This guy used brake cleaner on an area before welding and almost died. I dont think this story is a hoax. Be careful!
Brake Cleaner = Phosgene Article

 

There are several different types of "brake cleaner". The good ones are an alcohol based (very similar to isopropyl) and is the type I use at work all the time. These are highly flammable and burns clear but won't give off any poisonous fumes.

 

Not a hoax. I used some of the older stuff too close to kerosene heater before. If you get anywhere near an open flame the fumes are wicked. Some of the 3M spray glues give a similar unpleasant result. Caution needed with anything that is chlorinated.

 

Definitely no joke. I had an experience similar to 'fenders. I built a new engine for my Falcon early last spring and used chlorinated brake parts cleaner to clean the block before final assembly. I was running a kerosene torpedo heater and after awhile the chlorine fumes were getting pretty strong. I was almost done for the night, so I pushed on a little longer before I quit. Hey, I never said I was very smart! I had a splitting headache for two days afterwards and everything in the shop that was bare metal had rusted. I won't even touch a can of the stuff anymore. Go for the non-chlorinated.

 

I was hoping somebody else would confess. I literally crawled out of the garage unable to breath. Puked in a snow bank for awhile. When I felt a little better i walked back and looked into the garage windows. I could see the fumes drifting over and cooking off over the space heater. It was much worse than the CS chambers I have had the "pleasure" of entering in the military.

 

Older airconditioners and refig units do the same thing (Houses, buildings on fire)
Phosgine was one of the main gases used in WWI
I found some in Iraq after they and Iran stopped peeing in each others boots - It was a U.N. thing.

 

Luckily, my episode wasn't quite that bad, but I'll never try to clean off a running engine with the stuff ever again. I emptied half of my new fire extinguisher on the baby! That extinguisher powder sure is a pain to get rid of

 

It was the combination of argon shield gas, used in mig and tig welding, the heat produced and the brake cleaner that can produce phosgene gas. There are times when I need to degrease something before welding. If I used the brake cleaner I have on the shelf to clean the part and some is left in a crack it could be vaporized from the welding heat, mix with the argon shield gas and bingo! One snort of that could ruin the rest of your life. Im glad I did not learn that the hard way. Also, I believe running freon through an engine sends mustard gas out the tail pipe.

 

...anyone with ANY approved training, schooling, and certifications in any


form of HVAC with an EPA Approved Universal Technician Certification


Card compliant with 40 CFR 8.2 Subpart F. SHOULD be able to tell you


that simply by heating galvinized sheetmetal with an open flame for only


a few moments is long enough to PRODUCE PHOSGENE GAS due to


the Zinc content in the galvinized coating.


I have seen this happen...


...we had to clear the entire area immediately and discard all the
effected clothing BEFORE it was brought in to anyones HOME!


THIS IS MUSTARD GAS!!!

REMEMBER WWI???

-

Welding is NOTHING to taken light heartedly...just because Home Depot
sells welders next to snow shovels does not mean it is simple...

-

 

...sorry about that......just don't want to see anyone get hurt.

I guess "sometimes" that kind of stuff just irks me...


FWIW...welding shops DO sell some really EASY spray clerners that
wash-up easly with BASIC soap and water...I think HF has it also...

 

Phosgene is classified as a Choking Agent as it interferes with the transfer of oxygen to the blood.
There are a whole bunch of common chemicals that turn deadly when combined with other common elements.

 

So this is why I was told NOT to weld galvanized pipe. :-X Something about drinking milk afterwords?

 

Not a thing wrong with your post. Say it with some passion and you get my attention. There are too many guys like me that are numb to the warning labels. Every aerosol can in my garage has a warning on it. Ventilation yada, yada. But it gets cold where most of us live. I'm guessing a lot of us spray paint valve covers and such, only cracking the door open. I had no idea brakeclean would put me on my knees with a space heater 20 feet away.

I bet a lot of people here don't realize interior spray glue is almost as wicked. I sure didn't know refrigerant was deadly. Thanks for the heads up. I guess I'll stop sniffing it from now on.

 

Well, that sure answers some questions for me!

 

A lot of campers, trailers and motor homes use some very toxic refrigerants. I forget what it is called, but is very toxic. The really bad part is that campers, trailers and such are a really confined space. A relative of mine was out camping with their new motor home. They were out for a few hours. When they returned to there motor home, they were hit with a very high concentration of toxic refrigerant. Within seconds, they received chemical burns to the mouth, throat, and lungs. If it wasn't for some fast acting friends, that would have been the end. It took about 2 years for them to recover. The RV manufacturer and refrigerator manufacturer paid off a few lawyers and that was that. That type of refrigerant is still widely used in RVs, camper, trailers, ect.

John
NNY