White substance from older transformer

[gadfly56]

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

-Hal

Thank you, I thought I was the only one! All I see in the picture is general environmental dust. Hire a maid!

 

[kwired]

Are the windings copper or aluminum?

If it is aluminum oxide coming from windings the insulation about has to have major problems to let it out though.

 

[paul_arc]

Are the windings copper or aluminum?

If it is aluminum oxide coming from windings the insulation about has to have major problems to let it out though.

This transformer doesn't have a name plate, but without opening it to look I would have to guess Aluminum. Based on the fact that all the older transformers in the MCC are aluminum windings and only a few of the newer transformers are copper windings.

It looks like the safest thing to do would be to shut it down, clean it and do a PI test.

 

[petersonra]

It looks like the safest thing to do would be to shut it down, clean it and do a PI test.

By the time you screw around with doing so you might find it is more cost effective to just replace the transformer. Can probably get a new one for under $2000. You would be hard pressed to import a technician to do the testing for that kind of money.