Can I reuse electrical wires that got wet and hot?
Electrical wires that overheat underwater or look "cooked" after heavy seasonal use leave homeowners unsure whether the wiring is safe once dry. This uncertainty makes it difficult to decide whether to replace the damaged cables or continue using them without professional help.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Replacing the cable or whip entirely for peace of mind
- 2Inspecting the dried cable for corrosion and physical damage before deciding to reuse or cut back
- 3replacing both the extension cord and the wall outlet
- 4hiring an electrician to run proper underground circuits
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I noticed the top of the water heater and the wires were getting hot and the water where the wires were submerged started to kind of boil. I turned the breaker off and got a new water heater but I don't know if I need an electrician to replace the wiring that was getting hot under water or if it’ll be fine now that the wires are all dry now.”source ↗
“Last winter was the 3rd year i did this and at the end of the season in April they looked kind of cooked. I also noticed at the end of the season the plug was very warm when unpluging it.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 7Why does running multiple appliances trip the circuit breaker?
- 2Is this outlet backstabbed or backwired?
- 3Why does my dryer keep blowing new thermal fuses?
- 2Water heater wire burning up at terminal block
- 3Why is one coil pack tube hotter than the others?
- 6How to tell if an electrical issue is dangerous or normal