Amazing oil leak!

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Original poster: "S&JY" <youngsters@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

All,

Recently we read of one coiler's bad luck with a pole transformer leaking
oil up through an insulator, and how difficult it is to stop the leak.
Unfortunately, I can now top that with an even stranger oil leak.

I built a MOT 6-pack, with two MOTs each in 3 ammo cans.  Power into each is
an ordinary five foot length of 3-conductor power cord (typical Lowes orange
heavy duty power cord).  The outside sheath stops above the oil, and the
wires go under the oil to the transformer primary.

After a couple of months, I noticed an oil spot on my concrete floor, well
away from the ammo cans.  After musing for a while on how it got there, I
finally noticed it was coming out the plug from the 5 foot power cord!!
Somehow the oil wicks it way through 5 feet of power cord - yuck!  So for
now I elevate the plug and keep it wrapped in a rag.

The oil is the usual Shell transformer oil.  It must have some amazing
wicking and penetrating powers!  Any proven ideas on an additive that will
let gravity prevail and keep the oil from escaping, but not compromise its
insulative qualities?

--Steve Y.