Salt Water (Road Salt) Intrusion Into Service Panel

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sparkyrick

Senior Member
Location
Appleton, Wi
I had an easy service call this morning and when I went downstairs to shut off a breaker, I noticed the cover of the 800A I-line Service Panel was covered in streaks of salt deposits.

Here is the top of the 800A Main.
IMAG0560.jpg

The salt deposits are coming back out the bottom of the Main, dripping onto the breakers below.
IMAG0561.jpg

Other breakers had salt deposits in the lowest lug of the breaker.
IMAG0571.jpg

The inside bottom of the panel cover.
IMAG0577.jpg


Good thing everything was dry! I wonder how much stray current was flowing when the salt water was flowing :eek:

Now the big question....is everything junk? My biggest concern is the salt deposits that are trapped inside the breakers and whether they will ever operate normally/safely anymore.
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
I had an easy service call this morning and when I went downstairs to shut off a breaker, I noticed the cover of the 800A I-line Service Panel was covered in streaks of salt deposits.

Here is the top of the 800A Main.
View attachment 9982

The salt deposits are coming back out the bottom of the Main, dripping onto the breakers below.
View attachment 9983

Other breakers had salt deposits in the lowest lug of the breaker.
View attachment 9984

The inside bottom of the panel cover.
View attachment 9985


Good thing everything was dry! I wonder how much stray current was flowing when the salt water was flowing :eek:

Now the big question....is everything junk? My biggest concern is the salt deposits that are trapped inside the breakers and whether they will ever operate normally/safely anymore.

Salt is hygroscopic. It may be dry now, with winter temperatures driving down indoor humidity, but come summer time, if the humidity shoots up, you may wind up with a nice conductive electrolyte solution inside the breakers.
 
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