Q: Mineral Oil for ballast cooling, a good idea?

[Guest]

I know it conduction wouldnt be a problem, that wasnt my point.

My point is the mess you will have on your hands. Imagine a fried capacity in your ballast... now you have to dig through the goo that you dont dare rinse off (especially off a capacitor!) with anything least of all a de-greasing agent that would likely be necessary to remove it. Think of having this... oil bath... sitting in your grow room- Imagine all the bits of dirt and particles of dust that will get trapped in that tub a goo. Even if its somewhat sealed up. Eventually you will have to move it or fix it or something, and that oil will be a huge problem!

Not to mention as it collects bits of dust and what-not it may begin to conduct electricity over time. Pure water wont conduct electricity either- its the salts and junk in it that do... your mineral oil may eventually pick enough junk out of the grow room environment (nothing like a computer's environment) and start conducting... until you go to touch it at some point and get a nice big zap!

In the automotive industry they always told us that grease is a grounding agent, beware. Further inspection reveals that its not the grease- its the junk in the grease that accumulates over time that makes it dangerous to work with around high currents (such as welding on the vehicle)

Your idea is a good one but not practical. Encase your transformer in a regular aluminum heat sink (or copper) and cool it via small fan, and it will be just fine. its not like your trying to protect some uber expensive piece of equipment, if a ballast burns out, its one of 3 things: cap, igniter, transformer... all of which are easily replaced and for $20-$50 depending on the wattage you are working with. If you are skilled enough to oil-cool a ballast then you are skilled enough to replace one of these cheap parts.

I agree

Why waste your time on this I am sure you can spend more time and $$$$$$$$ dailing in your grow.

Just my 2 cents!