Opps! Water got in my electric lines????

[Steve]

Last fall I ran the grey plastic conduit underground under the porch I'm building next to my AG pool. I finished the deck and had to dig up the end of the conduit to adjust the final position of it in relation to the finished deck. Well, I got sidetracked on another project and rain water got into the pipe. (I thought I had blocked it up) I suspected water might have gotten in so I attached a wet dry vac to the conduit and used duct tape to seal the connection. I ran the pump for awhile and did indead pull water out of the pipe. The wires had already been run through the pipe last fall.

I had never hooked up the wireing. I just had to get it inplace before building the deck.

Is this a problem? I'll hook the vac up again and if no water comes out am I OK to hook things up?

Thanks for any info.

Steve

[HA HA Budys Here]

I have NEVER seen a underground installation that didn't have water in it.

[volts500]

As long as the conductors are rated for wet locations, such as THWN or XHHW, as they should be if installed in an underground conduit, you're good to go. Underground conduits are expected to have water in them.

[electrical-inspector]

Dude, you're screwed !!!! This is very serious..... The next time you turn on a light connected to those wires, the light bulb will fill with water and explode. Anyone nearby that gets splashed with the water, may be electrocuted from the charged water molicules. However, if you are wearing rubber soled shoes, you may retain a high voltage in your body, but survive. But, the next person you touch will be electrocuted instead. For example, if you kiss your wife, you'll be kissing her goodbye forever. And, lets say you got a beer or soda in your hands when the bulb explodes. If the water gets in your beer, you'll ingest this electric charged water, and the next time you urinate, as soon as your urine touches the ground or the water in your toilet, your penis will burst into flames and burn up.

Do you want this on your conscious? Do you want to risk the loss of your most prized possession? Do you really want to be responsible for the death of another loved one?

I suggest you dig up that pipe, blow out all the water until it's completely and totally dry, then throw it in the garbage and install all new pipe and wires. This time be a little more careful by using at least five full rolls of duct tape, and prevent any rain from entering your yard in the future.