Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e39

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e3e

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 them

thanks

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

Ignoramus20394 prodded the keyboard with:

I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:


http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e39


http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e3e

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 them

thanks

If they are from the seventies or thereabouts a very good chance.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

"Ignoramus20394" wrote in
message ...
I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e39

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e3e

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 them

thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polychlorinated_biphenyl

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

On 2015-03-26, Baron wrote:
Ignoramus20394 prodded the keyboard with:

I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:


http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e39


http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e3e

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 them

thanks

If they are from the seventies or thereabouts a very good chance.


They look old and ugly, maybe from the 40s

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

On 3/26/2015 7:02 AM, Ignoramus20394 wrote:
I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e39

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e3e

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 them

thanks

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

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

On Thu, 26 Mar 2015 12:35:52 -0500, Ignoramus20394
wrote:

On 2015-03-26, Baron wrote:
Ignoramus20394 prodded the keyboard with:

I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:


http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e39


http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e3e

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 them

thanks

If they are from the seventies or thereabouts a very good chance.


They look old and ugly, maybe from the 40s

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

--
Ed Huntress

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

On Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 7:02:06 AM UTC-7, Ignoramus20394 wrote:
I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:


Unfortunately, I was not able to see them, but I wonder,

2) What is the likelihood that they have PCB oil in them

You need to see the nameplate. Lots of transformers were refitted with no-PCB
coolants, and might have inspection tags to show it.

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

On 2015-03-26, Paul Drahn wrote:
On 3/26/2015 7:02 AM, Ignoramus20394 wrote:
I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e39

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e3e

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 them

thanks

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

Thanks.

Yes, I can come up with much more pleasant ways to go to prison or
lose everything.

i

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

Ignoramus20394 wrote:
I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction today:

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e39

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e3e

Unfortunately, I was not able to see them, but I wonder,

1) What is the likelihood that they are copper wound

all copper for something that old.

2) What is the likelihood that they have PCB oil in them

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.

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

Ignoramus20394 prodded the keyboard with:

On 2015-03-26, Baron wrote:
Ignoramus20394 prodded the keyboard with:

I am eyeing a couple of transformers that come up for auction
today:



http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e39



http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auct...5-a45e01297e3e

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 them

thanks

If they are from the seventies or thereabouts a very good chance.


They look old and ugly, maybe from the 40s

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.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

Could these transformers have PCB oil?
 

On Thu, 26 Mar 2015 09:02:05 -0500, Ignoramus20394
wrote:


1) What is the likelihood that they are copper wound

Virtually certain.

2) What is the likelihood that they have PCB oil in them

fairly slim.

By the end of the 80s, government pressure had forced the removal of
PCB from effectively all electrical apparatus. There were and
probably still are companies that specialize in flushing old
transformers of PCB down to federal standards. Many old transformers
were/are essentially irreplaceable without commissioning custom
transformers designed and built from scratch with lead times measuring
in years.

Two of my factory clients went through this in the 80s. One was a
chemical plant with a contract for 200MW and the other a paper mill
with a contract for 500MW. Both brought in banks of trailer-mounted
transformers to sub while the main ones were flushed and filled with
PCB-free oil.

If the transformer has been processed then it must contain stickers
and a nameplate attesting to that fact. If those are missing the be
suspicious. Ultimately an inexpensive oil test will tell you for
sure.

Assuming you're buying those for scrap value, they look like they'd
contain enough copper to make an oil test worthwhile.

John
Chief Engineer
Fluxeon Corp.
John DeArmond
http://www.neon-john.com
http://www.fluxeon.com
Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
See website for email address