Brake Cleaner Phosgene Gas

[dwdw]

This might not be the correct place for this but I thought it was Important to pass on. I like most of you have used brake cleaner and get a little careless on where and when we spray it.
Please follow this link and read the results.
Mike Mark you may want to put this in a better area.
Thank You
dwdw


http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

[performance]

DWDW,

I think we have posted information about this somewhere....ITs definitely in the manuals. Too bad so many people REFUSE to read their manuals.

To sum it up: Brake Cleaner will KILL you if you weld or cut metal you have cleaned with it. It converts to a basic chemical weapon that will kill you stone cold DEAD. EVEN A DROP will do it.

[Rodsmachineshop]

All i use in my machine shop is carb cleaner only for cleaning stuff since mostly acetone and safe to use . Best to not even have any brake cleaner any were you are around or do welding

I think we have posted information about this somewhere....ITs definitely in the manuals. Too bad so many people REFUSE to read their manuals.

To sum it up: Brake Cleaner will KILL you if you weld or cut metal you have cleaned with it. It converts to a basic chemical weapon that will kill you stone cold DEAD. EVEN A DROP will do it.[/QUOTE]

[jtybt]

OOOOH Sheeeit!!!

I use it for cleaning my SS when TIGing.


Thanks for the post.

[everlastsupport]

This was on the forum some time ago. But maybe worth a sticky in general welding. Mark or I will move it when we get some time.

[geezer]

The same warning goes for any chlorinated cleaning product.

[Mike J]

Great advice - thanks. I work on Porsche engines as a sideline, and I use brake cleaner for some of the cleaning - the main advantage is it leaves no residue. However did not know about this aspect of it, so thanks!!

Cheers,

Mike

[tnc110]

I had no idea!!! I believe these products should have a much LOUDER warning label!

[ShaneJackson]

I too had no idea on this either.... Was welding 2 days ago on some metal that i cleaned with carb cleaner. Glad i didnt grab the break cleaner like i almost did!!!

[Rambozo]

The best thing to take away from that article is to read the label. When in doubt, you can find all the info you need in the MSDS for any product. Just look in the fire fighting section for breakdown products and precautions. You can't make a blanket statement like brake cleaner = bad, carb cleaner = good. Most brake cleaners I looked up are acetone and heptane, these days, with CO2 as propellant. Phosgene is produced by heating any CFC based propellant. There have been hundreds of formulations for both brake and carb cleaners. None of them have been made with the idea of cleaning parts to be welded. Solvents have always been an issue and people misuse them all the time. Now most are off the market, because of misuse, and lawsuits. Even many water based cleaners have bad breakdown products when burned. You have to use your head and be safe. There are respirators that will block virtually all the fumes that you can encounter welding. If I was smart I wouldn't strike an arc without wearing one. I do try to remember to wear one anytime I'm welding for an extended period of time. Even just from TIG tacks on clean metal, I can tell from the taste in my mouth that I have been exposed to something when I go without. I'm better now than when I was younger, but I still forget or rationalize about not using proper PPE. But if something happens, I know it's my own damn fault.

[Brian Ski]

People don't know about the dangers of welding galvanized... That is pretty bad stuff too...

[aaxiss]

These kind of posts should be stickied and mandatory reading before you're allowed to make your first post on the forums. I got lucky at an estate sale and picked up a 3m speed glass helm with integrated papr system retail about $1200 for $170 its even got the new rechargeable NiMH power system. Excluding the respiratory protection the air circulation and no more sweating is great.

Before that I was still using a respirator, having to lean over most of my work due to my limitations from my disability I didn't need to add a respitory problem also.

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