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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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3rd Oct 2005, 4:34 pm | #1 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK.
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Wet electrolytics....what's in them?
I've been following the interesting thread on Visconol Capacitors and it has prompted me to ask a question about wet electrolytics. Does anybody know for sure what the liquid is that is in them? I have opened several of these in the past and carefully drained out the liquid into a plastic bag and simply rinsed the empty can out with meths. I seal the bag with the liquid in and put it out with the rubbish. Now is this liquid a PCB? If so I will have to think again on the disposal of this stuff....it is only small amounts though.
Rich.
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3rd Oct 2005, 4:42 pm | #2 |
Retired Dormant Member
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Re: Wet electrolytics....what's in them?
Definitely not a PCB. Quite possibly acid and corrosive but not really harmful to put out with your rubbish.
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3rd Oct 2005, 4:59 pm | #3 |
Rest in Peace
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Location: Dartford, Kent, UK.
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Re: Wet electrolytics....what's in them?
Hi Rich, Re the liquid in wet electrolytics,
"The electrolyte is generally boric acid, or ammonium or sodium borate with a small amount of water in ethylene glycol, glycerin, dimethyl formamide or gamma-butryolactone." . Or so it says on this useful site:- http://www.smecc.org/haz-mat_in_military_comm_.htm Probably not too harmful, but difficult to spell.... . Regards, Mick. |
3rd Oct 2005, 10:16 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Re: Wet electrolytics....what's in them?
Thanks for that info guys.
As I recall, the liquid looked and acted like water so it's probably a mixture of things......didn't touch it to find out though! I gather from that website that the PCB stuff is quite thick...like a thin treacle. Probably the same as the stuff used in those old Murphy line transformers. When I think of the number of those that were probably just thrown out with normal rubbish....! Rich.
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3rd Oct 2005, 10:57 pm | #5 |
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Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK.
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Re: Wet electrolytics....what's in them?
The oil used in the bathtub capacitors in AR88 receivers smells like cooking oil to me, but I haven't tried using it for that purpose. I think these are paper capacitors immersed in oil. They are definitely not electrolytics. I just fit new polypropylene caps in the case.
Graham. |
4th Oct 2005, 5:21 pm | #6 |
Heptode
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Waiheke Island, New Zealand
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Re: Wet electrolytics....what's in them?
I have seen the corrosive effect on the aluminium cans the electrolyte has, once in contact with air. (Several exploded ones )
I would not recommend getting it on your skin. I am sure it would be very irritating. |
2nd Nov 2005, 5:11 am | #7 |
Triode
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Grand Junction, Colorado, USA.
Posts: 33
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Re: Wet electrolytics....what's in them?
I don't want to speak out of turn but here in the US many old (pre-1979) oil filled capacitors all have PCB based oils in them as the dialectric. Since most of the old radios over here don't have any oil based caps the PCB disposal issue isn't much of a problem for radio collectors. It does pose a problem for those of us who collect vintage jukeboxes though. Most all Seeburgs from 1960 on up have a large PCB oil filled cap in them. In the earlier models it's in the Auto Speed Unit. In the later boxes it's right on the mechanism. When these caps leak they have a funny smell about them and an oily residue around the mountings. When handling these I always wear gloves and take the bad ones to the local household hazardous waste facility for proper disposal.
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