Hi, I have a reduced voltage motor starter with the contacts submersed in oil. I am trying to find oil to add/change, any ideas what oil might be in the starter ? transformer oil ? Supply house said the oil is obsolete but they can get it in 4 oz containers at $60 bucks each, that will be very expensive seeing I need 5 gallons. This is an old Cutler Hammer starter you pull the arm forward to start the motor and when at speed push arm back to run.
Take care! You don't say how old it is, but that style of starter could be very old. Early transformer oils are carciogenic. That's why those types are obsolete.
There's a good chance that the 'oil' is actually PCB...that price of $15 per ounce sounds suspiciously like it's for PCB fluid. You might not be able to top it off...or even totally replace the starter without a LOT of regulatory paperwork and expense. I agree with the others and suggest that you determine exactly what you're getting into before you get in too deep.
The last PC. Job I had (15+ yrs ago) the regs & paper trail was enormous It was 6 mat mount old transformers w/ PCB oil About $35k in cleanup & disposal costs
As others said, be careful You may be able to find a rudementry PCB test kit on the web, but again... Careful !!
