Read Before Using Brake Cleaner

[rabunjeeper]

Lesson Learned...

So yesterday evening im out in the shop. I'm getting ready to paint my frame rails and there is a lil bit of power steering fluid that leaked out of the pump onto the frame rails. I grab a can of brake kleen to clean it so i could spray paint it. I soaked the oily spot down and wiped it up with a paper shop towel. Cleaned it right up, only one problem. A freind was over watching me and him and I both started to get dizzy, eyes burning, coughing and etc... I had a kerosene heater running in the shop. Now I have a painted near heaters before but it was nothing like what this brake cleaner was doing. We opened the shop door and let it air out, painted the front frame rails, and  then called it a night. This morning i figured I'd google it. Turns out if you get brake cleaner near ANY kind of heat source it turns it into a gas called phosgene. IT WILL KILL YOU! Looks like we barely dodged the bullet this time and I dont plan on ever using it again. Also if you weld on a piece of metal that has spot of brake clean still on it as small as 4 parts per million, It can instantly KILL you!

When I was googling it I came across this story. You definaltely should read this.
http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

[drich394]

NICE,  {salute}

[RotorHead]

Man, why is the good stuff always bad for you? First bacon, now this.  >

[Calvin]

I've read that article before. Some guy on Pirate has it in his sig "Warning to All Welders". That is pretty crazy, and yea why is the good stuff always bad for you?

[Jimmy]

Yup, it'll mess you up if it gasses off.

[ranger11]

Dang we used 2 cans to install some tires a few weeks ago. {ehm}

[ranger11]

Also used it as de icer. Spray on walk way then light it up.

[fourwheelinaj]

Ya Missed the biggest warning to start with

"Keep Away From Children"

 ;D

[mdo817]

Ya Missed the biggest warning to start with

"Keep Away From Children"

 ;D

But it didn't say keep away from Rednecks, I wouldn't have thought about the heater thing, but I've read about cleaning prior to welding.

[rabunjeeper]

Yeah I had heard about the welding part. It was origanlly thought that when mixed with argon it made the phosgene gas. Turns out that wasnt true. I read the non-flammable part and thought it was ok. Supposedly if they say non-flammable then that means they are not safe.  I will probably stil use it, just not any where a near a heat source.

[MACHINE]

Andy, you're extremely lucky. I've done some homework in the past and have had to take has mat classes for work. Phosgene gas is nothing to joke about. Its worse than chlorine and in the same "bad stuff" class as ammonia.  The side effects alone can be horrible. Like you said, at 4 ppm, you drop dead. If you aren't feeling right you should get checked out. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Rowingfish87]

dang...guess I should stop using it in combo with my propane torch to make an awesome flame-thrower bonfire starter