Electrical contacts develop carbon deposits over time. Carbon deposits reduce conductivity and result in loss of power. Hence contact cleaning is a part and parcel of preventive maintenance in every industry that uses switchgear. This includes
the general manufacturing industry, the servicing industry as well as
the power generation, transmission and distribution sector.
POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES
The alternatives listed below have been found already in use for contact cleaning. No performance assessment of these products has been carried out yet.
Substance in use
|
Current
usage
|
Small sized
contacts
|
Acetone
|
Cleaning of silver coated
contacts of control devices
May react with insulation
material used in the power sector.
|
CRC 20
TM
|
Popular contact cleaner used in
the power sector, for telecommunication equipment and printing
machinery.
|
CRC 2-26
TM
|
Popular aerosol contact cleaner
used in the power sector.
Also used for ‘online’ cleaning.
|
Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA)
|
Contact cleaning of photocopier
machines.
|
Mineral Turpentine
|
Cleaning of contactor assemblies in the power sector. Usage limited to ‘offline’ operations.
|
Perchloroethylene (PCE)
|
Contact cleaning in the power
sector. No information on specific applications or user satisfaction
available.
|
Larger
contacts such as in switchyards
|
Trichloroethylene (TCE)
|
Cleaning of carbon deposits on
breakers in the switchyard in the power sector.
Warning: Substance may cause cancer. Use and handling requires outmost precautions.
|
HAZARDS TO CONSIDER
|
|
Every substance has limitations. While every solvent is toxic to a certain extent, the harmfulness varies from one substance to another. A given substance may be hazardous on skin contact, be a fire hazard, harm the environment and/or cause cancer (i.e.red category). The table shows the ratings for each hazard category on a comparative scale. Click
here to review the key to the hazard categories |
Substance
|
CAS
#
|
Hazard
categories evaluated
|
Inhalation
|
Skin
|
Environment
|
Flammability
|
Acetone
|
67-64-1
|
Irritant
|
Irritant
|
not classified
|
Highly flammable
|
CRC 2-26 TM 1
|
blend
|
Irritant
|
Irritant
|
not classified
|
Combustible
|
Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA)
|
67-63-0
|
Irritant
|
none
|
not classified
|
Highly
flammable
|
Perchloroethylene (PCE)
|
127-18-4
|
Very toxic
|
Toxic
|
Very hazardous
|
Non-flammable
|
Trichloroethylene (TCE)
|
79-01-6
|
Irreversible
|
Irreversible
|
Hazardous
|
Non-flammable
|
Currently not classifiable
|
CRC 20 TM
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mineral
Turpentine
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes:
|
1
The classification of CRC 2-26 TM is based on
information derived from the corresponding Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
A re-evaluation of the product is pending.
|
FURTHER INFORMATION
Find information on prices, physical properties and heath
risks of common, non-proprietary solvents in our publication
Solvent Alternatives. However,
this edition may not provide information on every solvent
listed above.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Please click
here
to let us know!
Disclaimer
Ü
Though all care has been taken while researching and compiling the information
presented above, GTZ Proklima accepts no liability for its correctness. The
reader is advised to confirm its correctness prior to use or purchase of any
substance.
Ü
GTZ Proklima makes no claim in respect of the suitability of any substance as
substitute for CTC in any specific industrial process. Suitability remains to
be verified through trials with due consideration of health and safety
aspects.
Ü
Information provided here does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation
of any product by GTZ Proklima. While preference is given to non-proprietary
products information on selected proprietary products may be included if they
appear to have a better environment, health and safety performance or if they
are already widely adopted by the industry.
|
|