Any Downsides to Barnacle Buster?

[redsky49]

I have considerable hours on engine, generator, AC unit, and have considered using Barnacle Buster to dissolve any build up in sea water lines, heat exchanger, etc.


Are there any negative side effects resulting from using this product? Any personal experiences? Any more effective brands out there?

[a64pilot]

It is an acid.
However if used according to instructions and not often I doubt Tri would do any harm.
I would remove any zincs though prior to use, acid has a hey day with zinc.

[Simi 60]

Its cost is a negative

Download the msds for BB and Rydlyme and you will see that one is phosphoric acid and the other is hydrochloric acid both in very diluted forms using water for the dilution

Salt water pool filter cleaner is far cheaper phosphoric source and brick cleaner is a far cheaper hydrochloric source.

[ranger58sb]

I've used both Rydlyme and Barnacle Buster. Both worked as advertised, no ill effects observed afterwards. Trac told me Barnacle Buster also has an additive to address marine growth, otherwise it's essentially identical to their Sew Clean product for hoses.

-Chris

[Simi 60]

^^^^^^^ you are talking about something totally unrelated

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by redsky49

I have considerable hours on engine, generator, AC unit, and have considered using Barnacle Buster to dissolve any build up in sea water lines, heat exchanger, etc.

Are there any negative side effects resulting from using this product? Any personal experiences? Any more effective brands out there?

Originally Posted by ranger42c

I've used both Rydlyme and Barnacle Buster. Both worked as advertised, no ill effects observed afterwards. Trac told me Barnacle Buster also has an additive to address marine growth, otherwise it's essentially identical to their Sew Clean product for hoses.

Originally Posted by Simi 60

^^^^^^^ you are talking about something totally unrelated

???

Huh?

-Chris

[CaptTom]

I found Phosphoric acid on Amazon. Had to dilute it to get to the same concentration as BB. It's labeled "food grade" so apparently it's used in cleaning commercial food-processing equipment.

[billknny]

Originally Posted by redsky49

I have considerable hours on engine, generator, AC unit, and have considered using Barnacle Buster to dissolve any build up in sea water lines, heat exchanger, etc.


Are there any negative side effects resulting from using this product? Any personal experiences? Any more effective brands out there?

No downsides--unless you happen to be a barnacle...

Do not listen to the people who say it is "just phosphoric acid." They are being too clever by half. They do not seem to understand that the MSDS is only listing ingredients that are "hazardous"

It also contains surfactants and corrosion inhibitors. Yes, phosphoric acid will dissolve much of the same stuff. But seriously, unless you are a chemist, it is really best to leave the formulation of these products to the professionals. The amount of dollars you will save is really not that large, and wouldn't it be nice to have someone to sue if things go pear-shaped?

[Russ]

Only Barnacle Buster is approved for aluminum block Yanmars. Remember you pump it through for about 2-3 hours using small fountain pump and circulating it through the engine, then stop. You can't just let it sit in the block, it is corrosive.
I used it and then had engine gaskets changed just to see first hand how well it did. Stuff was amazing, engine inside clean as a baby's bottom !
Russ

[roland stockham]

I use Coke. Back in my youth as a biker it was always the standard for cleaning up the inside of engines. Soak overnight usually does it. Still the best think I know for cleaning kerosene burners. Again don't get it near aluminum. It is also cheap and available from any corner store

[Mango51]

I just used Barnical buster last week. On Ac unit. I left it soaking for 12 to 17 hours. Worked great but my throat is keeling me. Coughing spitting throughing up. I whore a mask but a cheap simple one. So what ever you use wear eye and breathing protection.
Good luck

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

???

Huh?

-Chris

He commented on a post that the user deleted, that your not seeing.
Made in error I’m sure.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Mango51

I just used Barnical buster last week. On Ac unit. I left it soaking for 12 to 17 hours. Worked great but my throat is keeling me. Coughing spitting throughing up. I whore a mask but a cheap simple one. So what ever you use wear eye and breathing protection.
Good luck

Better stop using whores for masks, it's not healthy. Sorry I couldn't let it pass.
If everybody got my typos and misspellings there wouldn't be room for anything else.

[Locquatious]

Used 85% phosphoric acid to clean steel before painting. The cotton rag turned to mush. It also attacks paper towel and probably paper gaskets.

Every time I have used a de-scaler in the engine cooling system, I also ended up replacing the water pump soon after.

Our '82 Perkins engine head gasket had regions where they literally papered over cooling channels between the block and the head, changing the cooling flow. The original head gasket failed in these regions and the failure somehow worked it's way to the oil channels. It's possible that the phosphoric acid cleaner weakened the original head gasket paper, though the gasket failed 4 years later. The new head gasket is a plastic and metal wonder design, but they still block the same cooling channels.

[Mango51]

Lol!!!��