The old timer told me to stop using foam backer rod in outdoor panels. I should have listened sooner.

Six months ago I was doing a big commercial job for a strip mall outside of Phoenix. An installer who has been doing this since the 80s told me foam backer rod absorbs moisture in desert climates and causes false alarms on outdoor contacts. I figured he was just stuck in his ways. Fast forward to last week when I got called back to replace 12 sensors that all corroded internally. Cost me a whole weekend and 400 bucks in parts. Anyone else run into this where old school advice was actually right?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana_henderson521mo ago

Didn't some training video talk about this with humidity and contact corrosion?

the_lisa1mo ago

Yeah that corrosion thing is everywhere not just electronics. @jana_henderson52 I see it on my car battery terminals every spring. Little white crusty stuff builds up. Same with my porch light fixture - moisture gets in and the connections go bad. Three years in a row I had to replace the damn thing. Finally put some dielectric grease on it and it's been fine. It's just water and metal being dumb together.