STORAGE AND HANDLING OF TRANSFORMER OIL

Ensure that the correct product is received and issued Store indoors in a clean, dry, well lit warehouse

Minimize temperature variations in the store Avoid contact of drums with water, dirt and / or dust
Ensure that the oldest stocks are issued first, adopt the first in-first out principle

 Ensure that package markings remain legible Drums with broken seals must not be used without checking the quality Marking on empty drums / containers must be immediately obliterated Order the product required Never order more quantity than what can be consumed in a reasonable period of time

General recommendations for the warehouse

It must be spacious enough to permit handling of drums and other containers Proper workplace with pumps, dispensing equipment and other tools required for opening the containers and drawing the product should be provided. Must have good ventilation and lighting The room should be dust free with the flooring adequately tiled and the walls painted suitably Fire extinguishers of the foam, dry powder or carbon dioxide type should be accessible.

Large drums should be stored in the warehouse I a horizontal (with bungs at 9 and 3 o clock) position. If they are stacked they must be adequately secured to prevent roll away. Where space is a premium and the drums have to be stored several levels high, palletizing must be done with the pallets having proper strength and design for forklift operations of the package expand and the layer of air above the oil finds a way out, even through well sealed bungs. When cooling takes place, humid air enters the container where the moisture condenses out and the product becomes contaminated with water.

Seepage: If water has accumulated on the top of the container, it can either be sucked in by the breathing action or enter through small pinholes which often result from rusting of the sharp edges present in dented or damaged containers. Contamination by dirt cannot normally occur until the drum has been opened.

The dirt present in the dusty atmosphere settles on the surface of the drum. If these surfaces are not cleaned properly before opening the drum the product will get contaminated during dispensing
Product storage at elevated temperatures may result in deterioration through chemical reactions like oxidation.

In order to protect from all forms of contamination and deterioration, the Transformer oil must be stored properly. Outdoor storage should be avoided as far as possible. If this is not possible for short periods, the following precautions are advised:
Keep bungs tight Lay drums on their sides. Roll the drums so that the bungs are at 9 and 3 o clock position, to ensure that they are covered by the drum contents, thus minimizing moisture migration and drying out of the seals.

 If drums be placed upright, tilt them slightly to prevent water from collecting around the bungs. Before removing the bungs, dry the drum heads and wipe them clean of any contaminant which might get into the Transformer oil. Spread a tarpaulin over the drums for protection