Hello everybody. Some guy is trying to sell me a few thousand litres of transformer oil which he assures me is vegetable oil. He has given me several litres as a sample and it kinda looks like new canola oil but I can't react it as you normally would when making a test batch of biodiesel. Can anybody tell me whether transformer oil is normally mineral or vegetable oil? If its a mineral oil can it be used as a fuel in diesel engines or furnaces etc. If so is anyone around Perth interested in any of it?
Rob

Transformer oil could be an organic oilm if it is from older transformers.

It is a carcinogen, so be very careful with your sample. It is sure to be a PCB product.

I would not be playing with it or thinking of using it for any sort of fuel.

If from newer transformers it will be mineral oil

Either way you can't make bio out of it.

Hi everyone,

If it was up to me DON'T USE IT.

This oil, if it is mineral oil, and was used in an active transformer you don't want to go near it, it could be highly contaminated and is not the sort of stuff you want to burn and breathe in.

I'm sure they want to get rid of it, prob because it's toxic. You need to make sure you don't accidentaly get your hands on stuff called Askeral. This transformer oil had PCBs [polychlorinated biphenols), added to make it more stable and long lasting.

God bless froggo.

__________________
HJ45 Landcruiser Troopy
SVO/WVO Converted 18/01/08

Thanks guys for your advice. I didn't realize it was potentially so dangerous so I'll stay clear of it now.

Rob,
I concur with the above statements.
Western Power (my employer) will not transport damaged transformers if they are leaking, and wll drain out the oil and transport it in drums. This may not have anything to do with PCBs, but there are a lot of contaminated WP sites from oils containing PCBs which were used in transformers.

Regards,
Tony

Avoid ti like the plague, PCBs are carcinogens.

Hello Tony
This guy is trying to sell 20,000 litres of this oil which he confirms comes from Western Power. Sounds dodgy to me I reckon it's probably an employee whose knocked it off and trying to make a few dollars on the side and if the stuff is dangerous then Western Power wouldn't allow it out into the public domain, would they?

Rob

Hello Rob

Just make sure the exhaust pipe is facing your neighbours house and you and the kids wear Gas masks.