Wasp Killer -something to look out for maybe?

[hardyannual]

I dont know if this is anything to be noted but..

Having been mooching about in my new (er old) loft. I have found somebody had in the past, attacked a poor wasp's house with "wasp nest killer" . Whats that got to do with plumbing you might ask?
Well its turned all the copper piping in the area, bright cruddy green.

Soaking with WD40 and a brillo and it returns back to copper colour, but I cannot help wondering that if had it been left, the corrosion process would have carried on until.. Whoosh!

anybody know if it was just a minor layer or something that would have kept on corroding?

 

[wonderb0y]

you sure it wasn't excess flux?

 

[Agile]

I would question how you can determine what was used to attack the wasps nest?

Perhaps they put HCl on it and that formed the green chloride copper salt?

Or maybe its just flux from the original installation as suggested? ( Flux contains HCl in varying forms. )

Copper formate is more bluish so its unlikely it results from the wasps stinging the pipe!

Tony

 

[hardyannual]

LOL no no no ! it was not the wasps "stinging the pipes".

Somebody had used a chemical "wasp nest killer"
(I found the can near by)
to kill a wasp nest that tucked itsself into the central heating pipes.

Definitely splashes on the pipes not stings

I just wondered if these chemiclas had any detrimental effect on copper
and if people should be aware of it when using the stuff.

 

[Softus]

Are you considering posting the name of the product, or reading its label and listing its constituents?

 

[namsag]

Ignore agiles stinging comment he is just trying to look clever by mention some obscure chemical which yet again he gets wrong, but it looks good

 

[kevplumb]

 

[Agile]

Ignore agiles stinging comment he is just trying to look clever by mention some obscure chemical which yet again he gets wrong, but it looks good

Bee stings contain Formic Acid ( HCOOH ). Copper forms Copper Formate which has several applications and is available to purchase so its not very "obscure" in my opinion. Most common in the tetrahydrate form Cu(COOH)² 4H²O.

I agree that wasp stings are not mainly formic acid but it does not seem very clear what predominates in them. If Namsag knows then he should tell us including what green compound could be formed by wasp sting on copper.

Tony

 

[namsag]

Yet again Agile you use formula that looks good and very impressive . Yes bee stings contain formic acid which could allow copper formate to form.. But we are talking about wasp stings which contain no formic acid so this compound could not form also wasp stings are alkaline the complete opposite of a an acidic bee sting. So your stupid comment of a wasp sting not being completely formic acid is a fools comment this is basic chemistry that a twelve year old should be able to understand.

You really should stop making yourself look so stupid and only comment on what you know to be fact and not what you make up in your head.

And who said the green compound was caused by wasp stings this is something you made up

 

[Agile]

So your stupid comment of a wasp sting not being completely formic acid is a fools comment this is basic chemistry that a twelve year old should be able to understand.

And who said the green compound was caused by wasp stings this is something you made up

I am not sure why you are exagerating and twisting what I have said?

"""I agree that wasp stings are not mainly formic acid"""

Thats not the same as "not completely"


"""Copper formate is more bluish so its unlikely it results from the wasps stinging the pipe! """

That says its "unlikely it results" not "it was caused"! The idea of the wasps stinging the pipe was more of a joke although ants do give off some formic acid to their soundings.

Tony

 

[namsag]

Why bring other insects into it .Every school kid should know that an ants bite contains formic acid. But we are talking wasps, There is NO formic acid in a wasp sting . I am twisting nothing just pointing out your lack of basic understanding of the difference of an alkaline and an acid.

You say copper formate has several applications, other than the main one in the production of methanol try and give me ten uses

 

[wonderb0y]

Bee stings contain Formic Acid ( HCOOH ).

isnt that what spotty teenagers drink?