Old fixture leaking some substance « on: October 29, 2018, 12:45:47 PM » Author: halofosfaatti
I have old 2x65W fluorescent fixture leaking some yellowish substance. This is very stiff or almost solid stuff. There are it near ballasts and in the bottom of starter hole. Capacitor says SEPT 1980. May this stuff contain these toxic PCBs? Has someone experienced similar leaks? Some starters also seem to leak oil. This type of Helvar ballast does not have internal capacitors, they are just chokes. Anyway this fixture is going to electrical waste. There is also picture about the leak.
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Too many things are secret. Only open information can really preserve old technology.

I like fluorescent and other conventional lighting and old electronic equipment. Today's things are not made to last.

	Re: Old fixture leaking some substance « Reply #1 on: October 29, 2018, 01:56:49 PM » Author: Medved
1980 sounds quite late for PCB based capacitor oil, so it does not have to be that bad. But anyway any thing leaking any oil is dead and needs to be replaced. Most likely it will be some paper (metal can) capacitor. For recycling purpose it is better to separate the "dirty" components (the oil filled capacitor, tar filled ballast,...) from the fixture body, then you may get something for the scrap metal (the fixture body) and save on the lower amount of the dangerous waste (the "dirty" components), without separating it has to be treated as a dangerous waste as whole...
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No more selfballasted c***

	Re: Old fixture leaking some substance « Reply #2 on: October 29, 2018, 02:36:30 PM » Author: halofosfaatti
The capacitor seems not to be the source of this stuff because it is not near the cap. This type of Helvar ballast do not contain tar also. It may be from starter or from ballast lacquer or from outside the fixture. I remember that some open fixture has similar stuff on its lamp holders. The ballast and starter seem to be the source because it is located near them and the leak is also ballast shaped. The fixture still works fine.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2018, 03:17:26 PM by halofosfaatti »		Logged

Too many things are secret. Only open information can really preserve old technology.

I like fluorescent and other conventional lighting and old electronic equipment. Today's things are not made to last.

	Re: Old fixture leaking some substance « Reply #4 on: October 30, 2018, 01:15:58 AM » Author: halofosfaatti
Ok. The insulation is blackened near ballasts so it may be the source. This fixture is also closed (IP 67, almost submersion resistant).
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Too many things are secret. Only open information can really preserve old technology.

I like fluorescent and other conventional lighting and old electronic equipment. Today's things are not made to last.

	Re: Old fixture leaking some substance « Reply #5 on: November 04, 2018, 11:30:34 AM » Author: halofosfaatti
The ballasts of this fixture were blackened at connectors and I think this fixture have had faulty starters or experienced neutral fault. Neutral fault may put overvoltage to the fixture in three phase systems with assymmetric loading. Some electricians say this is common in Finnish installations.
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Too many things are secret. Only open information can really preserve old technology.

I like fluorescent and other conventional lighting and old electronic equipment. Today's things are not made to last.