PCB oil filled switchgear

[C&H]

Guys we have been asked to replace a very old switch fuse. It is 800A 400V approx 30-40 years old. We believe it is oil filled, likely to be containg PCB's. Is there a safe way to go about replacing this? Even opening the switch to inspect the internals may mean coming into contact with the oil...

 

[Knobhead]

Unlikely to be PCB it will most likely be B40 Transformer Oil. You will need a sample and have it tested. If it turns out to be PCB you need a registered waste company to deal with it. There are strict laws in place regarding transportation and disposal.

What make of gear is it. Any chance of some photographs.

 

[kingeri]

If you think it contains PCBs don't touch the bloody stuff.

 

[C&H]

cheers tony i'll get a sample taken from it, job needs to be done!!

 

[telectrix]

just tip it down the nearest grid. might kill a few cod, but i don't eat fish . :ban:

 

[Knobhead]

Contact the test house before you take the sample. They will advise how to take it and arrange collection of the sample. You can not send it by mail or ordinary currier, it has to be a licensed carrier.

Tel, that’s the sort of trick I’d have pulled thirty years back. There wasn’t the laws in place then regarding transporting PCB as a toxic material then.

BTW, it will probably end up as fuel after treatment in a cement kiln. I used to do the daily emissions reports on cement kilns. They are stringent to say the least.

 

[C&H]

Tony we have a disposal contractor lined up to deal with the waste oil, i'm just worried about actually changing the switch gear and coming into contact with the oil. I've been on the hse site, gonna do a site visit start of the week i'll send you a pic of the nameplate.
We were told pcb's were contained in the equipment we are to change but hopefully that is only the case with the old pf units, they are easily dealt with, we can remove the units in one piece without disturbing the capacitors

 

[Knobhead]

I'm alway interested in old switchgear so the more pictures you can get the better. Over the years I've taken many panels out, never took any pictures. I feel guilty about the vandalism, but most of the gear is well past it's sell by date.

There are companies that make replacement retro-fit switch trucks, they never look right to me. But they get around the problem of re-cabling an entire board.

 

[brookster]

Overalls, gloves and goggles. Use the pump only for this oil, this oil is cancerous. Wash hands with cold water do not touch your face or wipe your hands on your overalls it can get in easily through skin pores ie.. armpits and testicles.
Oil drums must be sealed and stored in a locked storage unit on top of a bund, send sample for analysis if it hasn't been changed for a while even if doesn't contain pcbs it will fail on dielectric, acidity or moisture.
Everything which has the oil on it - rags, gloves must go in a bin for collection as it's an hazard to the environment.
Always have a spill kit available when dealing with any OM16 or tranny oil.
Opening the breaker should be OK but closing it I would have a problem with.

 

[Engineer54]

if it hasn't been changed for a while even if doesn't contain pcbs it will fail on dielectric, acidity or moisture

This old switch-fuse and it's oil is being replaced/binned, so dielectric testing the oil is going to be a bit of a waste of time in this instance!! lol!!

 

[brookster]

This old switch-fuse and it's oil is being replaced/binned, so dielectric testing the oil is going to be a bit of a waste of time in this instance!! lol!!

If its an ring main unit it would still get done. but your right its getting binned so its not needed.
That said it would be handy to test for PCB's while they are changing it and the other tests as well, just in case they have more switchgear and they can get a vague idea of the situation.
One test bottle wouldn't hurt.

 

[snowhead]

Makes you wonder, again, what substances we are all freely using today which in 20 or 30 years will have been found to be hazardous.

 

[Knobhead]

The switch was safely removed.
Looked an interesting bit of kit.

 

[C&H]

We tested the oil, no pcb in it only transformer oil! Jobs finished now switchgear removed and replaced and oil is getting disposed of by an oil disposal contractor

 

[Knobhead]

Did you get any pictures of the "guts" would like to see them if you did.

 

[High Tower]

Tony needs his fix of old gear!!

Here's one for you...... A prime example of old gear in bad shape!!

 

[Engineer54]

Tony needs his fix of old gear!!

Think he's far more interested in the bigger LV stuff, or better still older MV switchgear!! lol!!

 

[Brightspark2]

Makes you wonder, again, what substances we are all freely using today which in 20 or 30 years will have been found to be hazardous.

I wonder this myself...

 

[Knobhead]

Tony needs his fix of old gear!!

Think he's far more interested in the bigger LV stuff, or better still older MV switchgear!! lol!!

You know me to well!

 

[Knobhead]

Makes you wonder, again, what substances we are all freely using today which in 20 or 30 years will have been found to be hazardous.

At least now you have more information via COSHH.

When I started the PCB scare was only really getting rolling. We removed a lot of PF capacitors, probably even ones that were safe but we weren’t sure so they had to go.
Disposal has to be at extremely high temperature, unfortunately there were the fly boys that didn’t stick to the rules.
Now PCB’s for disposal can be blended in to liquid fuel used in cement kilns. Along with old tyres and all kinds of other crap. Don’t worry about the cement, the temperature required to make it is so high all traces of the PCB are destroyed.

If anyone remembers the EMEB’s HV training collage at Ashover Hall a most of the transformers were PCB filled. When it moved to Radcliffe, the transformers had to go for disposal as they couldn’t be transported to the new site for reuse.