# A newbie question



## LeisureDave (4 mo ago)

I’ve seen a few overhead services where the wires enter a conduit and it seems to me that there’s nothing preventing water from going down them. Do they need to have a cap like this?








Or is it fine that a bit of water goes down them? Or am I just missing something?


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Wasps just love them caps.....


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## LeisureDave (4 mo ago)

macmikeman said:


> Wasps just love them caps.....


Ok I can see how that might be annoying and possibly an issue if the service is really close to a door, but otherwise? Is water not a bigger issue? Also, in the case of more rural areas where power comes off the street pole to a pole on your property and then down underground to your house, what about then? Is water pooling in a conduit like that?


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I didn't say it was the bigger of the two issues, I merely noted it . It's fairly easy to seal them up with caulking or better. Ends both issues......


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

You don’t want water running down your service.


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## LeisureDave (4 mo ago)

macmikeman said:


> I didn't say it was the bigger of the two issues, I merely noted it . It's fairly easy to seal them up with caulking or better. Ends both issues......


Ok so I can assume where I can’t see a top cap there must be some kinda sealant?


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

Assume? Your on dangerous ground there


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## LeisureDave (4 mo ago)

SWDweller said:


> Assume? Your on dangerous ground there


As in “proper workmanship would be”… not “there for sure must be”


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

It is entirely possible that you have seen missing caps phenomena. Actually they are called weather heads but that doesn't make a whisper of difference to the alien species that feeds on them.


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## LeisureDave (4 mo ago)

macmikeman said:


> It is entirely possible that you have seen missing caps phenomena. Actually they are called weather heads but that doesn't make a whisper of difference to the alien species that feeds on them.


Lol thanks, I didn’t know what they were called


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

for an overhead service enough water will get in to cause corrosion in the electrical connections ..... bad bad (unless it is under the eaves)
for underground services it is slightly less of an issue, if the conduit ever fills up it will flow into the bottom of the meter base and run out the cracks
i have seen several like this and no apparent harm, no HO complaints about water getting into their panel
it is very seldom that it rains hard enough straight down for a large volume of water to fall in the conduit, thus resulting in the gentle trickle that drains out the cracks
yes it will encourage corrosion the the meter can .... bad
in reality every single underground conduit you ever see (unless air tight sealed at both ends) has water in it
condensation without evaporation


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

I had a customer with water in their basement service panel. Could not figure out how. Then one day I was working there had the cover off and saw a drip of water fall. Watched for awhile and saw it was coming out the neutral conductor. Panel was fed with PVC that went through the rim joist, down into the ground, across the yard(160 ft) then up to a pole mounted meter. I pulled the meter cover and could see water inside. Water was running in the top of the mast through a cracked weather head and going into the neutral that was spliced in the middle of the meter.


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## CAUSA (Apr 3, 2013)

LeisureDave said:


> I’ve seen a few overhead services where the wires enter a conduit and it seems to me that there’s nothing preventing water from going down them. Do they need to have a cap like this?
> View attachment 170099
> 
> Or is it fine that a bit of water goes down them? Or am I just missing something?


Not a 100% solution but shows you the Basics.

Electrical - Sample - Carson Dunlop


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

LeisureDave said:


> I’ve seen a few overhead services where the wires enter a conduit and it seems to me that there’s nothing preventing water from going down them. Do they need to have a cap like this?
> View attachment 170099
> 
> Or is it fine that a bit of water goes down them? Or am I just missing something?


Older weather heads for SE cable used to have a rubber washer that went inside, guess the don't do that on these.
with a drip loop water should never get in the holes they will be 90% filled wire wire.


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## Breakfasteatre (Sep 8, 2009)

When the service enters the house through an LB fitting, you drill holes in the LB and ductseal around the wires so that if any water comes down the mast/conduit it exits through the drain holes.

Similar idea to 3R enclosures that you have a drain hole on the bottom


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