Why corrode?

[wyreman]

Smart old man told me the other day that
"an electrician is a guy who likes puzzles"

 

[wyreman]

I don't know if you can see it, but it looks like that water was wicking in, leaking through the neutral and the black leg and then dripping down the bus

So it is really urgent that we replace the periscope socket and the wire leading down to the main and this way we can more likely ensure that it's waterproof and water can't wick down in there and ruin new panel.
I had a thing like this before and I cut the service wires and put Polaris connectors in there so that it couldn't wick up to the bus but rather if water even ran in, it would stop at the Polaris connectors which then changed directions and went vertical

 

[wyreman]

 

[kwired]

Now that you mention it, the distribution is at a lower elevation than the socket
The only corrosion was on the neutral but a little on the phase wires which are below, but closer to level with the socket

Light bulb
I now believe the wicking theory
With some kind of acid environment at the socket

Thanks guys!

Look at arrangement of conductors in meter socket.

Water running either inside or outside of line side neutral will drip directly onto the load side neutral and can follow either inside or outside of insulation of load side neutral.

Ungrounded conductors are not lined up in same fashion so water will not enter conductor insulation as easily on the load side of meter.

Is there a proper drip loop where this connects to the overhead conductors? Connections should be below the weatherhead for best results otherwise water can flow inside conductor insulation.

 

[wyreman]

I have a video somewhere from 5/6 years ago
where we had some 750 MCM wires with the
water just coursing through them
come out the other end like a garden hose.
It was ridiculous

And who says Water elec don't mix

 

[kwired]

I have a video somewhere from 5/6 years ago
where we had some 750 MCM wires with the
water just coursing through them
come out the other end like a garden hose.
It was ridiculous

And who says Water elec don't mix

They do mix, but watch out as there is usually no warning as to when it will bite you.

 

[wyreman]

They mix , but it's not listed for the purpose

 

[Little Bill]

View attachment 7681

When you figure out what caused the corrosion, you might want to try and figure out how to make your pics "right side up"
My neck hurts!

 

[wyreman]

the other thing is that the red conductor is really corroded at the main cb.
it also is corroded at the meter socket.
the black wire is ok at the socket and was easy to unscrew the lug at the main cb.

somehow the white is the worst, with the water apparently running right thru it.
the red wire is the next.
i don't know how the water jumps across the cut wire on other side of meter.
maybe through the meter~!

and the black is fairly well removed from the water.

 

[kwired]

the other thing is that the red conductor is really corroded at the main cb.
it also is corroded at the meter socket.
the black wire is ok at the socket and was easy to unscrew the lug at the main cb.

somehow the white is the worst, with the water apparently running right thru it.
the red wire is the next.
i don't know how the water jumps across the cut wire on other side of meter.
maybe through the meter~!

and the black is fairly well removed from the water.

The white is worst because what I said before. Incoming neutral and outgoing neutral at the meter socket line up vertically. (horizontally in your image, so gravity must be a horizontal force in your world) Any water following the incoming neutral drips right on to the outgoing neutral. The ungrounded conductors are angled and not vertical, this lowers the chance of transferring as high of a percentage of incoming water onto the outgoing conductors.

 

[wyreman]

Yes I am agreeing and corroborating, elaborating on your insight. Thx =)

 

[ggunn]

Noting that this meter socket is mounted on stucco, one thing come to mind, was the stucco pressure washed in the last year with a acid or alkaline based cleaner?.

Pressure washers are like mice, they will get into the tightest spots and can render even what should be water proof full of water, a rain tight meter cabinet doesn't stand a chance.

The world is a mysterious place. If you leave an ice chest with the lid closed sitting outside for a few months, when you open it it will have several inches of water in it. Why is that?

 

[hurk27]

The world is a mysterious place. If you leave an ice chest with the lid closed sitting outside for a few months, when you open it it will have several inches of water in it. Why is that?

E'rrrr Ice melted

 

[kwired]

The world is a mysterious place. If you leave an ice chest with the lid closed sitting outside for a few months, when you open it it will have several inches of water in it. Why is that?

Not always the case, especially down south. Up north, you may open it and find one solid block of ice.