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I cut a piece of the wire and put it under a match. it started to melt and it even caught fire.
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I have melted real teflon before with an open flame. As you know, Teflon is generally a milky white color. When heated close to melting it turns clear. That is an indicator that might help you.
It produces toxic fumes. I believe it is phosgene which is a gas the Germans used in WW1
In my youth I worked in the missile business and we stripped miles of teflon wire using thermal strippers which produced a puff of smoke with each strip. And I'm so healthy and normal that I'm an audiophile!It's the people that thought we should build them that were sick and crazy, and I don't think they stripped a single wire...
Rick
teflon has flourine in it's chemical composition. It used to be banned in certain US Submarine applications because of the potential of the reactive flourine
Hi Stu,You mentioned that "teflon has flourine in it's chemical composition".
It certainly does, that's what makes it good! Fluorine is so reactive that it really clings to it's electrons so there's darned near no conductance or RF loss. And that's good for audio too...
On the other hand if it does come apart that same reactivity probably makes it bad for the bod since it bonds so readily.
However using a thermal stripper apparently doesn't release enough to be terribly unhealthy as a lot of us are still kicking. So I suspect that doing a match test on a wire end isn't much of a risk.
Now a fire in a submarine... Talk about inadequate ventilation!
That's nicely stated.
Regards,
Geoff
I have worked with flourocarbons for over 30 years. I know what phosgene smells like and what it can do.
Well... my posting was rather tongue-in-cheek, albeit true. I really have no idea how risky using thermal strippers on Teflon is but I'm sure they should be used with adequate ventilation. The place wasn't exactly health conscience. We had highly recirculated air, used about a dozen tanks of CO2 a day, did a lot of soldering, scrubbed everything with toluene and potted stuff with a foam that out-gassed cyanide all in one big room. Ah the "good old days" before OSHA...
Are you sure ??
because the wire stippers sold for use on teflon wires are of the hot knife type.
Not so sure.. I was led to believe it far more toxic than that even.
Phosgene is readily created by simply smoking in a chlorine laden environment.. like at an indoor swimming pool. Nice huh?
"DuPont studies show that the Teflon offgases toxic particulates at 446°F. At 680°F Teflon pans release at least six toxic gases, including two carcinogens, two global pollutants, and MFA, a chemical lethal to humans at low doses. At temperatures that DuPont scientists claim are reached on stovetop drip pans (1000°F), non-stick coatings break down to a chemical warfare agent known as PFIB, and a chemical analog of the WWII nerve gas phosgene."
I do know that people with birds as pets have to be very careful with Teflon cookware, since a bit of smoke can kill a bird in short order.A friend banished all Teflon cookware from her house to protect her parrot.
Canary in the coalmine?
Or Polly want a gas mask? :)
se
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The melt test is one way to determine if the wire is Teflon.If you pull the wire between your fingers Teflon insulation feels waxy/slick. Teflon offers very little grip to your fingers.
Conversely, non-Teflon (PVC) feels rubbery, and fails the melt test. From what you describe your wire is NOT Teflon clad. If you heat the conductor and the insulation shrinks back from the heat; then the insulation is something other than Teflon.
DaveT
If it started to melt with in a couple of seconds at the flame being applied. It's not Teflon©Be careful with the "flame" Teflon© test. If you do heat Teflon enough, (> 500F) the fumes are toxic
Julien
"There's someone in my head, but it's not me"
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