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Comment by bobim | Hacker News Reader

The dieletric oil in transformers is both toxic and flammable, causing a lot of damage when they start burning. If an alternative, safer fluid existed it would be a massive market.

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I guess it depends on what dielectric constant they need and the serviceability. Even deionized water can be a dielectric. I think Novec makes multiple non-toxic non-flammable dielectric too.

Thanks, I had a look at the datasheets and it seems that I have to upgrade my knowledge. But why are transformers fire still a thing then? Cost?

I'm not sure. Could be cost. It might also be that they need time to test or even redesign to use the new fluids if they have different specs. Another possibility is that no matter what the fluid, if it breaks down or evaporates, the loss of insulation could still lead to a fire by igniting other things, such as the pole or nearby vegetation.

In a case of interesting timing, I heard a transformer blow just last week. There wasn't any fire and the fire department wasn't called. The linesmen showed up a couple hours later to replace it.

You're probably correct about the design, so that would be a question of retrofitting existing old hardware. The example you're giving shows that the transition to these new fluids is already there. Thanks!

The problem with de-ionised water is that its still really quite corrosive.

Its also not as dialectic as common oils.

Yeah, I would not expect it to be used in this case, but just pointing out that it does exist as a non-toxic, non-flammable option.

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