-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 WPvgiQ66p0Ptea7p8AOettH0YkWfVD10qK2v1NyAvRb4MOeAEGRcRPN5ZtLiq0oV
 Ymic/z+4DQZBI5drPjT8Bw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000077360-03-000131.txt : 20030715
<SEC-HEADER>0000077360-03-000131.hdr.sgml : 20030715
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030715171911
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000077360-03-000131
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030714
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030715

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DURANT KAREN A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001189042

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-11625
		FILM NUMBER:		03787879

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5500 WAYZATA BLVD.
		STREET 2:		SUITE 800
		CITY:			GOLDEN VALLEY
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55416

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PENTAIR INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000077360
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SPECIAL INDUSTRY MACHINERY (NO METALWORKING MACHINERY) [3550]
		IRS NUMBER:				410907434
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5500 WAYZATA BLVD.
		STREET 2:		SUITE 800
		CITY:			GOLDEN VALLEY
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55416
		BUSINESS PHONE:		763-545-1730

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	PENTAIR INDUSTRIES INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19790327
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001189042d20030715f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-14</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000077360</issuerCik><issuerName>PENTAIR INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>PNR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001189042</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>DURANT KAREN A</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President, Controller</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock - ESPP</value></securityTitl
e><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>23.622</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>39.6877</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1118.627</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Purchase of shares under the Pentair, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan in exemp
t transaction pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c).</footnote><footnote id="F2">Shares acquired under this Plan are purchased over a three-day trading period.  The price shown is the average purchase price over the trading period.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Reporting person also holds 12,427.108 shares directly; 4,926.279 indirectly by Trust; 3,154.7728 indirectly by ESOP.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Louis L. Ainsworth, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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