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Re: PCB Who?
PCB's were used instead of oil. Askarel is another name for the specific
types used as insulators. They are nonflammablem, nontoxic when pure(see
below) and have high dielectric constants. A lot of fire damage in the
industry was the result of the oil circuit breakers, reactance compensation
capacitors, and transformers catching fire. Rather than just one line going
down, the fire made sure that the whole substation was off line. PCBs were
hailed (justly) as a godsend. High breakdown strength, hydrophobic,
nontoxic, nonflammable, CHEAP.. the ideal liquid
The evil things (dioxins) are created as an unavoidable contaminant
byproduct in the manufacture. Just bad luck that they are carcinogenic in
very low concentrations. Also, because PCBs were so useful (compared to
oil) they were used in HUGE quantities, and the used PCB's were also used
for such things as spraying on dirt roads to keep the dust down, insuring
environmental contamination.
----------
> From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: RE: PCB Who?
> Date: Friday, September 03, 1999 6:13 AM
>
> Original Poster: "Coiler" <mycroft-at-access1-dot-net>
>
> Not so much a "thing" PCBs refer to a fire and oxidation retardant that
was
> added to transformers in up to the 70's (I think, someone correct me)
> PCB is Poly-Chlorinated Biphenol - and the bad JuJu comes from the fact
that
> they break down to dioxins if I recall correctly.
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Tesla List [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
> > Sent: Thursday, September 02, 1999 4:17 AM
> > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> > Subject: PCB Who?
> >
> >
> > Original Poster: Paul Gower <gower-at-cairns-dot-net.au>
> >
> > Hi all,
> > I was scouting around the other day trying to find a big
> > transformer for a future tesla coil and it turns out that i can
probably
> > get 2 pole pigs for free :). Problem is that they are rather old and
the
> > person I was talking to siad that they most likely contained PCB's. Ive
> > heard that PCB's are bad juju but I'm not really sure what they are. Is
> > there anyone who can explain just what a PCB is and what it could do to
> > me?
> >
> > Thanx Heaps
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>