Someone mentioned that some air dusters are combustible, so I got one from Poundland to try out. Normally if it was an actual air duster with compressed air in it, it wouldn't tend to be in liquid form, but this one has a modest amount of liquid in it.
It's very combustible. In fact I think it may be propane or butane, but with no odour added like in lighter fuel.
As a final test of combustibility I emptied a gas lighter and refilled it by inverting the air duster can into its refill valve. It burns just like butane would.
I guess that in the same way that an aerosol air freshener uses butane as a propellant, it's no real hazard if the gas is being sprayed in moderation. But I wouldn't recommend its use on anything "sparky" like a motor or open contacts.
It's very combustible. In fact I think it may be propane or butane, but with no odour added like in lighter fuel.
As a final test of combustibility I emptied a gas lighter and refilled it by inverting the air duster can into its refill valve. It burns just like butane would.
I guess that in the same way that an aerosol air freshener uses butane as a propellant, it's no real hazard if the gas is being sprayed in moderation. But I wouldn't recommend its use on anything "sparky" like a motor or open contacts.
Do not do this in small or enclosed rooms, the gas inside + flame creates a bad vapor that can burn your throat and nostrils temporarily.
Source: experience
Hey I found that out in a shocking way. I'm the kind of person who always read the label on every product to make sure I'm using it in a way it is intended however I did not read anything on this product that I also purchased in Poundland just like you. I guess the reason was that it is called air duster and my brain translated it as it is only compressed air.
So Here you go..
One day when we have cleaned the gas cooker in the kitchen some water went down the the knobs and so the cooker was constantly giving sparks even without pushing down the knobs. I guess water closed the circuit for the switches. So I have turned off the electric on the wall then tried to dry out the water by using AIR DUSTER…
Then switched the electric back on and yeah the problem was gone.
Just to make sure everything works I turned then pressed the knob down to activate gas flow and ignite.
BANG!!! The whole kitchen cabinet have lifted up slightly by the detonation of the AIR DUSTER.
Nothing was ripped apart no damage was done luckily but that was a shocking experience.
Then I read the label…. :D:D:D
Not all air dusters are
Good for freezing stuff as well
Do not use this to refill a lighter. The chemical that makes up air duster is 1,1-Difluoroethane. When it burns it forms carbonyl fluoride and hydrogen fluoride. These products are both extremely poisonous gasses. Hydrogen fluoride reacts with the calcium inside your body causing your cells to not function properly and can damage lung tissue which may lead to pulmonary edema. Carbonyl fluoride causes suffocation by reacting with the amine groups of the proteins in the pulmonary alveoli.
Might meet BigClive in ER one day lol…
Air duster cans used to contain a non flammable fluorocarbon gas or similar, because of the ozone destroying properties of the organic halogen gases these were changed to various other easily compressible gases. As far as I remember in the UK the change was in 1989.
I'm disappointed! ☹️ I was waiting for you to take one of your death Camp lanterns and make do USB ports Spark and set it on fire with the spray can
There are actually two different types of butane; isobutane and n-butane. Isobutane is odorless, and pure n-butane smells like difluoroethane (non-flammable air duster).
I used a can of airduster to clean the intake of an lp grill. It made a huge blast of fire, and the combustion gases were so horrible that I choked and passed out. Having a chemistry degree, I should have known that hf and phosgene were likely byproducts 🤦♂️ I assumed the can contained butane. It actually was R134a. 1,1,1 trifluoroethane.
I noticed this when spraying a red hot coil, the "air" coming from the can caught fire. Looking at the back of the can it contains: Butane, Isopropane, Propane. That's all that is on the ingredients list. And yeah, no smell of anything particular.
would it be cheaper to use one of those cans to fill up zippo butane lighters, rather than using their thingys?
And if you want to piss off a friend just turn the can upside down and blast freezing air at them
Hmm they must make em out of something else in the US because the ones I find here get really cold when used. Icy even if you use for more than a couple seconds.
Holding a flame to a flammable can like that is bad, a friend of mine trying to show off when we were 13 had half of his face blown off.
Where can I get that lighter?