Re: [TCML] Diesel for transformer oil?

[David Dean <deano@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi

Hydraulic oil like that used in tractors would be a pretty safe bet. Tractor 
supply or local auto parts house should have it in 5 gallon pails and it is 
likely less expensive than horse laxative.

FYI they make a special "dielectric" hydraulic oil for use in bucket trucks etc. 
used to work on high voltage power lines. It has red dye in it. I do not know 
what else is different than "regular" hydraulic oil, but it is very expensive 
and must be special ordered. It is required if the equipment is to be certified 
for high voltage use.

later
deano

On Wednesday 05 November 2008 02:52:08 pm David Rieben wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I have recently removed some bad oil from my
> x-ray transformer due to some internal arcing
> that had been occuring. The oil was nearly
> black with suspended carbon paritcles (not
> good). The tank holds a whopping 25 gallons
> and a quick call to my local oil jobber revealed
> that the recent lower spot market cost oil crude
> had obviously NOT yet trickeld down to the
> transformer oil customer, as the price quote
> for a Shell DialaX transformer oil was $10.01/gal!
> Partial fill-up is not an option for x-ray transfor-
> mers as they run a very high voltage/volume
> ratio that is entirely dependant upon proper oil
> filling to be functional at anything near their
> rated voltage. This got me to thinking about
> stories of scrap metal dealers running their
> diesle trucks on the oil of reclaimed transformers
> and wondering if diesel fuel could also possi-
> bly be used for a suitable dielectric oil for
> filling transformers. Diesel has an oily consis-
> tancy and can now be purchased for less than
> $4/gallon. I know properly rated transformer oil
> is the BEST but I just can't see dropping >$250
> to repair a transformer that I only paid $50 for
> when I bought it! How much does mineral oil
> laxitive at the farm coops generally go for per
> gallon? Any suggestions?
>
> David Rieben
>
> PS - Too bad that I couldn't have filtered the
> contaminated oil to reuse.
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