What is an Electrical Contact Cleaner?

/in /by

Inside of nearly every piece of electrical equipment are metal electrical contacts that facilitate the transmission of electricity from the utility line to the electrical operating system of the equipment. If the contacts were removed, the equipment would immediately cease to operate.

Improperly maintained electrical contacts can sabotage to operation of electrical equipment, too. The equipment may still operate, it does so less efficiently. This is why companies and organizations use industrial electrical contact cleaner to maintain electrical contacts in long lifespan equipment that plays a crucial role in business operations.

Characteristics of Electrical Contact Cleaner

Technically, there are hundreds of cleaners that could be used to remove accumulations from electrical contacts, but a suitable cleaner always possesses two characteristics: It is safe concerning how it affects the metal it cleans, and it is safe for maintenance workers to apply to contacts that the metal comprises. Below are overviews of what defines each characteristic.

  1. Safe for Metal

Anyone who knows much about metallurgy understands that not all metals are the same regarding how they react to cleaning agents, even metals are classified under the same umbrella, such as “steel”. For example, stainless steel, which contains at least 10.5% chromium by mass, often has different reactions to cleaners than carbon steel, which contains 0.12–2.0% carbon by mass.

To continue the example, the specific type of stainless steel or carbon steel you need to clean, as determined by the metal’s microstructure, also defines the suitability of a cleaner. For instance, the cleaning agent sodium hypochlorite is generally considered compatible with 303 stainless steel, but the same agent can cause other grades of stainless steel to oxidize.

Regarding metal safety, the corrosion potential of a metal is the primary consideration for choosing an electrical contact cleaner. When metal contacts corrode, the resulting heterogeneous microstructure of the metal can impede the flow of electricity significantly.

  1. Safe for Workers

More information about the safety of cleaning agents for humans is available than information about the safety of cleaning agents for metal — and the information is generally easier to understand, as it’s primarily predicated on negative health effects and sudden injuries that hazardous cleaners can cause in those who are chronically exposed to the agents.

An electrical contact cleaner that is truly safe for workers typically possesses three primary characteristics that denote its safety: It contains no hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), contains no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or has low VOC content, has a high flashpoint or no flashpoint, and features a dielectric formulation.

These characteristics prevent workers from experiencing acute and chronic health conditions associated with exposure to toxic substances, prevent them from receiving burns due to the combustion of the cleaning agent, and protect them against electrical shock when they clean energized equipment that can’t be powered off during the cleaning operation.

Contact Ecolink Today
If you need help selecting an electrical contact cleaner that is safe for the metal you need to clean and those who do the cleaning, contact the solvent specialists at Ecolink. We have a variety of environmentally preferred cleaners that are suitable cleaning electrical contacts. We also have the technology to create a custom blend if one of our stock cleaners doesn’t meet your needs. Call us today at (800) 563-1305, or fill out the contact form on our website.

 

Safety Solvent Degreasers: What are Their Essential Characteristics?

/in /by

All industrial grade degreasers have one thing in common: They excel at cutting through tough accumulations of grease and leaving the material underneath free of greasy residue. However, apart from this basic trait, industrial degreasers differ markedly in several ways, one of the most obvious of which is their safety profile. Sometimes referred to as “safety solvent degreasers,” degreasers that have an excellent safety profile have the following essential characteristics.

  1. No Hazardous Air Pollutants

Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) are harmful to human health and can have a negative impact on the environment. Old generation degreasers that contain HAPs are often cheaper than newer, safer degreasers, but the money you save can be a pittance compared to the cost of settling lawsuits and paying workers compensation claims due to chemical injuries in the workplace. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains an official list of HAPs.

  1. Low Volatile Organic Compound Content

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are naturally occurring substances that typically vaporize at room temperature. However, their compositional instability isn’t the only thing that makes them “volatile”. They can also be volatile to human health, especially when they vaporize in high volume. This is why it is essential to use a degreaser that has no VOCs or low VOC content.

  1. High Flash Point

A degreaser that has a high flashpoint is harder to ignite than a degreaser that has a low flashpoint. If the degreasing process occurs in an environment that has heat sources that could ignite the cleaning solution, using a cleaning agent that has a high flash point or no flashpoint is absolutely essential. This type of agent also supports fire safety in the degreaser storage area.

  1. Safe for Material That is Degreased

When they shop for safety solvent degreasers, end users typically focus on finding degreasers that have an excellent safety profile for workers. But it is also important to consider the safety of degreasers in terms of their compatibility with the material that must be degreased. In addition to being safe for workers, a degreaser should be safe for the material that you need to clean.

  1. Safe for Parts Washing Systems

If you need a degreaser for a parts washing system, it is important to choose one that is as compatible with the equipment as it is with the material that must be degreased. Industrial parts washers are often comprised of different types of metal, plastic and rubber. Be sure to choose a degreaser that is compatible with any material in the parts washer that the degreaser contacts.

Shopping for Safety Solvent Degreasers?
Using safety solvent degreasers helps companies and organizations avoid the dangers of using degreasers that have a poor safety profile. In addition to posing minimal harm to workers and the environment, as safety solvent degreaser also has the characteristics of being safe for the material that is cleaned and the method of cleaning (e.g., using a parts washer). For assistance selecting safe degreasers for your cleaning operations, call Ecolink today at (800) 563-1305.

Environmental Safety: Are There Different Types of Cleaning Solvents?

/in /by

Companies that have industrial grade cleaning needs have hundreds of different cleaning solvents to choose from, depending on the type of cleaning that must be performed. These cleaning solutions can be differentiated in several ways. Since the green movement began and solvent users became more environmentally conscious, one of the most popular ways of distinguishing solvents is categorizing them based on their effect on the natural environment.

In terms of environmental safety, cleaning solvents are often placed in the following categories by the companies that supply them: toxic solvents, environmentally preferred solvents, and environmentally safe solvents. Below, we take a look at each classification regarding its general safety profile for the environment as a whole.

Toxic Solvents
In most cases, toxic solvents are cleaning solutions that have at least one ingredient that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers hazardous due to the substance’s negative effects on human health and the environment. Thankfully, there is no guesswork in choosing cleaning solvents whose ingredients are not regulated by the EPA. Cleaning solvent ingredients that are regulated by the EPA are posted in the organization’s List of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) that was originally created in 1990 as an extension of the Clean Air Act.

Environmentally Preferred Solvents
Environmentally preferred solvents are considered non-toxic to the environment, but they often contain some ingredients that workers should watch out for, particularly volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that instantaneously evaporate at room temperature. More often than not, these solvents contain a low percentage of VOCs per volume (e.g., 5%) if they contain VOCs at all. Due to the reasonably safe formulation of the cleaners, many companies and organizations have the opportunity to use environmentally preferred solvents in large volume.

Environmentally Safe Solvents
In terms of how they impact the environment, environmentally safe solvents are a step above environmentally preferred solvents. Whereas the latter type of solvents often contain a small percentage of potentially dangerous ingredients that are included strictly for cleaning purposes, the former type of solvents contain no such ingredients and are environmentally safe to use when they are applied according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Need Eco Friendly Cleaning Solvents?
If so, Ecolink is one of the best places to find them. We offer a wide array of cleaners that are environmentally preferred or environmentally safe. These solutions are ideal for companies that must carefully manage emissions, reduce or eliminate the presence of hazardous chemicals and/or volatile organic compounds in the work environment, and replace cleaners whose ingredients have been regulated by the EPA with cleaners whose ingredients are safer.

In addition to providing stock cleaners, we can formulate cleaning solvents that are tailored to unique cleaning requirements — and all of our industrial cleaners are competitively priced. To inquire about which of our environmentally prefered solvents and environmentally safe solvents are a good fit for your company or organization’s cleaning needs, please give us a call today at (800) 563-1305, or refer to our contact page. We look forward to hearing from you!

What Chemical Solvents are Used to Clean Oil Tanks?

/in /by

Oil tanks can be separated into two broad categories: Tanks that hold oil strictly for storage purposes, and tanks that deliver oil to equipment to provide lubrication or supply oil as a primary catalyst for a production process. Though they are used for different purposes, both types of tanks share a similarity: They accumulate oil sludge on the interior and must have it removed to preserve the integrity of the clean oil they hold, regardless of its final application.

Choosing the Right Oil Tank Cleaner
Like oil tanks, oil tank cleaners can also be separated into two broad categories: cleaners that are effective for breaking down oil accumulations but are not officially intended for this purpose, and cleaners that are specially formulated for heavy-duty oil tank cleaning operations, among other types of oil cleaning operations.

Among the first type of cleaners, trisodium phosphate (TSP) and denatured alcohol are popular chemical options. TSP is generally applied at a rate of 1 cup for every five gallons of the tank’s holding capacity until the tank is full. After the TSP is drained, several gallons of denatured alcohol are poured into the tank to remove any oil residue that TSP may have left behind. After the alcohol is drained and the tank is hosed down, it is clean and ready to hold oil.

Among the second type of cleaners are numerous solutions that are formulated to break down heavy oil accumulations. The Emerald HD2 cleaner we supply is a perfect example of these types of solutions. Compared to using TSP and denatured alcohol as oil tank cleaners, using Emerald HD2 offers the following important safety advantages, among others.

  • Less than 5% VOC content
  • Non-flammable
  • No fragrances or dyes
  • No caustic ingredients

In addition to these benefits, HD2 is derived from sustainable resources and contains no chlorine or petroleum distillates — traits that contribute to the Design for the Environment Program (DfE) recognizing Emerald HD2 oil tank cleaner for offering improved health and environmental characteristics. Compared to using TSP and denatured alcohol for tank cleaning, Emerald HD 2 also has the advantage of being the only cleaner you need for the job.

Need an Industrial Oil Tank Cleaner?
If so, using Emerald HD2 has obvious advantages over using TSP and denatured alcohol, particularly its excellent safety profile and its ability to serve as the only oil tank cleaner you need. If you would like to see what Emerald HD2 can do before you use it as your go-to oil tank cleaner, feel free to request a free sample of the product by visiting our Request Sample page.

If you have questions, please call us today at (800) 563-1305 to speak with a solvent specialist. If we find that stock Emerald HD2 doesn’t conform to your specific tank cleaning requirements, we can produce a custom formulation that does the job. We look forward to supplying you with a dynamic, eco friendly, industrial grade oil remover for all of your oil tank cleaning operations. Contact us today!

Four Ways That Using Non Toxic Solvents Can Save Money

/in /by

Industrial cleaning solvents can be categorized in several ways, one of the most important of which is whether they contain ingredients that are hazardous to human health or have a safe formulation that classifies them as non toxic solvents. Using the latter type of solvents can prevent a variety of negative health conditions that range from acute (e.g., upset stomach and dizziness) to chronic (e.g., nerve damage and cancer). In preventing these maladies, non toxic solvents save organizations money by helping them avoid the following situations.

  1. High Number of Sick Days Taken

Acute health conditions that toxic chemical exposure causes can linger for days after the source of exposure is removed. Consequently, it isn’t uncommon for employees who are exposed to the chemicals to take a higher number of sick days than employees who aren’t exposed. Sick days are more than hindrance to productivity in the workplace; they essentially amount to paying employees for not working.

  1. Workers Compensation Claims

When chemical-related injuries in the workplace lead to extended periods of sickness, the injured often file workers compensation claims. When evidence of injury is obvious and the injured hire an attorney, employers typically have no option but to pay the claim — and paying it can be costly indeed. In addition to paying for wage replacement, the employer often pays for claimants’ medical treatments that the injury necessitates, as well as vocational rehabilitation.

  1. Chemical Injury Lawsuits

Also known as “toxic torts”, chemical injury lawsuits are frequently filed by employees who work with dangerous chemicals and suffer chronic, poor health as a result. Wikipedia defines a toxic tort as “a particular type of personal injury lawsuit in which the plaintiff claims that exposure to a chemical caused the plaintiff’s injury or disease.”

Depending on the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries and the level of pain and suffering experienced, settling a toxic tort could cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to many millions more, not including attorney fees. Using non toxic solvents helps companies avoid these lawsuits and the tremendous impact they can have on the bottom line.

  1. Need for High-Level Protective Wear

Using non toxic chemicals may still require workers to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). However, the “level” of PPE required, as defined OSHA, is often lower than the level of PPE required for working with toxic solvents. Consequently, organizations stand save money on PPE when they replace toxic solvents with non toxic ones. For an explanation of the levels of PPE, see this helpful resource that the United States Department of Labor provides.

Let Us Supply Your Non Toxic Solvents
At Ecolink, we specialize in providing non toxic solvents that have a better safety profile and the same cleaning power as the toxic cleaners they replace. We often think of non toxic solvents as being good for the environment — and they are. But solvents that contain no hazardous ingredients can also help organizations save money in the ways listed above, among others.

If your organization uses toxic solvents that need to be replaced, call us at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website, to get started on finding suitable replacements. We look forward to helping you save money through the use of non toxic solvents.