piet louwrens
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Why do I feel like I'm having flue after a good days welding. Is it the gas or what. Has anyone else had the same snotty experience 
- Thread starter piet louwrens
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Piet, what type of metal are you welding and for how long at a time? If it's just plain old mild steel then you shouldn't really be getting any problems but if the steel is coated, ie galv or anything else then you most definitely don't want to be breathing the fumes. While relatively small quantities of zinc fume isn't as deadly as folklore would have you believe, it certainly can cause health problems, metal fume fever being one.
If welding for prolonged periods, it would be worth rigging up some sort of crude extraction system or even just open the door and turn a big fan on every few mins while you take a break from welding to help disperse the fumes. Also, try to keep your face out of the path of the rising smoke to further reduce what you breathe in.
If welding for prolonged periods, it would be worth rigging up some sort of crude extraction system or even just open the door and turn a big fan on every few mins while you take a break from welding to help disperse the fumes. Also, try to keep your face out of the path of the rising smoke to further reduce what you breathe in.
piet louwrens
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Hi Woz
I am busy building 4x4 acc, ie bullbars, sidesteps and towbars, and all of it is mild steel & not a hint of galv.
Im sure, as You say, ventilation is the problem. The bullbar, or actualy the offroad bumper took about 40 min to weld. It was in a building with a fan blowing.
I am busy building 4x4 acc, ie bullbars, sidesteps and towbars, and all of it is mild steel & not a hint of galv.
Im sure, as You say, ventilation is the problem. The bullbar, or actualy the offroad bumper took about 40 min to weld. It was in a building with a fan blowing.
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40 mins on mild steel shouldn't really give you any issues Piet, it may just be that you're a little run-down anyway or does it happen all the time then stops if you're not welding? Keep taking regular fresh air breaks to limit your exposure to the fumes. If it persists then it would be well worth investing in a fume mask/respirator, you can get them small enough to fit under your welding mask.
piet louwrens
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Thanks Woz, I will take more care and see if things change
It probably is Zinc fume. Seems that the first time you get it, you feel dreadful, but repeated exposure has no further effect (unless we're talking of mega doses). Then, if you stop welding (or stop welding stuff with Zinc on it) your body recovers until you inhale some more Zinc and you get it all over again!
Comparatively (or completely) harmless, though I felt I was dying.................
Comparatively (or completely) harmless, though I felt I was dying.................
Yes, saw that, but still think it the most likely answer.
If you're not used to it, it'll bite hard, even with tiny amounts. I literally tacked 2 small nuts (to make 'em captive) on a tiny peice of galv I though I'd removed it all from mechanically.
Now I use acid to get it off!
If you're not used to it, it'll bite hard, even with tiny amounts. I literally tacked 2 small nuts (to make 'em captive) on a tiny peice of galv I though I'd removed it all from mechanically.
Now I use acid to get it off!
Bruce
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I do. Not the snots or anything, but that run down flu ache yes. I am pretty certain in my instance it's the argon and / or weld fumes. I'm on Tig and ali and it happens most often when I am welding with the garage door shut because of a draught.
Like was said before, 5min exposure is enough.
Like was said before, 5min exposure is enough.
piet louwrens
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Strange that it doesn't happen with arc welding...
madkayaker
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The shielding gas from the MIG probably not helping matters mush.
Hello Piet,
Bruce, I found the same when I Tigged.Reminds me, I should get my rig going again.
I had zinc fever once and can say that Argon gas affects me, but in a different way.
The only gas that I do not have a problem with is CO2 which I prefer for MIG.
Zinc fever taught me to avoid any fumes like the plague - I stick to the old wives tale of drinking a glass and a half of milk after I arced.
Piet, I would love to see pics of your projects.
Bruce, I found the same when I Tigged.Reminds me, I should get my rig going again.
I had zinc fever once and can say that Argon gas affects me, but in a different way.
The only gas that I do not have a problem with is CO2 which I prefer for MIG.
Zinc fever taught me to avoid any fumes like the plague - I stick to the old wives tale of drinking a glass and a half of milk after I arced.
Piet, I would love to see pics of your projects.
Argon is inert. AFAIK it doesn't interfere with any biological functions (unlike say CO which binds to haemoglobin better than O2 thus reducing blood oxygen levels) and is only dangerous in situations when it can displace the air- confined spaces for example. It's denser than air so is not likely to be a danger in a closed garage unless the bottom of the doors are very well sealed
TIG generally produces the least amount of fume as no filler is transfered across the arc. All arc welding processes produce ozone from the UV/IR radiation reacting with the surrounding air. Higher currents and/or reflective materials (stainless and aluminium for example) = more ozone. Not sure but i wouldn't be surprised if TIG produces higher amounts of ozone than other processes (amp for amp) as the arc is clear of other smoke/fume. While it's useful in the upper atmosphere OZONE is pretty toxic. Any of the symptoms in the link ring a bell?
TIG generally produces the least amount of fume as no filler is transfered across the arc. All arc welding processes produce ozone from the UV/IR radiation reacting with the surrounding air. Higher currents and/or reflective materials (stainless and aluminium for example) = more ozone. Not sure but i wouldn't be surprised if TIG produces higher amounts of ozone than other processes (amp for amp) as the arc is clear of other smoke/fume. While it's useful in the upper atmosphere OZONE is pretty toxic. Any of the symptoms in the link ring a bell?
AVENLEY 10
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Are you welding in a building with little ventilation because you may be feeling the early signs of asphixiation which is similar to carbon minoxide poisoning in that you feel tired and suffer headaches so open any window/doors to get a through flow of air.More people are killed by inert gases in confined areas then any other welding accident as from memory only 2% of an inert gas is lethal in the atmosphere.
See this. An atmosphere with more than 19.5% Oxygen is perfectly safe without breathing apparatus, so, given that the composition of Air is
Nitrogen: 78.084%
Oxygen: 20.947%
Argon: 0.934%
Carbon Dioxide: 0.033%
You'd need something way in excess of 2% Argon to have lethal effects, especially as Argon is heavier than air.
Where on earth do you get this stuff about
Nitrogen: 78.084%
Oxygen: 20.947%
Argon: 0.934%
Carbon Dioxide: 0.033%
You'd need something way in excess of 2% Argon to have lethal effects, especially as Argon is heavier than air.
Where on earth do you get this stuff about
?
AVENLEY 10
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Only said it was from memory BOC Safety course, think it has something to do with the dominoe affect first person collapses his mate goes to help does the same etc
AVENLEY 10
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Must say some of the symptoms listed in the safety sheet are similar to early flu
There's confined and enclosed. Pits are very dangerous as they'll fill up with all sorts of vapours, including inflamable ones. But I think Piet was just welding away in a workspace. Unless sealed, the air is generally exchanged in those quickly enough without any special ventilation.
Any gas can be harmful, but the inerts are generally far less harmful than others, including pure oxygen.
Any gas can be harmful, but the inerts are generally far less harmful than others, including pure oxygen.
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Could this be a simple case of Hay fever?? , I myself suffer from this, allergy's can be related to anything, mostly I get sore throat cold like symptoms bought about mostly from household cleaning products, but heavy days in the flume can cause the same symptoms, antihistamines help.......
