[ARC5] Cleaning Capacitor Oil Leakage

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kenneth G. Gordon" <kgordon2006 at frontier.com>
To: "Richard Knoppow" <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com>
Cc: <Arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, October 27, 2012 12:46 PM
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Cleaning Capacitor Oil Leakage


> On 27 Oct 2012 at 11:07, Richard Knoppow wrote:
>
>> avoided.  A lot of bathtub type caps are potted with some
>> form of wax. I don't know what exactly the wax was made
>> from. It appears to be a mixture of paraffin wax and 
>> resin
>> of some sort. I have not found a sure fire solvent for 
>> it.
>
> That which is used in the can-caps is beeswax, period. 
> Beeswax is extremely
> difficult to remove completely. When I rebuild can-caps 
> (or "flower-pots" as
> the Oz-ies call them) I first remove the capacitors, then 
> heat the pot to melt
> as much of the beeswax as possible out of them. Then I use 
> Acetone to get
> as much of the rest of it as I can remove. I have never 
> yet been able to
> remove ALL of it.
>
> The trouble with Acetone is that it also takes off the 
> painted numbers and
> names that are on the outside of the can.
>
> I wish there was something more effective against beeswax, 
> but I have not
> yet found anything better than heat and Acetone.
>
> Ken W7EKB

     What I've encountered doesn't look like bee's wax, its 
dark, almost like asphalt but isn't. The bee's wax I am 
familiar with is yellow or amber in color.
     What mainly concerns me is the oil. The wax or potting 
compound has to be removed enough to get the new caps in but 
its pretty soft.  The oil is toxic and I am not sure how to 
deal with it safely.


--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickburk at ix.netcom.com