I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:
Unfortunately, I was not able to see them, but I wonder,
1) What is the likelihood that they are copper wound 2) What is the likelihood that they have PCB oil in themthanks
Ignoramus20394 prodded the keyboard with:
If they are from the seventies or thereabouts a very good chance.
"Ignoramus20394" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com...
They look old and ugly, maybe from the 40s
I would guess the likelihood of copper to be 100%. I would guess 100% likelihood of PCB in the oil.
The cost to dispose of the oil would probably be more than the $ you would get for the copper.
Paul
There should be a nameplate on it that lists what it's filled with. It probably won't say "PCB." They first used it in transformers in 1929, and the EPA says it was used through 1977. My parents lost their well water due to PCBs in 1976. They had to switch to city water.
Here are the other product names for PCBs that EPA lists, which should appear on a label:
Abestol, Aroclor, Askarel, Chlophen, Chlorextol, DK, EEC-18, Fenclor, Inerteen, Kennechlor, No-Flamol, Phenoclor, Pyralene, Pyranol, Saf-T-Kuhl, Solvol, Non-Flammable Liquid
You need to see the nameplate. Lots of transformers were refitted with no-PCB coolants, and might have inspection tags to show it.
Thanks.
Yes, I can come up with much more pleasant ways to go to prison or lose everything.
i
all copper for something that old.
just as likely.
The AC branded one has a blue sticker on it that may certify it PCB free, but there's no way to read it.
Anyways, you stand to lose far more than you'd gain if they are contaminated. What the nameplates on stuff that old say doesn't even matter. You need to have whats inside them tested by a lab to know what they're filled with and if they are tainted with PCBs.
Ignoramus20394 prodded the keyboard with:
In that case, almost certainly will have PCB's. I'd avoid them like the plague.
A good number of years ago, I inhereted a number of PCB filled capacitors. It was the local scrapman that put me wise to the fact that they were labeled as containing PCB's. Before I was allowed to dispose of them I had to enclose each one in a plastic bag and then encapsulate them in concrete inside a lidded polythene drum. An expensive time consuming exercise.
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