Re: Golka's Wendover "secret" gap

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Original poster: Jim Lux <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

At 11:09 PM 9/25/2005, you wrote:
> Original poster: Terry Fritz <vardin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Hi Jerry,
>
> The gas smells like rotten eggs and is heavier than air.

All the SF6 I've seen and smelled has been odorless.  Perhaps there 
are contaminants that are sulfur compounds (most of which smell fairly bad)?

>   If suffocating, "legend" is to hold the victim upside down so the 
> gas can flow out.  I don't think I believe that one :o)

Interesting idea. I would think that the gas is well mixed enough in 
your lungs that it would be exhaled normally.  It's pretty inert.

"We" never arced it, but it produces horrible gasses on decomposition 
by arc or by fire.  It's relative SF4 will kill you standing right 
out and burst your lungs into flames (on contact with the moisture in 
the lungs) as you drop to the floor...  If it does not ignite, it 
will form hydrofluoric acid in you lungs that just kills you a few 
minutes slower (but your already dead at the point from the basic 
toxicity)... One of the most, if not THE most, deadly gasses known to man...

> http://www.concordegas.com/pdf/sf6.pdf#search='sf6%20msds'
>
> Hard to find an MSDS on SF4 since no one plays with it ;-))  It is a 
> homeland security "watch" substance...
>
> SF6 is a very useful high voltage gas insulator but it needs great caution:
>
> http://www.solvaychemicals.us/pdf/Specialty_Fluorides/SF6.pdf#search='sf6%20msds'
>
> http://www.concordegas.com/pdf/sf6.pdf#search='sf6%20msds'
>
> Arcing the gas at very high temperature makes really screwed up 
> compounds...  There just are not any good elements there....  Pure 
> SF6 is pretty safe unless it smothers one...  But it smells bad :-p