"DoN. Nichols" wrote:

According to Pete C. :
Cydrome Leader wrote:

[ ... ]

That's really backwards reasoning, and quite wrong too.

Wrong eh? I guess you didn't read the federal law section I included
that mandates the marking of all non-PCB ballasts and capacitors
manufactured domestically or abroad after June 30th 1978? Here, I'll
include it again:

As I read what is quoted below, it would appear that any
manufactured *after* July 1 1998 (e.g. for about the past seven years)
new capacitors and ballasts are no longer required to be so marked. (I
presume that they are thinking that all are out of service by now -- or
will be so by the time these recent capacitors look old enough to be
questioned.

Quite possible it expired and also quite possible manufacturers have
continued to mark "No PCBs".


But beside that -- capacitors manufactured *before* June 30th
1978 (again from what you quoted below) are not required to be so
marked, and not all capacitors made prior to that date *would* have
PCBs.

The marking law corresponds with the marking law. There is a strong
probability that older non-marked capacitors do contain some level of
PCBs. The gist of the law overall is that non marked capacitors are to
be considered guilty until proven innocent as more likely than not they
will be found guilty.


From: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pcb/2003pt761.txt

[63 FR 35443, June 29, 1998]

Subpart C--Marking of PCBs and PCB Items

Sec. 761.40 Marking requirements.

(g) Each large low voltage capacitor, each small capacitor normally
used in alternating current circuits, and each fluorescent light ballast
manufactured (``manufactured'', for purposes of this sentence, means
built) between July 1, 1978 and July 1, 1998 that do not contain PCBs
shall be marked by the manufacturer at the time of manufacture with the
statement, ``No PCBs''. The mark shall be of similar durability and
readability as other marking that indicate electrical information, part
numbers, or the manufacturer's name. For purposes of this paragraph
marking requirement only is applicable to items built domestically or
abroad after June 30, 1978.


So, once again, if you have an oil filled AC capacitor that is not
marked "No PCBs" per federal law, it likely contains PCBs.

Unless it was manufactured after July 1, 1998, or possibly if it
was manufactured before July 1 1978 and did not happen to use PCBs.

Not sure what percentage of capacitors manufactured prior to the ban
were non-PCB. PCBs were pretty pervasive back then, likely only a year
or so before the ban that any significant quantities of non-PCB
capacitors were produced, also likely that those were marked No-PCBs as
well since the law appears to have been in development from sometime in
1976 and I'd expect manufacturers were following it closely to see what
would happen.


It would appear the the OP should take a look at the EPA info regarding
decontamination for his shop.

He should at least take steps to see whether what it leaking
*is* PCBs.

Certainly a good idea to investigate further. Presumably the cap can be
bagged and sent to a lab.


When was the welder in which this capacitor was installed
manufactured? That may have been covered earlier, but I do not remember
it, and with my current news server, backtracking the threads often
fails.

A specific date was not given, only a 70s vintage which would put it in
the right timeframe for PCBs.

Pete C.