"Peter" wrote in message
...

"Jim Alexander" wrote in message
...

"Peter" wrote in message
...
I have a drainage pump in a manhole which connects to armoured cable in a
box at the top (inside) the manhole.
All is well until the pump breaks down, water level rises and the box
does not keep the water out.
Local electric store says they have nothing to help so I wondered .....
can I literally fill the box with silicon to solve the problem.
At the outset the connection should have been made above ground ( a wall
about 8 feet away) but alas, there is now not sufficient cable to play
with meaning the connection has to remain inside the manhole.
Any help appreciated.

looking at the price of pumps, the cost of wp boxes and the inconvenience
of having perhaps a compound filled box in the manhole, maybe a new pump
is the best option. How have you solved the breakdowns you report?

Jim A

I recently pulled out the pump (after a breakdown) and put a socket on the
wire to test it. It failed. On a whim I cut the wire shorter and found
that it worked fine. Then used it to lower the water level until I could
reconnet it back in the manhole.
Since water had not only entered the box and tripped the electrics but
also (apparently) seeped into some few feet of the pump cable, I am quite
keen for a waterproof solution.
I need to connect armoured cable to normal 3 core (somewhat thinner)
cable.
Would silicon work?

if you want to retain your existing pump and its (probably) not practicable
to rewire the pump I would extend the pump cable with similar diameter flex.
Much easier to wp that than different cable types and diameters. Move the
armoured cable to where you really want it.

Don't have a link to hand but I've used compound filled boxes to do this.
Alternatively, individually heat shrink sleeve and overall self amalgamating
tape as suggested.

Jim A