I'm looking to do some testing and need help.
My goal is to figure out a way to remove the epoxy from a coil without affecting the polymer insulation on the wires.
I'm thinking of testing the following:
-Paint thinner
-Coffee bath
-Muriatic acid
-Acetone
-40 year old mystery bottle of yellow acid
-Oven cleaner
-Brake cleaner
-Seafoam
-Gasoline
-Vinegar
-Citric acid
-Alcohol
-Engine oil
-Baking soda bath
-Spray with water, put in freezer see if the epoxy cracks
-Heat gun on low / high
-Methylene Chloride (if I can source it)
-Industrial hand cleaner
-Other random chemicals
If the epoxy and insulation are too similar it will be impossible to achieve, however if there's a product or method that will remove only the epoxy without affecting the insulation I can use my "scrap" motor coils for new projects. I have some new enameled wire, so I can test the affects of the above on that too just to confirm it's not damaging it.
What I need to know is what type of epoxy is used to secure and solidify a coil? Which chemicals or brand of epoxy if possible. --
Wikipedia:
Although described as "enameled", enameled wire is not, in fact, coated with a layer of enamel paint or vitreous enamel made of fused glass powder. Modern magnet wire typically uses one to four layers (in the case of quad-film type wire) of polymer film insulation, often of two different compositions, to provide a tough, continuous insulating layer.
Magnet wire insulating films use (in order of increasing temperature range) polyvinyl formal (Formvar), polyurethane, polyamide, polyester, polyester-polyimide, polyamide-polyimide (or amide-imide), and polyimide.[3] Polyimide insulated magnet wire is capable of operation at up to 250 °C (482 °F). The insulation of thicker square or rectangular magnet wire is often augmented by wrapping it with a high-temperature polyimide or fiberglass tape, and completed windings are often vacuum impregnated with an insulating varnish to improve insulation strength and long-term reliability of the winding.