Old ignition coil, possible PCB's? / High Voltage / Forums

Forums

4hv.org :: Forums :: High Voltage

« Previous topic | Next topic »

Old ignition coil, possible PCB's?

1 2 next

Move Thread

LAN_403

Dr. Dark Current

Fri Jul 11 2008, 04:03PM

Registered Member #152 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384

I've dismantled an old ignition coil and have just realised it may have contained PCB's.
Here's a pic from behind a window (I put it outside in case it' harmful):

The oily mess is not much transparent and quite thick, and it stinks badly.
I don't know how old the coil was.

Anyone can help?

Hon1nbo

Fri Jul 11 2008, 04:07PM

Registered Member #902 Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042

what type of ignition coil was it, the standard cylindrical type or a high energy (HE) coil?
most I have seen apart do not have anything, but I never took apart an HE coil...

Dr. Dark Current

Fri Jul 11 2008, 04:29PM

Registered Member #152 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384

DaJJHman wrote ...

what type of ignition coil was it, the standard cylindrical type or a high energy (HE) coil?
most I have seen apart do not have anything, but I never took apart an HE coil...

It was the cylindrical one, you can see the blue cylinder case on the right. I guess it is more than 20 years old...

aonomus

Fri Jul 11 2008, 05:07PM

Registered Member #1497 Joined: Thu May 22 2008, 05:24AM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 801

describes a 'burn test'. Dip a strip of paper into the oil, then try to light it. PCB's are really unreactive, thats why they can't even burn PCB's to get rid of them. If the oil does not burn at all it likely contains PCBs, but if it does burn, it still may contain a petroleum/PCB blend.

Go google.

Dr. Dark Current

Fri Jul 11 2008, 05:35PM

Registered Member #152 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384

I dipped the paper into it and for the second try of igniting it with a lighter it started to burn.

Does the smel of it have any significance for identifying PCB's?

...

Fri Jul 11 2008, 06:17PM

Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445

PCBs are supposed to smell 'sweet' if it smells like petroleum it probably is safe...

sparky99

Sat Jul 12 2008, 02:38AM

Registered Member #1159 Joined: Fri Dec 07 2007, 02:10AM
Location: Hudson Valley of NY State
Posts: 84

Do you know what year vehicle it came out of ? If it was made after 1979, it should be ok. PCB use in transformers was banned by the feds in '79. Want to be REALLY sure ? Go to

& pick up a DEXSIL PCB Screening Kit (Part number 79019) for $13.50 + shipping. Very nice people to deal with. NO connections, just a satisfied customer.

PCB's are really dangerous if you ingest them or breathe smoke from burning pcb oil. If you get a dab of pcb oil on your skin, just wash it off. It would take multiple skin exposures over years to be a problem. If you old enough to remember, the PCB scare (WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!

) came from the same crowd that gave us global cooling WE'RE ALL GOING TO FREEZE TO DEATH!!!

) in the 1970's, the Alar apple scare (YOUR CHILDREN ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!

) & now global warming (WE'RE ALL GOING TO DROWN!!!

. Just another ploy to sererate you from your hard earned money & chip away at your freedoms. Soapbox mode off.

Regards,
sparky99
bob
n2oam

aonomus

Sat Jul 12 2008, 02:45AM

Registered Member #1497 Joined: Thu May 22 2008, 05:24AM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 801

You could also try finding the density of the oil and finding a similar density compound, might not work though.

quicksilver

Sat Jul 12 2008, 03:36PM

Registered Member #1408 Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679

Here is a small history of PBC banning in the USA:

You said 20 years? I tend to agree with sparky99. You're dealing with multiple exposure and the real issue was the amount of landfill dumps putting that back into the environment. In seems the real actions were taken in and around 1980. in '79 - the legislation was passed. Identification was made prior and in '78 they started to find alternatives.

Let's say the coil was from 1987 as an example. PCB's were really not part of the standard manufacturing process according to the EPA site I posted. But even on the chance it was.....
Read and study the dates and legislations. It will identify the material and issue. The problem were very high levels of this material getting into the eco-system via dump sites. The Czech Republic may have similar sites or links. IF the coil was manufactured in Western Europe or USA I think if would need to be more that 20yrs old to contain PCB's But if it was manufactured within the Soviet system.....

aonomus

Sat Jul 12 2008, 04:48PM

Registered Member #1497 Joined: Thu May 22 2008, 05:24AM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 801

In Soviet Russia, biphenyls chlorinate you!

Sorry, couldn't help it. You could always try something called the 'sodium fusion test' to check whether or not it contains chlorine.

You would need metal sodium, a silver nitrate solution (AgNO3), a fairly hot flame, a test tube that you don't mind breaking (its part of the procedure).

Place a small sample (about 0.5-1cm3) of the oil into the test tube, add a tiny piece of sodium metal (if the oil contains any moisture or contains loose protons from OH groups it might get a little lively). Heat the test tube gently until the clear oil begins to turn black, continue heating until all of it is charred black, then heat the test tube rapidly until it just starts to glow red.

Once the tube is red hot, dump it into cold water and break open the tube, if there is any sodium left be prepared for the usual reaction (ie: wear a lab coat and goggles or something). Once the test tube is broken completely, filter the solution to get rid of the glass. Take a small portion, and add some silver nitrate, if a white precipitate forms quickly, the original sample contains a halogen (could be Cl, Br, I).

You might be able to ask a chemistry prof if he could set you up to do this small test carefully if you are in the sciences. Its a bit of a stretch to do this but this would without doubt confirm if it contains (qualitatively only) chlorine or other halogens.

1 2 next

Moderator(s): Chris Russell, Noelle, Alex, Tesladownunder, Dave Marshall, Dave Billington, Bjørn, Steve Conner, Wolfram, Kizmo, Mads Barnkob