what oil?

[jonnyhas]

High guys I have bought a dc-dc step down transformer and as it comes in a nice aluminium box which is also the heat sink I was thinking of making it waterproof and filling it with oil, but what oil should I use? Castor, olive or a.n.other any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Jonny

[bikerbones1968]

100% white mineral oil is non conductive, transformer oil of course is the best choice but if you can find an old submersible oil filled sump pump you could reclaim the oil in that or reclaim the oil from a oil filled electric heater. Any of these will do the trick if your going that route.

[jonnyhas]

Thank you Mr bones I will have a look around and find a suitable source, hazzyb has mum got any old heaters?

[hazzyb]

Nope not oil filled ones anyway see Dave he'll have something lying about lol more important,how big are thay, Coz think I might need to get some as well as I think I might have power problems with all the extra stuff running off the battery all the ones i've found are huge so far and no good or to expencive .

[bikerbones1968]

Here is a source for a gallon of transformer oil. (Non PCB) This is about as good as you can get for oil and IMHO a decent price.

http://www.aesham.com/analyzers/swr-meters/mfj-21/

[ROVEnthusiast]

You can buy cheap mineral oil at your supermarket/drugstore usually near the pharmacy. It is usually labeled as a laxitive and lubricant because if enough is ingested, mineral oil is a powerful laxitive (luckily something I do not know from expierience).

[jonnyhas]

Thanks guys in the end I got a thermal transmissive epoxy resin from rapid online and potted it with that.

Cheers jonny

[ROVEnthusiast]

That works even better!