Chlorine and conductivity

[hockeyoligist2]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this and I hope I can explain properly!

Last week we had a very large chlorine leak, killed grass, a tree, bushes outside the building. There are two 460v exhaust fans in the room. One of them blew a fuse, a few days later. I checked everything and the only thing I found was a slight ground on the motor (10 M ohms) I put in a new fuse. The other two went south when I turned it back on. The motor had signs of heat damage, the label was peeling off and burned looking (no meggar without going back to the shop). I had a spare so I replaced it. I checked everything again before hooking up the wires and I was getting 10 M ohms on the wires to ground, which I wouldn't think would blow a fuse. I hooked everything up turned it on, blew another fuse.

I disconnected the wires at the starter and the motor. I got 10 M ohms again. I turned off the other fan to compare since they are both in the same conduit and there was nothing to ground. Then while it was still off I rechecked the other fan and there was nothing to ground. I can turn the other fan back on and I get a ground, but very a low 10 M ohms.

This is getting long, I know. So, I will get to my question. Since the pipe is buried in cement I'm sure it is full of water by now, it has probably been there 40 + years. Would the chlorine increase the conductivity between the deteriorating wire insulation? Maybe going phase to phase? This one has me baffled, and I'm normally not baffled easily on troubleshooting.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

When chlorine is released it combines with water or water vapor in the air to form hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid. These products will cause problems with the electrical system.
Don

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

When chlorine is released it combines with water or water vapor in the air to form hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid. These products will cause problems with the electrical system.
Don

It might even equate to the 3-Cs
Corrosive
Conductive
Cause of problem

 

[cadpoint]

The neutralizer

The neutralizer

So what are you going to do? Re-pull all that service, is the Whole room now suspect, are you going to try to neurtalize what's in the conduits in the concrete ?

Are the windings of the fan motors now failing, seems like everything needs a baking soda bath(if thats even right), keep use advised, short or long story.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I have worked on two pump rooms where there had been a chlorine leak. I both cases we ended up replacing all of the controls (relays, starters, push buttons, ect) and cut back and reterminated all conductors. Anything that was warm at the time of the leak, like transformers or motors did not have any real problems. In some cases the acid on the equipment was strong enough to require the use of rubber gloves. The first time we saw this problem, we only fixed what was not working at that time, only to have to come back over the next few weeks and repair or replace other items. The second time we just replaced or repaired everything right away. In neither case did we have to replace any conductors.
Don

 

[catchtwentytwo]

So what are you going to do? Re-pull all that service, is the Whole room now suspect, are you going to try to neurtalize what's in the conduits in the concrete ?

Are the windings of the fan motors now failing, seems like everything needs a baking soda bath(if thats even right), keep use advised, short or long story.

I believe baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach so you probably don't want to use it in this case. Chlorine Bleach Booster
ARM & HAMMER? Baking Soda and pH

 

[cadpoint]

I'll stand by my Post.

I'll stand by my Post.

I believe baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach so you probably don't want to use it in this case. Chlorine Bleach Booster
ARM & HAMMER? Baking Soda and pH

Wait, You better go re-read your own links.

While it would really raise some eyes if Wally went in Monday morning and made the statement we got to dunk the motors, and I confess that was not my intent. Maybe the excitement was raised due to the fact that motor and bath where in the same sentence seperated by a comma.

Your second link states that Baking Soda acts as a neutralizer raising
the Ph back to normal, of their words:

What is the deal with ARM & HAMMER? Baking Soda and pH?
...
When ARM & HAMMER? Baking Soda comes in contact with either an acidic or an alkaline substance, it's natural effect is to neutralize that extreme pH - tilting the see- saw back toward level. And beyond that, baking soda has the capability to resist further changes in the pH balance - keep the see-saw level--this is called buffering.
http://www.armhammer.com/basics/magic/#2

Maybe the Room needs a sponge bath....

 

[RayS]

I'm guessing the chlorine ate the motor bearings...

 

[catchtwentytwo]

Wait, You better go re-read your own links.

While it would really raise some eyes if Wally went in Monday morning and made the statement we got to dunk the motors, and I confess that was not my intent. Maybe the excitement was raised due to the fact that motor and bath where in the same sentence seperated by a comma.

Your second link states that Baking Soda acts as a neutralizer raising
the Ph back to normal, of their words:

What is the deal with ARM & HAMMER? Baking Soda and pH?
...
When ARM & HAMMER? Baking Soda comes in contact with either an acidic or an alkaline substance, it's natural effect is to neutralize that extreme pH - tilting the see- saw back toward level. And beyond that, baking soda has the capability to resist further changes in the pH balance - keep the see-saw level--this is called buffering.
http://www.armhammer.com/basics/magic/#2

Maybe the Room needs a sponge bath....

I'm not claiming credentials as a chemist and wonder what HAZMAT or motor shop folks would suggest. Perhaps "if in doubt, toss it out" applies here.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Here is an extreme example of chlorine gas damage.

 

[cadpoint]

___________________________________________________

I'll just stick to electrical, that I can do, that I can research.
___________________________________________________

:grin:

 

[hockeyoligist2]

OK, finally found the problem. Someone, many years ago, had installed a relay in a junction box so the fans would come on when the lights were turned on, Didn't change the print. The chlorine had corroded the relay socket which was causing the starter to chatter and blow the fuse. Since I was working alone and the starter is in a different building I couldn't hear the chatter.