White substance from older transformer

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paul_arc

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This is an older 125kva transformer that looks to be slowly over time giving off this white chalky substance.
It is on a the load side of a VFD that is being constantly run at about 63hz.
Has anyone seen this before?

I am concerned that this can cause the voltage to track and a short circuit.

There is also a fan under the transformer blowing upwards. I am guessing that is why this white substance is rising and not falling.

Thanks,
 

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jim dungar said:
My first guess is that you are looking at simple environmental dust.
When was the last time the transformer was 'vacuumed out'?
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It has probably been 2 years since it was cleaned. One issue is there are many other transformers in the same MCC room, but this is the only one like this.
There isn't much dust at all present around this equipment.
 
Don't think of Zebras, instead of horses, when you hear hoof steps.

Open the transformer, inspect, and clean. Maybe the last cleaning was done poorly.

The air flow through this transformer may be greater than the others in the room.
There are no moving parts inside of a transformer so there is nothing that would create a dust like substance.
 
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This is what I was referring to. If they had a fan directly under the transformer blowing up(per OP) I could see it possibly happening. Just a guess.

1613005813944.png
 
So where is the water coming from?
you have water infiltration coming from somewhere and corroding everything in there.
that white dust is falling from the connections above.
 
It isn't building up like that with copper/ aluminum connections. It is fine powder like.
I wasn't sure if anyone has run across this and maybe if it is a sign of the winding insulation breaking down.

Thanks
 
paul_arc said:
It isn't building up like that with copper/ aluminum connections. It is fine powder like.
I wasn't sure if anyone has run across this and maybe if it is a sign of the winding insulation breaking down.

Thanks
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It should be easy enough to look in the picture and put two and two together, see the white powder on all the aluminum in the panel?
 
Has there been any drywall work done, mudding and sanding, in the nearby area?
 
paul_arc said:
It isn't building up like that with copper/ aluminum connections. It is fine powder like.
I wasn't sure if anyone has run across this and maybe if it is a sign of the winding insulation breaking down.

Thanks
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Do you have any pictures with the cover off?

hbiss said:
I see nothing in the original picture that suggests white dust.

-Hal
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Per the OP, " white chalky substance ". I think I see it on the vents a little in the original picture. Hard to say though.

Bluegrass boy has brought up a good question. I have seen similar buildup on fans when doing drywall work at home. If that is the only equipment with a fan it could attract that dust.
 
Hv&Lv said:
It should be easy enough to look in the picture and put two and two together, see the white powder on all the aluminum in the panel?
Click to expand...

I think you are thinking the picture of that panel is my question. Someone else posted that. My question is on the 125kva dry type transformer.
Bluegrass Boy said:
Has there been any drywall work done, mudding and sanding, in the nearby area?
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That is a good thought and actually it reminds me of drywall dust. But there is no drywall at this facility. The whole place is metal. Floor, ceiling, walls, everything.
 
SSDriver said:
Do you have any pictures with the cover off?


Per the OP, " white chalky substance ". I think I see it on the vents a little in the original picture. Hard to say though.

Bluegrass boy has brought up a good question. I have seen similar buildup on fans when doing drywall work at home. If that is the only equipment with a fan it could attract that dust.
Click to expand...
All transformers there have fans on them, but this is the only one with the white stuff on it. There are probably 30 transformers there. All close to each other. But this one is a bit older than the others.
 
SSDriver said:
Do you have any pictures with the cover off?


Per the OP, " white chalky substance ". I think I see it on the vents a little in the original picture. Hard to say though.

Bluegrass boy has brought up a good question. I have seen similar buildup on fans when doing drywall work at home. If that is the only equipment with a fan it could attract that dust.
Click to expand...
I do not have pictures with the cover off. This is currently running. I would want to make sure I have everything needed to clean and or replace with a spare if I shut it down.
 
I would vacuum it and then just watch it and see if it comes back. More than likely it's just some kind of dust that for some reason is going to that unit only. I can't think of anything that would be inside a transformer that could make such dust.
 
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