seeing lots of PVC piping and carflex in use. I don't have the time or tools to do this the way I would like but I would like to at least correct some of the obvious safety issues before I leave in a few days.

My plan is to use some PVC boxes with some 1/2" PVC wings to at least span a few floor joists where I can plus lots of silicone. Any better ideas? Is there anything that I should be appling to my connections besides wirenuts?

Also, I'm curious what you guys do working in this fine sand? Do you tape the openings on your tools? That sand hurts and can't be doing my newer Dewalt any good.

It amazes me what this enviorment does to exposed metal.

As an aside, I watched the cable guys bore under the road and run cable underground about 300' yesterday to a neighbors house. Took them about 5 minutes to get under the road. The whole job took less than 45 minutes less smoke breaks. This would of been a full days job in the clay I'm used to.

I would welcome any suggestions, thanks.

 

[shepelec]

Sounds like you have a good start, that enviroment is tough on anything.

I'm thinking some DB wirenuts might be a good investment but I wonder what the effect is on the bare ground in the UF.

I would not tape the openings on your DeWalt as they are for air flow, a good blow gun might work well to clean out your tools.

I love working vacations, a little work, couple of beers, screw the work have a few more beers.:grin:

 

[ElectricianJeff]

I love working vacations, a little work, couple of beers, screw the work have a few more beers.:grin:

Me too.............This is my 4th day here and I'm just getting around to this. Had to work on the golf game first.

In my defense I have replaced 3 light fixtures, 2 totally toasted receptacles and a bad light switch. Tried to get the disposal to work but I think somebody welded it.

 

[RICK NAPIER]

When I was in buisiness it was at the shore. DB wire nuts are best or fill wire nuts with antioxidant and tape in a pinch. Aim wire nuts up so they don't hold moisture. For your tools blow them out then let them dry if it is damp out and blow them out again. I use to do a lot of work on docks and bulkheads where pvc didn't always work well because of how much movement could accure.

 

[ElectricianJeff]

When I was in buisiness it was at the shore. DB wire nuts are best or fill wire nuts with antioxidant and tape in a pinch. Aim wire nuts up so they don't hold moisture. For your tools blow them out then let them dry if it is damp out and blow them out again. I use to do a lot of work on docks and bulkheads where pvc didn't always work well because of how much movement could accure.

Thanks for the good advice, Rick. Its real nice here today, this may very well be a tomorrow project

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

Sounds like you have a good start, that enviroment is tough on anything.

I'm thinking some DB wirenuts might be a good investment but I wonder what the effect is on the bare ground in the UF.

I would not tape the openings on your DeWalt as they are for air flow, a good blow gun might work well to clean out your tools.

I love working vacations, a little work, couple of beers, screw the work have a few more beers.:grin:

!!! I like your attitude !!!

 

[notoriousdln]

working and living at the beach is quite a bit differant when i was working in buffalo. i have found pvc to be the best, cost effective way and always use direct burial wire nuts. the salt air eats away metal so we have to use stainless screws and related hardware as well. as far as your tools go, try to keep them as clean as possible while working and use a small air hose to blow out as much as you can when your done. i hope he gave you a great rate on your vaca

 

[mxslick]

For your drill, protect it with a doubled-up layer of panty hose secured over the vents. :grin:

Blowing the sand out afterwards doesn't do any good, by the time you get to doing that the damage has been done.

 

[jaylectricity]

They didn't put you on some terrorist watch list when you went through the airport with all those tools? :grin:

 

[Ebow]

Jeff
Only been on the coast a couple of days and you are already thinking in coastal time. Everything is manana (pronounced mon-yah-na). Everything seems like it will be tomorrow. Parts will be here tomorrow, inspection is tomorrow, POCO with hook it up tomorrow, HO will pay you tomorrow.
Have fun on your vacation you will be back at work before you know it.

Gene
________________________________________

Remember - Speed Kills and its not always you.

 

[ElectricianJeff]

Have fun on your vacation you will be back at work before you know it.

Thanks everyone for the help. Jobs done, vacations over. Hitting the road for my real job 12 hours North of here.

Still need to negoiate the price of the beach house rental but have a feeling its going to start with and end with a "0".

This time next month I will probably have all the sand out of my tools.

Dang, trambing around in the sand wears my rear end out.