Transformers are crucial control devices in electrical engineering, utilizing transformer oil within them. There are several grades of transformer oil. Can oils of different grades be mixed?

Transformer oil of different brands is generally not recommended for mixing. Using oil of the same brand ensures the quality of the original operating oil and clearly identifies the characteristics of the brand. Since transformer oil is typically selected based on the type of equipment and the ambient temperature, choosing the same brand guarantees that its operating characteristics remain largely unchanged, and maintains the uniformity of oil used in the equipment's technical records.

Can mechanical oil be used as a substitute for transformer oil when it's unavailable? Some specifications of Grade 10 mechanical oil are similar to those of Grade 10 transformer oil, but due to the less refined processing of mechanical oil, it lacks good insulation and oxidation stability, hence it cannot be used as transformer oil or other inferior oils. Using mechanical oil instead of transformer oil may lead to electrical equipment accidents during operation, causing damage to the equipment, disrupting normal operations, and possibly resulting in personal injuries. While issues might not be immediately discovered in the short term, as the equipment operates longer, the problems will become more apparent. Therefore, extreme caution must be exercised when using mechanical oil.