Outdoor elec cables and mastic/sealant

J

jackd

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Hi Can anyone help I have joinned two outdoor cables using a waterproof junction box. I tested it and it was working.

Why I bought it from B&Q I was advised that I should fill the box with mastic/sealant which I did, totally covering all the inside of the junction box. Now it's not working anymore.

Would it be the sealant or will it work why it's dried??

Any ideas??

Thanks,

JD
 
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Hi davy_owen_88,

Thanks for the quick reply.

It was Focus all purpose sealant (white) and I left it a wjole 1 minute! Probably not a good idea.
 
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The joinned cable goes to my garden hut into a double socket. I tried it with a radio in both sockets before the sealant which worked fine. Then I tried the radio again after the sealant and the radio never worked also tried a drill, this never worked either. The fuse box hasn't tripped.
 
jackd said:
Why I bought it from B&Q I was advised that I should fill the box with mastic/sealant which I did, totally covering all the inside of the junction box. Now it's not working anymore.

JD
Click to expand...

When you say `fill` the box...do you mean fill the entire inside of the box? or did you mean you sealed where the cables entered the box?
 
jackd said:
No it was the full box, to the brim.
Click to expand...

Erm....and a guy at B&Q told you to do this?....on a waterproof box?
Did this box have pre-drilled holes or did you have to drill them out?
Did you use any grommets/glands where the cable entered the box?
 
Erm....and a guy at B&Q told you to do this?....on a waterproof box?

Yes, on hind sight it doesn't seem that smart a move, I did say to him that I was going to bury it and the cable. I don't know if that why he said it.

Did this box have pre-drilled holes or did you have to drill them out?

It did have pre drilled holes

Did you use any grommets/glands where the cable entered the box? Yes I used these for both cables.

Do you think it's stuffed?
 
O.K...
For starters the waterproof box should be above ground as it must be accessible for inspection and testing.

Second... you have squirted a sealant over terminals of live conductors and im not sure if sealant is conductive but under operation they will heat up and melt the sealant so you have a residue all over them.

Stuffed is an understatement,did the fuse/mcb protecting this circuit not trip or blow?

By the way...was this B&Q worker called MR BEAN?
 
Hi festa,

Thanks for your help with this.

The fuse box never tripped or blow and all the power in the house is working.

Looks like I've got some cleaning to do.
 
Just a quick one Jackd

Is this cable steel wire armoured or just plain grey/white twin and earth?
 
jackd said:
Yes it steel wired.
Click to expand...

Thats good news then Jackd,so bring the box above ground and using external grade SWA glands and a decent make of waterproof box,make the connection there.
There will be no need to put any sealer inside this box. Just make sure you continue the earth continuity of the steel armour.
 
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