- Electrical
equipment that has been submerged or come into contact with water must be
replaced, though there are exceptions to this rule for larger equipment,
which may be able to be reconditioned by trained factory service
personnel.
- Attempting
to dry out the equipment may leave portions of the current-carrying parts
with damp or wet surfaces. These surfaces may be in contact with
insulators or other materials that prevent them from being properly dried
out and cleaned of debris.
- Residual debris or wet surfaces may result in a loss of dielectric spacing within the equipment. This could present a hazard when reenergizing.
Non-emerged equipment should be inspected carefully by a qualified
person to determine whether moisture has entered the enclosure. If any signs of
moisture or damage exist, the equipment should be replaced or repaired. In addition, equipment with field replaceable interior components
can be replaced as a unit. In this case, there is a possibility that enclosures
can be reused if they have not been subjected to physical damage, and if they have been properly cleaned of all debris and foreign materials. According to
Schneider Electric, cleaning agents, especially petroleum-based, should not be applied
to the current-carrying portions of electrical equipment to remove foreign
debris, residues and other substances. Some cleaning and lubricating compounds
can cause deterioration of the non-metallic insulating or structural portions
of the equipment. Do not use abrasives such as sandpaper or steel wool to clean
current-carrying parts of the equipment because these materials may remove
plating or other conductive surfaces from the parts, which could result in a
hazard when the equipment is reenergized.