Compressed air.

[HackSore]

I bought some compressed air at a local store as it was pretty cheap, but the can says its extremely flammable and contains propane and butane.
Its recommended uses are keyboards, printers, disk drives etc, but im wondering whether it will be safe to use around components? i mainly bought it to clean out some heatsinks on various machines, but now im a little apprehensive about using it.
can anyone advise me on it?

[doug91]

Yea don't use that "compressed air." I could be mistaken but I'm pretty sure you bought the wrong kind of compressed air. I also have a can of air for cleaning but it does not contain propane and butane...
Are you sure you didn't buy a little can of natural gas??? lmao

[halcyonforever]

I know most compressed air cans are labeled extemely flamable. (oxygen is flamable, compressed in to a small can can be used as a very effective accelerant) But I don't think I have ever seen the butane warning... I might consider returing that particular can.

Only thing I can think of is they have that listed due to some traces found in their air compression sample, but that sounds a bit off.

[xmastree]

Since the greenies decided that CFCs are damaging the ozone layer, butane is used as a propellant in most spray cans. Combined with a zippo lighter you can make a nice flamethrower!

[HackSore]

Yea don't use that "compressed air." I could be mistaken but I'm pretty sure you bought the wrong kind of compressed air. I also have a can of air for cleaning but it does not contain propane and butane...
Are you sure you didn't buy a little can of natural gas??? lmao

Well, it has the same list of recommended uses as belkins canned air, and i know people use that to clean components.

I know oxygen is flammable and it didnt really surprise me to see the extremely flammable warning signs, i was just surprised by the propane and butane in it.

Anyways, unless someone can give me some concrete evidence/advice, i will try and return it tomorrow. hopefully i will get a refund, as im poor and a tenner is a lot for me to pay for air! :D

[doug91]

My air can has tetraflouroethane.... Which is a CFC without the whole ozone killing thing.
You sure about the butane? From what I know its a natural gas, and not much of a propellant. The air in the cans are so compressed that they don't need a propellant anyway.


Well, it has the same list of recommended uses as belkins canned air, and i know people use that to clean components.

So you knowingly bought a can of natural gas?? Yes I could blow pressurized kerosene gas at my keyboard and that would clean dust of too. Pure oxygen is very flammable yes, but the air cans are not 100% oxygen. Propane is also a lot more flammable, if any is left on the heatsinks you spray, you could have a lovely fire.

[HackSore]

So you knowingly bought a can of natural gas??

No, thats my point, its labeled as compressed air, sold in a computer store, with the same list of uses as belkin canned air. it was only when i read the small print that i noticed it contained propane and butane.

[doug91]

oh oh oh my bad I thought you did. If its advertised as compressed air and says use it to clean a computer then I don't know what to tell you... It still sounds shady to me.

Worst case, your computer does catch on fire, and you sue the manufacturer for a wad of cash!

[HackSore]

oh oh oh my bad I thought you did. If its advertised as compressed air and says use it to clean a computer then I don't know what to tell you... It still sounds shady to me.

Worst case, your computer does catch on fire, and you sue the manufacturer for a wad of cash!

No worries, and yeah, i thought it sounded a little odd too, and as perviously stated im pretty poor, so i dont want to risk my rig trying to save a few quid on compressed air!

[chaksq]

My guess is the butane/propane or whatever is used as the propellant because it is cheap, probably why you got a good deal on it. Other chemicals that may be better for a variety of reasons, are more expensive especially after the CFC ban.

[Spawn-Inc]

all that stuff is, is a propellant. it's perfectly safe to use just make sure there is no open flames near by at the time you use it, which there shouldn't be.

[xmastree]

Pure oxygen is very flammable yes, but the air cans are not 100% oxygen.Not exactly. It's an oxidizing agent, meaning that it makes other things burn.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen
Highly-concentrated sources of oxygen promote rapid combustion. Fire and explosion hazards exist when concentrated oxidants and fuels are brought into close proximity; however, an ignition event, such as heat or a spark, is needed to trigger combustion. Oxygen itself is not the fuel, but the oxidant.

Propane is also a lot more flammable, if any is left on the heatsinks you spray, you could have a lovely fire.Unlikely, it would evapourate long before there was any heat around.

[J-Roc]

The only concern i could raise about it is that the butane disolves your thermal grease but i highly doupt that would ever happen. The grease would be frozen solid long before there was a high enough concentration to disolve it.

[HackSore]

So whats the general consensus then? is it gonna be safe to use inside my rig and on my heatsinks, or should i go with a more well known product?

[Spawn-Inc]

if that was the cheapest, which it doesn't sound like, did u say 10 euro for a can? thats like 20 CDN, you can get 3 cans for that price. but i would say use it if it was the cheapest you could find.