Heath potted transformers Methylene Chloride

[Dennis Klipa]

Methylene Chloride in 316 stainless can cause a form of corrosion called
pitting  and stress cracking, but it is due to the trace levels of
Hydrogen Chloride and water.  At the exceedingly low levels of these
contaminants found in most methylene chloride, this is going to be a very
slow process and you won't see it in the operations you are going to be
doing with your transformer.

Of more concern to me is the fact that Methylene Chloride, under the right
conditions, can react violently with Aluminum.  I have read a number of
reports where methylene chloride was stored in aluminum resulting in
vessel rupture.  I have tried this several times in the lab but could
never make it react under ambient conditions but I believe the reports.

Aluminum metal rapidly builds up a protective oxide coating in air which
acts to insulate the metal from further reaction.  If you remove that
coating under an oxygen free atmosphere, the metal can become very
reactive to certain chlorine containing compounds.  The likelihood of
having a problem with rubbing it on an aluminum chassis or part is very
small, but don't store it in an aluminum container.

Dennis

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