--- title: My ETC system has taken on water. What do I do next? – et cetera... description: We hope to answer some of the questions you may have about where to go and what to do to get your lighting and rigging systems up and running safely again. image: https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/After-Neuhaus-Theatre-Clean-Up-1-750x500.jpg --- - [ETCCONNECT](https://etcconnect.com/) - [ABOUT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/about) - [AUTHORS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/blog-authors) - [CONTACT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/contact) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/electronic-theatre-controls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.youtube.com/user/ETCVideoLibrary) [![EtCetera\_319x104](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EtCetera_319x104.png?width=319&height=104&name=EtCetera_319x104.png "EtCetera_319x104")](https://blog.etcconnect.com) [![ETC Blog](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EtCetera_319x104.png?width=319&height=104&name=EtCetera_319x104.png "ETC Blog")](https://blog.etcconnect.com) - [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) - [ETC CULTURE](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc-culture) - [GEAR](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gear) - [LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) - [ODDS & ENDS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/odds-ends) - [BRIGHT IDEAS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/bright-ideas) Search ## [![blog-header](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-header.png?width=476&height=155&name=blog-header.png "blog-header")](https://www.etcconnect.com) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/electronic-theatre-controls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.youtube.com/user/ETCVideoLibrary) [✕](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/09/my-etc-system-has-taken-on-water-what-do-i-do-next#gwen-offcanvas-primary) - [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) - [ETC CULTURE](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc-culture) - [GEAR](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gear) - [LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) - [ODDS & ENDS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/odds-ends) - [BRIGHT IDEAS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/bright-ideas) # My ETC system has taken on water. What do I do next? ![Guest Blogger](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ETC-logo-avatar.png?width=34&height=34&name=ETC-logo-avatar.png)By [Guest Blogger](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/guest-blogger) 8 Sep 2017 ![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/After-Neuhaus-Theatre-Clean-Up-1-750x500.jpg)  As life begins to get back to normal in the areas hit by Hurricane Harvey and the flooding that followed, we know that our customers will be returning to the theaters, schools, community centers and houses of worship where you rely on our equipment. We understand that this can be a difficult, stressful, and emotional period of time, so this blog post will hopefully answer some of the questions you may have about where to go and what to do to get your lighting and rigging systems up and running safely again.   ![Neuhaus Thaetre](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Neuhaus-Theatre_before-and-after.jpg?width=770&height=224&name=Neuhaus-Theatre_before-and-after.jpg) Left: The Neuhaus Theatre in the Alley Theatre, Houston, TX, before Hurricane Harvey. Right: The Neuhaus Theatre after the hurricane. Your safety is our biggest concern. Before doing anything else, we recommend turning off the power to the equipment in question. Energized equipment that has had water ingress poses a serious electrical risk to anyone using or servicing it. The next step is to contact your insurance company to inform them of the damage, and they will assist you in getting equipment inspected and repaired or replaced. If you’re unsure about the extent of the damage, you can contact your ETC dealer to help assess the situation. If you don’t have a regular dealer, you can find one in your area on the [ETC website](https://www.etcconnect.com/Find-A-Dealer.aspx). ![Neuhaus Theatre lobby](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Neuhaus-Theatre-lobby_before-and-after.jpg?width=770&height=224&name=Neuhaus-Theatre-lobby_before-and-after.jpg) Left: The lobby of the Neuhaus Theatre before Hurricane Harvey. Right: The lobby after the hurricane. Our experience has shown that equipment that has incurred water intrusion may not be recoverable in a way that guarantees future reliability of the system. Water carries large amounts of contaminants, and when combined with the harsh cleaning products typically used for this type of cleanup, it can lead to more product failures than solutions. Just a small amount of dirty water can cause corrosion to the small components, so while a device may not display immediate failures, it could fail within weeks or months. In general, we recommend that all control electronics, fans, dimmer modules, and network equipment be replaced if it has been wet. Dimmer/relay racks may be rebuilt if they’re in reasonable shape, but you might find that the repair quote exceeds the cost of replacement. We recommend getting conduits and power feeds assessed if they’ve also been under water, including a consultation from an electrical contractor or inspector. ![Alley Theatre](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/After-Alley-Theatre.jpg?width=770&height=578&name=After-Alley-Theatre.jpg) The exterior of the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas, following Hurricane Harvey As always, our 24/7/365 Technical Services department is available if you have any questions throughout this process. You can find the contact information for your closest ETC Tech Services staff on [our website](https://www.etcconnect.com/Support/Contact-Us.aspx). We’ll continue to send our thoughts to the people affected by Hurricane Harvey, as well as our hope for a fast and smooth recovery and rebuilding process. *All photos courtesy of [Alley Theatre](https://www.alleytheatre.org/)* \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* ![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Chris-Blad.jpg?width=192&height=192&name=Chris-Blad.jpg)Chris Blad works as a technical support specialist at ETC’s headquarters in Middleton. Chris holds an MFA in scenic technology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before coming to ETC, Chris worked as a production and facilities director at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. - - - 0 [#Tech Tips](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/tech-tips) [#dimming](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/dimming) [#Safety](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/safety) [#GEAR](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gear) [#Flooding](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/flooding) [#Technical Services](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/technical-services) [#Water](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/water) [#Repairs](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/repairs) [#Hurricane Harvey](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/hurricane-harvey) ### Bending the Truth [Previous article](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/09/bendingthetruth) ### Life after rock ‘n’ roll – Tom Beck paints in close-up [Next article](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/08/tom-beck-paints-in-close-up) [Guest Blogger](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/guest-blogger) ![Guest Blogger](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ETC-logo-avatar.png?width=180&height=180&name=ETC-logo-avatar.png) #### You may also like [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/After-Inside-Neuhaus-Theatre-2-750x500.jpeg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2018/10/keep-your-etc-system-afloat-after-heavy-storms) [Eos](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/eos) ### [Keep your ETC system afloat after heavy storms](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2018/10/keep-your-etc-system-afloat-after-heavy-storms) By [Guest Blogger](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/guest-blogger) 9-Oct-2018 When a hurricane strikes, the strong storms often cause nasty electrical interferences, failures, brown outs, spikes, and more. To be extra prepared in your theatre, house of worship, business... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2018/10/keep-your-etc-system-afloat-after-heavy-storms) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/ETC-Valentines.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2020/02/happy-valentines-day-from-etc) [ETC](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc) ### [Happy Valentine’s Day from ETC](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2020/02/happy-valentines-day-from-etc) By [Quinn Wirth](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/quinn-buchanan) 13-Feb-2020 What better way to share your love than with some printable Valentine’s Day cards from ETC? We’ve gone through over 100 punny suggestions from our fun-loving team to give you the best and brightest... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2020/02/happy-valentines-day-from-etc) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/ETC-HES-education-MAIN-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2020/12/support-ongoing-education-in-singapore) [Gio @5](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gio-5) ### [ETC and High End Systems Support Education in Singapore](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2020/12/support-ongoing-education-in-singapore) By [Guest Blogger](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/guest-blogger) 10-Dec-2020 Education is fundamental to growth and development. Esplanade Academy in Singapore held a series of lighting design workshops in September 2020 while respecting social distancing guidelines during... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2020/12/support-ongoing-education-in-singapore) - [ETCCONNECT](https://etcconnect.com/) - [About](https://blog.etcconnect.com/about) - [Authors](https://blog.etcconnect.com/blog-authors) - [Links](https://blog.etcconnect.com/links) - [Contact us](https://blog.etcconnect.com/contact) [Privacy Policy & Legal Notices](https://www.etcconnect.com/Privacy-Policy-Terms-of-Use-and-Acceptable-Use.aspx) [CA Transparency Act & Transparency in Coverage](https://www.etcconnect.com/About/California-Supply-Chain-Transparency-Act.aspx) [Do Not Share My Personal Info](https://www.etcconnect.com/Do-Not-Share-My-Personal-Info/) [CA Privacy Rights](https://www.etcconnect.com/CA-Privacy-Rights/) ![ETC blog](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/ETC-logo_footer-wh.png)   ![ETC 50 anniversary](https://www.etcconnect.com/uploadedimages/Main_Site/Images/50yr_160x80.png "ETC 50 anniversary") [![ETC social networks](https://www.etcconnect.com/uploadedFiles/Main_Site/Images/social_Footer.png "ETC social networks")](https://www.etcconnect.com/Get-connected.aspx) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Guest Blogger", "url" : "https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/guest-blogger" }, "dateModified" : "2022-11-29T16:53:53.754Z", "datePublished" : "2017-09-08T05:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "My ETC system has taken on water. What do I do next? – et cetera...", "image" : [ "https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/After-Neuhaus-Theatre-Clean-Up-1-750x500.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.etcconnect.com/2017/09/my-etc-system-has-taken-on-water-what-do-i-do-next", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Logos%20-%20Icons%20-%20Design%20Elements/ETC_4c.png" }, "name" : "ETC" } } ```