How to Repair Water Damaged Electrical Equipment

How can I Restore a Water Damaged Electric Motor and Electrical Equipment? How to Repair Water Damaged Motors and Electrical Equipment, The Process to Help Restore Water Damaged Electrical Equipment.

Water Damaged Electrical Motors and Equipment
Electrical Question: How can I Restore a Water Damaged Electric Motor and Electrical Equipment?

I’m trying to salvage an air compressor that was submerged, for about 6 hours, in flood water. The mechanical part (the pump) works fine. On the electrical side, there is a small 15 amp circuit breaker, a capacitor and the motor. The motor spins freely and looks fine but when I plug it into the 120Volt outlet and then turn the switch on, I blow the circuit breaker at the electrical panel!
What I’ve done so far:

1.  I’ve disconnected the motor from the on/off switch in order to test the switch. The switch seems to be fine: it shows 120VAC at the motor side of the switch when it’s ON and no voltage when the switch is OFF, and all without blowing the circuit breaker at the panel.
2.  I’ve tested the capacitor by using a 9VDC battery and it seems ok: when I apply the 9VDC and monitor using my volt meter, I see that the DC voltage immediately measures 9VDC and then starts to diminish. Also, when I remove the capacitor from the circuit (thereby, eliminating it), I still blow the circuit breaker at the electrical panel.
3.  My visual inspection of the motor shows no rust or water in any part of the motor visible through the ports. It looks like it always did!

Can you please tell me what might be the problem here? I’d hate to have to throw this compressor out because everything is clean and moves freely.

Thanks,
John

This home electrical repair question came from: John, from Brick, New Jersey.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical repair question John.

How to Repair Water Damaged Motors and Electrical Equipment

Application: Repair Water Damaged Electric Motor.
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced – Best performed by a Qualified Electrician or Electrical Contractor.
Tools and Testers Required: Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools, Voltage Tester, Continuity Tester and Megger Meter.
Estimated Time: Depends on the complexity of the water damaged electrical equipment.
Precaution: Identify the circuit which provides power to the equipment, turn it OFF and then Tag it with a Note before performing any inspections and repairs.
Note: Water damaged equipment is best repaired by a qualified electrician or electrical contractor.

The Most Common Process to Help Restore Water Damaged Electrical Equipment

Guide to Repairs for Water Damaged Equipment
Water soaked electrical equipment can be restored when preventive procedures are taken such as the following:

• Turn off the electrical  circuit power to the water damaged electrical equipment. Attempting to operate the equipment may cause permanent damage.
• Locate equipment restoration products that are designed to help restore water damaged electrical equipment such as the line of products available from the CRC company. Make sure to read all directions before using each product.
• Corrosion damage will begin to occur when the water is drained or dispersed therefore procedures must be performed without delay to prevent escalating corrosion damage.
• Clean the equipment by removing any soil or contaminants from the water damage. Open or remove all covers to enable access to the electrical wiring and components. Flush or spray the equipment with clean water and a water based cleaner to remove contaminants then allow to drain.
• Apply an electrical approved cleaner  or degreaser to remove contamination that was not removed by the flushing process. Also spray the control boxes or junction boxes to rinse and clean as needed and then allow to air dry.
• Saturate the inside and outside of the equipment with a moisture displacement lubricant and allow to drain. Repeat the process until contaminants are not visible.
• After the equipment has drained measure to verify the minimum resistance levels for the specific equipment and components. If the resistance levels are not correct then try to isolate the area or component and perform further inspections, flushing and cleaning as necessary.
• Apply a precision cleaner to remove any remaining soil particles before energizing.
• When megger resistance readings are normal the equipment may be tested under a no-load condition where the equipment may be allowed to run for a period of time that will allow further drying while under normal operating conditions.

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Dave's Guide to Home Electrical Wiring: » You Can Avoid Costly Mistakes! « Here's How to Do It: Wire It Right with the help of my Illustrated Wiring Book Great for any Home Wiring Project. Complete Guide to Home Electrical Wiring Perfect for Homeowners, Students, Handyman, Handy Women, and Electricians Includes: Wiring GFCI Outlets Wiring Home Electric Circuits 120 Volt and 240 Volt Outlet Circuits Wiring Light Switches Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Electric Range Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Dryer Cord and Dryer Outlet How to Troubleshoot and Repair Electrical Wiring Wiring Methods for Upgrading Electrical Wiring NEC Codes for Home Electrical Wiring ....and much more. Learn more about Home Electrical Wiring with my Online Video Course: Basic Home Electrical Wiring by Example

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Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.

Electrical Tips to Help You Wire it Right The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires! The Non-Contact Electrical Tester This is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use. The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring! The Plug-In Outlet Tester This is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring. It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use. Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire! The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter My absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires. This handy tool has multiple uses: The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation. The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets.. The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use.

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