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.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Replacing the cable or whip entirely for peace of mindDid this help you?
- 2Inspecting the dried cable for corrosion and physical damage before deciding to reuse or cut backDid this help you?
- 3replacing both the extension cord and the wall outletDid this help you?
- 4hiring an electrician to run proper underground circuitsDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, 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 ↗