Oxford 300a oil cooled on 240

[brightspark]

so if it's made before 1981 and has original oil it's nasty?

not all transformers used pcb and for a few gallons in a sealed container pose no problems long term exposure to your skin probably cach dermatitis

 

[madkayaker]

its a bit more than dermatitis its carcinogenic

 

[brnomauser]

not all transformers used pcb and for a few gallons in a sealed container pose no problems long term exposure to your skin probably cach dermatitis

I was thinking syphoning it with my mouth. So if it's pcb I don't really want to.

When did they start making these 300A models?

 

[madkayaker]

i wouldn't get to hung up on the PCB risk use a turkey baster type thing and wear gloves

 

[eil]

You could pour all of it out to a clear container and let the lot settle, then depending on the condition of the oil skim off the top and pour back in, leaving any crud and water behind

 

[PTvor]

What's very dangerous with PCBs is to burn them on an ordinary fire. Rags, gloves and other bits and pieces contaminated shouldn't be chucked on a bonfire. It doesn't get hot enough to destroy them, but it is hot enough to turn them into serious nasties such as dioxins.

I don't know whether there's any easy way to test whether transformer oil contains PCBs. Not all of it did.

As for priming syphons for transformer oil by mouth, not a great idea. What about those cheap little syphons with a bellows on top?

 

[tm1888]

Hi, I appreciate this thread is a couple of months old, but looking for some help. My Oxfords metal label says only refill with "Shell Diala Oil B" which I Know is PCB free. Does this mean it was made after 1981 and has no PCB in the oil. Or should it be treated as containing PCB. The reason I ask is when adjusting the Amp selector, a small amount of oil is released, ie when you lift the spring-loaded selector up the 1/2" or so and then turn to the desired setting, the oil on the brass spindle of the selector is deposited on the top of the welder when the selector spindle drops back down into the welder. Thanks for the guidance.

 

[madkayaker]

its no guarantee that it has not had PCB oil put in by a previous owner the only way to be sure it to get the oil tested

 

[Drains]

It's likely that the oil has never been changed (as there's no reason to). Is there meant to be an O ring or similar to stop oil coming out of the selector?

Re PCBs, there's next to no info on the net about the risks of PCBs in oil-cooled welders, which leads me think the level of risk is low. Personally I wouldn't worry about it, but as for you, that's your decision!

 

[madkayaker]

agree with that but the use of PCB oil was wide spread to the extent that usable oil was being removed and replaced with PCB oil in the mid to late 60-70's. i work on a site with many oil filled transformers, chokes, avr's etc and they were all checked and certified PCB free but trace amounts were detected in some equipment and that needed to be changed. the real test is do you know the history of the welder. if for example your farther had it from new and was never likely to have worked/ contact with PCB oil then its probability safe. If the welder was from a factory with PCB equipment then treat as PCB as if it had been low on oil/ repaired then it could have easily been topped up.

 

[Kayak-Girl]

Here is a link to the spec sheet for the Shell Diala Oil.
It says its PCB free but you wont know whats actually in the machine unless you get it tested .

http://www.lamberts.co.uk/profile/sections/lubricants/coshh-tds/she-tds-diagx.pdf:

 

[brightspark]

It's likely that the oil has never been changed (as there's no reason to). Is there meant to be an O ring or similar to stop oil coming out of the selector?

Re PCBs, there's next to no info on the net about the risks of PCBs in oil-cooled welders, which leads me think the level of risk is low. Personally I wouldn't worry about it, but as for you, that's your decision!

i wouldnt bother either the risk is a few blackheads and acne thats with contact to the skin and regular exposure

 

[madkayaker]

that's not the case if there is PCB in the oil http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polychlorinated_biphenyl