[Boatanchors] Regarding PCB's

[Marvin Match]

The subject of PCB's crops up now and again. I've waded through 
discussion after discussion on these lists. I want to try and put things 
into perspective by sharing my experience with the stuff, but I'm no 
expert. Take it or leave it.

In my 20's I worked for General Electric as a motor and transformer 
winder. I worked on motors with 12 foot diameter rotors, and oil-filled 
transformers the size of 3 refrigerators.

I was in PCB-laden transformer oil very frequently and usually washed it 
off my body with tichloroethane, another carcinogen. Some days my 
clothes would become soaked completely through. I would not be able to 
get out of them until after my shift ended and after the 15 mile ride 
back home on my motorcycle. Not every day mind you, but often. This went 
on for a couple of years.

Oh, come to think of it, lots of exposure to lead paint in the Navy as 
well. Applying white lead and red lead paints by brush almost every day 
and washing it off the exposed parts of my body with JP5 jet fuel.

I'm now 68 years old and do not have, nor have I ever had cancer.  On 
the other hand, if you search hard enough you can probably find a person 
that just walked past this stuff and is now trying to sue some company 
because they have cancer.

Now then, I don't advocate bathing in oils containing PCB's or 
trichloroethane, or lead paint, or jet fuel like I practically used to 
have to do. Now that we know more about these things that would just be 
stupid. You may not be as lucky as I have been if exposed to LARGE 
QUANTITIES of these chemicals for LONG PERIODS of time.

But guys, this stuff is not going to jump out and gobble you up. I've 
seen guys simply trash old equipment just because it MIGHT have a 
component containing PCB's but are completely unaware that the pole pig 
transformer on the power pole in their backyards is just waiting to 
spray them with PCB-laden oil as soon as one of the neighbor kids gets 
his first BB gun.

OK, no more ranting, I promise.

Back to the topic at hand . . . The capacitors in your vintage 
transmitter are oil filled paper dielectric. They don't have to contain 
PCB's, but they might. If they are leaking don't be afraid to replace 
them. Clean up the oil with a solvent in a spray can, like flux remover, 
car brake cleaner, carburetor cleaner or similar, (all of which are also 
carcinogenic BTW. Such Irony!)

If you're just seeing a little discoloration around the seals, that 
means almost nothing. If they are a little wet but not dripping clean it 
off with the spray solvent of choice and check it again in a year or 
two. The gaskets may be cork or paper or Garloc and some very minor 
seepage is actually normal.

Hope this helps.

Marvin, KA7TPH