Taking apart a large transformer

You believe he stated that? Go back & read it again. For those of us not familiar with transformers in general, there is no clue as to whether it contained liquid. But never mind. You may *think* it's a problem that I suggested he proceed with caution, but in fact, it was *not* a problem. You just needed to be heard.

Actually, I'd like to know WHO the guy was, not how he is. Please provide a way of contacting him, since you seem to be privy to all the information surrounding this event.

This must be Turtle!

Turtle, you're about 8 hours too late. Read the rest of the posts. :-)

This is approximately 3x8 mm rectangular wire. Huge cross section.

Yes, I also have a growing pile of old recycled bolts etc. Very nifty.

i

Thanks Turtle. That is a dry transformer, there is no liquid in it.

i

From

"Unfortunately, Japan's PCB history is tinged with tragedy. In 1968, an accidental mixing of PCB with rice oil affected 14,000 people and resulted in 300 deaths."

There were a lot of flourescent ballasts that contained PCB's, and a lot of old shelf stock around. Some of them are undoubtedly still in service. There are still some very old utility transformers in service that contain PCB's.

Well, no. Size DOES matter when it comes to PCBs in transformers. It was only used in large or specialized equipment.

Not in transformers, it wasn't.

The OP made it pretty obvious it was not a sealed transformer. That means no oil, so no problem.

If you aren't sure, the thing to do is ask, not go flying off.

That's debatable.

Okay, all that said -- for you paranoids out there there is another source of PCBs that _was_ commonly used in the home: Capacitors, especially the capacitors used in electric light ballasts. Those _did_ have PCBs in them at one time. So if you're got some 30-year-old flourescent lights hanging around you might want to take a minute to check the ballasts. If they don't have PCBs they will say so.

--RC

"Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells 'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets fly with a club. -- John W. Cambell Jr.

Agreed. I wouldn't call the damage PCBs in quantity can do 'minor' at all. And, as someone else pointed out, eating PCB laced oil can kill you (although I suspect the oil itself would kill you before the PCBs got you.) But that's a far cry from contamination in water, etc.

--RC

"Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells 'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets fly with a club. -- John W. Cambell Jr.

Bullshit. They were used in flourescent ballasts. "Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) were banned in 1979 from being used in ballasts because it is a suspected human carcinogen. However, there are still many ballasts and transformers around from before that time period. Carefully check the ballasts that have been removed from your fixtures, they should say on them that they are PCB free if they were manufactured after

1979. If the ballast does not say this, you must assume that it contains PCBs.

Di (d-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was used as a substitute for PCBs in ballasts for 5 to 10 years. It is a U028 listed waste. Once DEHP is used in a ballast, it no longer meets the definition of hazardous waste.

Non-leaking ballasts with PCBs can be sent to the local landfill if the landfill will accept them. Contact your local landfill to find out. The Federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulates PCB containing ballasts. If the PCB ballasts are not leaking, the EPA and State of New Mexico still recommend high-temperature incineration, recycling, or a chemical or hazardous waste landfill. CERCLA requires building owners and waste generators to notify the National Response Center at

1-800-424-8802 when disposing of a pound or more of PCBs (approximately 12-16 fluorescent ballasts).

If the PCB ballast is leaking, it must be incinerated at an EPA approved high temperature incinerator. It is important to use trained personnel or contractors to handle and dispose of leaking PCB ballasts. 40 CFR 268.42 requires that PCB waste over 50 ppm be incinerated in boilers that meet the requirements listed in that regulation.

PCB wastes are exempt from regulation under RCRA Parts 261 through 265, and Parts 268, 270, and 124 and from the notification requirements of Section

3010 (40 CFR 261.8). The land disposal restrictions allow for PCB containerized liquid waste disposal at a hazardous waste landfill that has received the exemption from EPA for wastes with concentrations between 50 ppm and 500 ppm (40 CFR 268.5 (h)(vi)).

To accumulate hazardous waste as necessary to facilitate proper recovery, treatment or disposal, liquid PCB waste at concentrations greater than or equal to 50 ppm must be stored at a facility that meets the requirements of

40 CFR 761.65 (b) and must be removed from storage and treated or disposed within one year (40 CFR 268.50 (f)).

CESQGs, SQGs, and LQGs must follow all the previously mentioned regulations.

The Hazardous Waste Bureau wishes to assist the regulated community in complying with all applicable regulations. Please contact the Technical Assistance and Compliance Section of the HWB for further assistance and information. The contact telephone number is 1-505-428-2500 or toll free at

1-866-428-6535. This assistance will provide information to the business owner, free of fines and penalties and with a six-month amnesty from the enforcement section, free of charge."

FACT%20SHEET%20FOR%20FLOURESCENT%20BULBS%20AND%20BALLASTS.doc -

Those of you not familar with transformers in general might either not comment at all or ask a gently phrased question.

--RC

"Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells 'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets fly with a club. -- John W. Cambell Jr.

See

The cup is pictured for size comparison.

Are they 4.1 farad each or they are 4.1 millifarad? They are rated for

300V. Are there PCB in them? i

If his neighbors didn't string him up for ruining the lake, probably.

BTW: PCBs also cause skin conditions. It's not just the dioxin they might produce. And in reasonable exposures, such as you'd get from messing with the PCB-laced oil in a transformer, they can cause liver damage and other nasties.

A lot of people. And for very good reasons. PCBs are poster children for bio-concentrators. You can argue about whether the safety levels are appropriate in light of the more recent evidence about the apparent lack of cancer-causing activity in humans, but common sense says this is nothing you want in the environment.

Just because this stuff apparently isn't as bad as some people like to make it out to be doesn't mean it's not dangerous.

--RC

"Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells 'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets fly with a club. -- John W. Cambell Jr.

How about these huge capacitors from the demolished UPS?

See

The cup is pictured for size comparison. Are they 4.1 farad each or they are 4.1 millifarad? They are rated for

300V. Are there PCB in them? i

Great question. First of all, everything in my house is already on UPSes. From a previous deal where I bought a $45 lot of 28 APC UPSes, bought new batteries, and made $2,500 profit. I have a few more UPSes languishing in my garage, waiting to be used.

As for the latest UPS, I bought a military surplus lot for $80:

1. Clary OnGuard 3 phase UPS about 250 lbs.
2. Clary OnGuard 1 phase UPS about 250 lbs
3. Ferrups 3 kVa UPS about 200 lbs without batteries
4. Several garbage typewriters and one new in box typewriter
5. 8kVa mystery UPS without front panel, with a battery bank. It is not repairable without the front panel. I now think that it is not Ferrups. It is a 500 lbs monster.
6. A big badass Canon color copier, about 200 lbs.

That item 5 is what I am demolishing. I may be able to sell the 250V battery bank to some homepower types. No batteries though. I do not think that I can sell the UPS proper. So I am taking it apart in order to, first, be able to handle it without risk of injury, second to get useful screws and wires etc, and third to sell good parts like isolation transformer or capacitors.

i

Wrong! It's worth over $1/lb, and any recycler will gladly accept it.

Harold

Ok, you seem to have made the right decision. I am trying to remember what the transformer looks like. Is it a toroid or a regular rectangular shape. I think the transformer on my big unit is a toroid. I don't know what the core material is. Could be ferrite. I know there was a bunch of tapped windings.

Are you in an area where you could throw it on a trash fire and burn out all the insulation. Then you could see what is there. I used to do this when I lived in Portland, OR and had a wood furnace. Still have some BIG copper strap from a burned out transformer.

Paul

If memory serves, oil in transformers can be exchanged and the transformer cleaned such that if the PCB level is

Thanks!

It is rectangular, but with many windings.

there is also a 30 lbs isolation transformer.

Absolutely NOT.

That's what I want, to take it apart and take the copper strap, it is super useful around the house. About 3x8 mm in cross section.

i