Replacement mercury for vacuum gauges...

[Max Preload]

Anyone know where to get it?

I rang Motomail and they told me there's an import ban. There's nothing on any Customs import restrictions that I can see about a ban, so I presume they're just talking shit because that's the easy option. They probably think they'll sell a set of dial gauges hahaha

It's not for me so don't ask where the mercury they came with went. I honestly have no idea how you could lose it.

[vagrant]

Just had a quick google, nothing here in NZ leaps out.
Perhaps you can try contacting the science dept of your local High School or University and asking them.

[James Deuce]

There was a mercury export ban mooted in June this year.

http://www.zeromercury.org/EU_developments/070426NGOS_1stReadingENVI_Hg_Export_ban.pdf

I don't think it is in effect yet though, nor am I convinced that it will actually happen.

[T.W.R]

The mercury ban is happening :yes:

We tried to get a new mercury manometer at work and were told that none were being brought in including mercury refill for existing units:yes:

So we've gone whole hog and brought a electronic management/diagnostic unit

[Max Preload]

Might just have to buy half a dozen of these... (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=109110008)

[slopster]

I guess you could break open some mercury tilt switches but you'd want to be real careful about handling the stuff.

[Ocean1]

Go talk to some of the local industrial electrical contractors. Some older heavy duty switches contain murcury and when they replace them they're supposed to collect and dispose of it in the approved manner. They shouldn't give you any but you might convince them to bypass their legal obligations if you can come up with a good pitch.

[pete376403]

I guess you could break open some mercury tilt switches but you'd want to be real careful about handling the stuff.
My dad was an electrician way back when. He did industrial motor controls which used mercury in tilt type switches (for a power on delay thing I think)
Anyway there was a small bottle of mercury (a Stevens ink bottle IIRC) in our kitchen cupboard. As kids, on occasions we would get a little blob of the stuff out to roll around on our hands. Inevitably some got dropped and went into the floorboard cracks. We also played on that same floor, ate in that room, etc. There was also a grandfather clock that had a couple of tubes of mercury on the pendulum (weight compensation?) and they got spilled while one of us was hiding in the bottom of the clock. Picked up as much as we could using a piece of paper and brushed the rest (with bare hands) into the cracks or the clock cabinet.
So far everything *seems* to be normal about us, no instances of Minamata in us or our kids or their kids. Musta got lucky...

[Ocean1]

I guess you could break open some mercury tilt switches but you'd want to be real careful about handling the stuff.

The actual metal ain't that dangerous, it's the oxides and salts that'll do some damage.

http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Elements-Toxic/Mercury-mad-hatter.htm

Be carefull anyway huh?

[Steam]

Anyone know where to get it?


Delta Electrical in Dunedin ( I think it was Delta... anyway my mum's boyfriend worked there) and they had about 20 litres of Mercury in a steel bucket / vat / container. They had collected it from various places as Ocean1 said above. I guess they were collecting it until they had enough to sell or something.