Please read: The Dangers of Brake Cleaner.

[Detonation]

Well, I don't post on the forums often, as I'm content to lurk around, but I stumbled across an article on a welding forum I felt compelled to share here, as I know many members weld. It turns out that using brake cleaner (the chlorinated type) and welding/heating it before it evaporates can release Phosgene gas. I'll leave the article to expand on how the human body doesn't take kindly to it.

Brake Cleaner = Phosgene Article

Be careful out there guys, a tiny amount is enough to ruin your life, and it only takes a split second to completely change it.

 

[bubba_got_you]

good info

 

[Recovry4x4]

Wow!

 

[scooter01922]

WOW, who knew??? I take all the labels seriously and figured brake kleen was some nasty stuff just from the way it removes crud but WOW. Never imagined that it could be so lethal. I generally avoid the stuff if at all possible anyway but now you can bet i'll try ways a-z before i go for that can.

 

[marchplumber]

Holy POOP! I'm a plumber, been around a LOT of chemicals, worked in the aero space industry before this, MAN!! that stuff is WICKED!! Thank you for the heads up!!
God bless,
Tony

 

[98hd]

Wow, am I glad I opened this thread. I use the same can as in the picture to clean metal all the time. Never had any bad side effects, but at times I've noticed a nasty smell when welding. You can bet I won't be using that stuff on anything buy brakes anymore.

 

[m16ty]

Learned something new. I had no idea. I would say if you go to weld while the cleaner is still liquid on the metal you're going to end up with a fireball also .

 

[mikes47jeep]

wow

i never really used brake cleaner much, hated the fumes

but wow thats nasty stuff

 

[atankersdad]

OK I hate to be the guy who throws gas on the fire but I beg to differ with the content of this article. Phosgene is an irritant to the respiratory system and the last thing you will do is to get a sniff and pass out. I worked with phosgene for several years. It makes you cough and gag. Phosgene was named after a town in France where it was first used in WWI. It is mustard gas. It is a blister agent that burns the respiratory tract and will cause you to eventuially drown in fluids building up in your lungs. Your fluids. The burns will also prevent oxygen from passing through the walls of the lungs and likewise prevent CO2 from leaving the lungs. You smother. You get a wiff of this stuff and it is cough city. We had minor spill and I spent 7 days with chemical pnuemonia.

Now, I agree 110% about welding around any organics due to what the organic becomes when vaporized due to extreme heat and the fumes from the metals. You make phosgene by mixing carbon monoxide and chlorine gas together under not so extreme conditions. You are gonna be shocked with what we used it for. It was used in an intermediate stage in the production of Nutrasweet. That is my 2 pennies on this...

 

[Snarky]

There are different kinds of brake cleaner, we use Chlorine-Free Brake Cleaner at our shop, surely it's not producing phosgene without Chlorine. Does the Chlorinated Brake Cleaner work better? I don't think we've ever stocked it. Our brake cleaner is still ridiculously flammable, I don't think I would weld on anything that was still moist with it. WHOOSH

 

[hughscpa]

And I was wanting to learn how to weld. Be careful.

 

[6x6guy]

WOW thats a kick in the stomach- I admit I do stupid thing like that once in a great while- but always try to use a fan nearby- but I try to learn from other peoples mistakes. But never looking at the labels and doing stuff like that, since I was a kid ( that could explain a few things). I think I'll have th get bigger fan.

And definitely a good read.

 

[OPCOM]

nine days after ... went to the emergency room. What is wrong with that picture. 9 days of weird symptoms and unexplained discombobulation of the body.. and it took 9 days to decide to go to the ER. That guy must be pretty tough but I'd rather admit being sick than end up dead. Life is too short, even when it somtimes sucks it's better than the alternative.

 

[nk14zp]

Thanks for sharing that.

 

[armytruck63]

I feel sorry for the guy, but I agree that he made things a little worse by waiting nine days to get medical attention. He's luck he's not dead or on permanent kidney dialysis.

 

[DicedDeuceMan]

I showed up (years ago) to weld on mommy dearest trash truck. My know it all brother was to prep the back of the truck, clean ect. He used it, unknowing to me. I was in a enclosed area, the **** is bad, you cant stop coughing , did I mention coughing, gag , gag.. At that time, you had to read the lable, small small print, perminent lung damage. Over the years I have pitched at least 1 can every year, againts a new customers wall, breaking the can open and making a mess,
WTF, are you nuts, is what they say, I make them read the last line. Then I ask them, you want to weld it?

Also BK leaves the residue, that will attack seals, makes them soft, so dont' use it on shafts or anything that gets a oring, or seal.

I use either. drys fast, no residue that I can smell.

Also, while were on the airborne stinch.. Radar, carc paint, 80-90 year is bad **** when welded, it becomes airborne, you breath it in. As is most paint when you heat it.

ALum and stainless are also bad, close to galvinize on the list of lung damage.
ChomeMoly tube, Chrome rod, =Chromium, bad

5 years donating my time to American Welding Society seminars Delaware chapter, Underwater welding, no fumes. But the energy feild your body is in, make electrolosis work faster, your metal fillings in your teeth deterirate faster. Havent found much in this trade that is good for you.. Good luck.

 

[DicedDeuceMan]

It turns out that using brake cleaner (the chlorinated type) and welding/heating it before it evaporates can release Phosgene gas. quote]


Accually, the residue is still there after it drys. Trust me.

 

[adrianspeeder]

Oh snap!

Adrianspeeder

 

[m16ty]

.


ALum and stainless are also bad, close to galvinize on the list of lung damage.

AL and stainless bad? I've welded a bunch of both and never noticed any fumes or had any ill effects as long as it's clean. Please tell.

 

[DicedDeuceMan]

AL and stainless bad? I've welded a bunch of both and never noticed any fumes or had any ill effects as long as it's clean. Please tell.

When you weld, fine metal particles are in the air, 7018, the sulfer is bad, 3+ or minus, years back, the lawsuit finally went through, they released the data, and open air (outside welding) The welder was exsposed to enough sulfer to obtain lung cancer (career welders) So this means outdoor welders should still wear masks. A friend of mine just finished KeyLime treatment, to get the heavy metals from his body.

I believe welding on Chrome rods, Hyd Cylinders Is higher on the list than alum, or stainless, but stainless, has the nickle content, like a chrom moly based chrome rod, It is the metals when they become airborn that your lungs (a large filter) take in, and when is the last time you changed that filter? thats what I though, this lies the problem, your lungs, are the interstate to ? you blood stream, I think hardfacing rod was accually one of the worst.

The worst jobs are the steel mills, IE furnace positions. Way heavy on airborne metals.

One other saftey factor for my fellow MV'ers.
Welding with Mig, Gas, Co2 or mixed. When your in a garage welding for a hour, you have released enough co2 from that tank to depleate the oxegen in the air, this is why you will feel tired at the end of the day. This is what Kovorkian would help people with, no oxegen= a sleapy death.

Please, allways use the fan to pull or push , for fresh air.
And regular dust mast DO NOT pull out heavy metals, you need the welding ones with the button on the front.

Occasional welding (weekends like most on here) you man never have problems in your life. Just take precautions please.

Dont be scared to get into this trade, just be imformed and cautious.