Anyone know about oil immersed battery chargers?

[Ben_O]

Last week at work, we had a lovely old gentleman pop in for an MOT on his motorhome and whilst he was waiting, I demonstrated some wax products for him to use under his motorhome and we got talking about classic cars.

 

I showed him around the MG Midget I am restoring and he was recalling all of the old cars he has had through the years and some restoration work he had done himself.

 

Anyway, long story short, He popped back in yesterday with a curious item in his hands. He said he had been sorting out his garage and come across this item and thought i might like it.

 

He told me that they were used on Wolseley police cars back in the 50's and were bolted to the bulkhead, wired to the car and then could be plugged into the mains to charger the batteries.

 

He says it works fine but I can't find any information on it at all apart from some other items like coils and magnetos made by the same company 'Runbaken' of Manchester.

 

I wondered if anyone had any info on it as I would quite like to find out more.

Here are some pictures

 

 

 

Many thanks

 

Ben

[Tamworthbay]

Can't be any help but it looks cool, how is the midget coming on? Is Carl helping out with it?

[colnerov]

Hi, Be aware the oil in that comes from a time when it was high in PCBs and is carcinogenic.  Nasty stuff.

 

 Colin

[Timewaster]

Hi, Be aware the oil in that comes from a time when it was high in PCBs and is carcinogenic. Nasty stuff.

 

Colin

PCBs are indeed nasty.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polychlorinated_biphenyl

 

Test kits are available to prove if it has PCBs.

https://www.jointingtech.co.uk/Clor-n-Oil-50ppm-PCB-Test-Kit

 

Very simple to use but if PCBs are present then it will be a bugger to dispose of.

Pm me or maybe Danthecapriman as we have similar jobs in the electricity industry dealing with insulating oils and may be able to advise.

 

Apologies to Dan for volunteering him!

[Ben_O]

Can't be any help but it looks cool, how is the midget coming on? Is Carl helping out with it?

Hi Clive.

 

Midget is coming on really well, Carl won't be any help as I am on the Isle of Wight and he is in Kent. He has asked me to respray his Mini again though so he is looking at bringing it down in October.

 

There is a thread on TMF for the Midget if you still use it?

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[Ben_O]

Hi, Be aware the oil in that comes from a time when it was high in PCBs and is carcinogenic.  Nasty stuff.

 

 Colin

 

 

PCBs are indeed nasty. Test kits are available to prove if it has PCBs.

https://www.jointingtech.co.uk/Clor-n-Oil-50ppm-PCB-Test-Kit

 

Very simple to use but if PCBs are present then it will be a bugger to dispose of.

Pm me or maybe Danthecapriman as we have similar jobs in the electricity industry dealing with insulating oils and may be able to advise.

 

Apologies to Dan for volunteering him!

Cheers for the advice

 

I was thinking of it being something to clean up and keep hold of. Just a piece of automobilia.

 

Would it be unsafe to have around then?

[Timewaster]

Not harmful unless you come into contact with the oil inside.

 

If we discover PCBs in a piece of apparatus we just label it up and leave it alone.

[Ben_O]

Good to know.

 

I'm starting to wonder if he gave me this thing to save him disposing of it?? 

[Tamworthbay]

Hi Clive.

 

Midget is coming on really well, Carl won't be any help as I am on the Isle of Wight and he is in Kent. He has asked me to respray his Mini again though so he is looking at bringing it down in October.

 

There is a thread on TMF for the Midget if you still use it?

 

Cheers

 

Ben

Ah, didn't realise you were back on the Isle. Not been on TMF in a while, the mini had to go to make room for the Capri unfortunately.

[Ben_O]

Ah, didn't realise you were back on the Isle. Not been on TMF in a while, the mini had to go to make room for the Capri unfortunately.

that's a shame.

 

How's the Capri?

[Tamworthbay]

that's a shame.

 

How's the Capri?

Going slowly, need your skills, my mate who is the paint guy in our little team is stupid busy with work so not had much time on it. I am thinking about just doing the essential bits and getting it scruffy but running for the summer then look to finish for next year.

[Ben_O]

Going slowly, need your skills, my mate who is the paint guy in our little team is stupid busy with work so not had much time on it. I am thinking about just doing the essential bits and getting it scruffy but running for the summer then look to finish for next year.

sounds like a plan.

If I was nearer, I'd happily come along and drink your tea and eat your bacon whilst getting it straight

[Tamworthbay]

sounds like a plan.

If I was nearer, I'd happily come along and drink your tea and eat your bacon whilst getting it straight

I do a mean cup of tea and bacon sarnie, if you fancy a holiday in Tamworth give me a shout (thought not)

[Ben_O]

I got this info from a member of another forum i frequent

 

I am old enough to remember seeing those splendid devices advertised occasionlly. Just a particularly well made on-board battery charger. The oil filling meant that it could deliver quite a high current without overheating. I suspect that it was mainly for cooling the rectifier, either selenium or copper oxide, both of which were inefficient and easily damaged by overheating. Germanium diodes were not sufficiently advanced, and silicon semiconductors were probably still several years away when those were made.

I don't know where to find any more information. You could try the archives of magazines of the day, perhaps.

I would suggest that what you have is worthy of being exhibited in a motoring museum somewhere. Your choice of course, you could give them it on indefinite loan. 

[Mally]

I could have put them on a shelf at the Bubble Car Museum.

They would never notice.