Cooper Power Systems has announced that it will discontinue sales of R-Temp fluid by December 31, 2005. The decision affects R-Temp transformers and fluid sales for retrofill. The company cited increased marketplace acceptance of its Envirotemp FR3 fluid, which has led to declining sales of R-Temp fluid, as the key reason for the decision.
The company will sell the discontinued fluid until current inventory is depleted, estimated to be at year’s end. Once sold out, R-Temp fluid will not be available through Cooper Power Systems or any transformer manufacturer. Technical assistance for R-Temp fluid’s installed base will remain active.
Introduced in 1975, R-Temp fluid had higher flash and fire points than traditional petroleum-based mineral oil and was an alternative for PCB-based dielectric fluids in fire sensitive applications. R-Temp transformers were installed in locations where higher levels of fire safety were required.
Stringent environmental standards, regulatory pressures and shrinking capital expenditure budgets drove the development of new technologies that address these concerns without sacrificing fire safety. The new fluid is made from the oils of edible seeds, producing a biodegradable dielectric fluid with high flash/fire points.
