Can transformers be adversely affected by long term storage?

It should be perfectly fine (although where and how it was stored could make some difference, I suppose).

If it wasn't stored in a damp basement, it should be fine. I'd take a CLOSE look at it and find out how it was stored.

 

A little story.  I bought a locomotive on eBay that was still sealed in the factory shipping carton, and indeed it was. It had only been stored for a couple of years, since it was a 2010 model.  When I opened the shipping carton, it was HORRIBLY mildewed!  It had obviously been stored in a very damp place, even though there was no water damage visible on the outside of the box.  The instruction manual was just a black blob of mildew, it wasn't even paper at that point!  Needless to say, I sent it back!

 

Where it was stored makes all the difference.

I would heed the warnings about were it was stored. If it was stored in an attic I would be very leery as the varnish on the windings will be melted. I purchased some trains that were stored in the attic of a one story garage and the transformer can not be used due to melted varnish around the windings. Possible shorting.

 

 

I've stored all sorts of stuff in the attic, and I can't imagine it getting hot enough to actually damage the windings on the transformer.  I store a bunch of stuff in our attic, including many motorized devices, there's never been a motor issue with them.

 

I'm afraid that if it hasn't been opened for 10 years and stored in unknown conditions, I'd have to pass unless it's a REALLY good deal.  If you can get it for say $100, I'd take a chance.  OTOH, if he's looking for closer to the going price of $300-350, I'd pass and not take the chance.

 

It all comes down to:  Do you feel lucky?  Well, do you PUNK?

The old tar-filled transformers of the 1920's and 1930's might be affected by long term storage.  The problem was that the tar would dry out and start to crack.  Then the cooling effect of the tar on the warm windings might be lost.  But on the new trannys, I couldn't see where long term storage would have any ill effect.  Sure, if it were kept in a very hot environment, or a very damp environment it might have some problems, but the conditions would have to be rather extreme.

 

Paul Fischer

Hello, I'm from Pittsburgh, Pa. and my attic gets well over 100 degrees in the summer on those hot days.  During the summer the humidity in the attic is terrible.  I store a lot of things up there but no trains (not because of that but I keep them (trains) in my basement).  I've never had anything that was stored in attic ruined because of heat or humidity.  But, I don't think I ever had electrical stuff up there.

 

However, when I was a child my dad did keep Lionel trains and transformer in the attic which also got very hot.  Every Christmas we put up the trains and they ran like clockwork.  Soooooo??????

 

Rick

I think an unconditioned basement is a far more hostile place for stuff like this.  I have a pair of dehumidifiers running in my finished basement, and I keep the humidity at 50% or lower all year.  I have no problems with stuff stored there.  I have been in basements that were clearly not a good place to store anything remotely resembling electronics or any degradable object.

Good advice. Do you feel lucky?!  

My 1948 vintage Lionel RW transformer and everything train-related went into a closed box in the attic in 1955. Extremely cold in winter, ditto hot in summer. Forty-several years later I resumed the hobby. All the wiring in switches, RCS controllers, and some other things had melted and were replaced.

The transformer was operational. I did nothing to it. I used it on the layout for a few years and now it is on my work table for testing things. Works as good as ever.

The 1946  #1033 transformer I'm using was stored for a time on the floor of a dirt basement.  At one point water that had run into the area was several inches deep and had frozen solid around the transformer!  Still works - had the circuit breaker adjusted about 20 years ago.  

You guys are comparing PW transformers with no electronics to the Z4000, not the same beast.  It's also easy to recommend you take a chance when it's not your money that's at risk.

 

It all comes down to:  Do you feel lucky? ...

It might be a private joke that some of us understand, best to disregard!

 

Some of you guys have really led sheltered lives.  The "Do you feel lucky?" line is from the movie "Dirty Harry"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xjr2hnOHiM

It applies to this potential Z-4000 sale because the seller won't allow the box to be opened to power-check it. So you buy it and if it's dead on arrival, oh well. I'd pass on the deal.

(FYI, once opened, it can't be returned.)

 

Don't buy it.  Would you/we buy anything else (not train related) under this condition?

 

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy!

I have an amazingly large collection of HO stuff in boxes.  Same story, was going to use on my dream layout on day.  2 divorces and an apartment later, running Lionel on the floor and happy but need to sell a bunch of this HO stuff.  I literally bought enough to open a small hobby shop.  This gives me insight as to what I must do to sell it on eBay as sealed.  Thankfully a non damp climate controlled basement was used.

I would never buy something a seller would not allow to be opened and tested. 

 

That said, to answer the question in the title of this thread: I suppose they can.  On the other hand, I recently needed two DC power supplies to run my 'Streets loops (in modify the cars to DC), so I out two DC power supplies that I had used on my N gauge layout - they had been in boxes, in an unheated attic right near the eaves of the house that had extremes of 25 -125 degree temp, for twenty years, with humidity and all else there.  Still worked perfectly.

I guess you didn't get the joke, it was from a Dirty Harry movie.  I though everyone remembered that quote.

 

If it all operates, and there is no sign of moisture damage, I'd say it's worth taking a chance.  Again, you shouldn't be paying retail or close to it for something they're dusting off after a 10 year storage!  It should be a pretty good price or you can go for a new one.

 

I'd probably also take along something to load it, like a car headlight bulb.  Do a quick test of each of the outputs, just to make sure it operates.

 

One thing to check on old transformers is the wire & plug, after years of storage the wire cracks & has to be replaced.

 

Jack

ogaugeguy,

  Kenn in reality there is no such thing a an old Z4K transformer, they have not been on the market that long.  I bought one of the 1st ones, and have stored it in my attic

when the layout is off line.  No problems with it what so ever, now the question I have for you is do you know if this transformer has ever been dropped, if the cost of purchasing the transformer is little, test the transformer to see if it works,

if it checks out purchase it.  Remember however you have no warranty, if

something goes wrong, the repair will come out of your back pocket.  Let me know if she decides not to purchase, I might take a chance on it myself.

PCRR/Dave