Underground junction boxes may remain buried for years. During that time they should protect their contents against the entry of ground water. It is known to completely fill underground junction boxes with a water-displacing medium such as grease. This is messy, however, both at the time the junction box is filled with grease and later if it becomes necessary to access any components or conductors inside the junction box.
There is a need for cost-effective, durable junction boxes suitable for use in below-grade applications. There is also a general need for through-fittings capable of sealing around a cable or the like at the point where the cable passes through a bulkhead.