Re: [TCML] phillips question about wax and more

["David Rieben" <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Gary, Jeff, all,

Also, don't most organic based oils tend to go rancid when exposed
to air over extended periods of time? Think about an open jar of pea-
nut butter and how it will eventually go stale. I'm not sure how staleness
would affect the insulation properties of organic based oils but I would
not think that it would be good. Besides, who wants a stinky transformer?
Maybe if the transformer or capacitor into which the oil is used was com-
pletely vacuumed down, the oil would not deturiate or take on moisture?

Aside from the "grossness", a toilet ring is made from a petroleum
based compound and would probably make a good dielectric potting
mix. Of course a brand new ring from your friendly neighborhood
hardware/builder's supply store would not have quite the gross factor
of a "used" one, aside from its gooey stickiness. Cleanup would definitely
require a petroleum based solvent, though.

David Rieben

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>
To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 10:05 PM
Subject: RE: [TCML] phillips question about wax and more


I would be concerned that adding Palmitic Acid or Stearic Acid to a potting 
compound may be a bad thing.  Acids are likely to hygroscopic, attracting 
moisture and creating a conductive mix.  Not what you want around a HV 
transformer.

As far as the toilet rings - after replacing a couple of toilets in my house 
and scraping off the old wax rings, I find the stuff just gross!  Never mind 
where it's been, it's just sticky and messy and unpleasant to clean up.  You 
can't just scrape it or wipe it up like paraffin or Vaseline.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

-----Original Message-----
From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf 
Of Jeff Behary
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 9:59 PM
To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
Subject: RE: [TCML] phillips question about wax and more


Hey all,
I agree that oil would be best but its such a pain to work with, wax is so 
much more convenient.

You can always add some components to the wax too.  Paraffin oil (mineral 
oil, linseed oil, etc) will make a softer mix that won't crack as easy. 
Another  thing that works is to add a wax "toilet ring" seal to the mix. 
The wax still hardens, and will still contract a bit.  The toilet ring is a 
waxy-vaseline consistency and seems to help the mixture a bit, esp. if being 
poured into a container.

I've even went the tree-hugger route and made vegetable-based waxes for 
coils and transformers.  Soybean oil and Stearic Acid or Palmitic Acid (both 
are waxy flakes used in candle making) will form an unusual and cheap wax 
that (against all odds in bug-infested Florida) have held up nearly 2 years 
without any problems so far.

An unforseen problem here is that a container of oil, of any kind, will be 
completely filled with dead cockroaches and palmetto bugs if not monitored. 
They love the stuff for some strange reason, and have ruined several of my 
projects (and appetite)...

Jeff
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