New electronic leak detector .

[Simeonx1]

So i have a electronic leak detector . Which sniffs out all refrigerants i use.
This is handy for when the system already has gas in it.
When its empty and has a small leak i need to charge it with 10% refrigerant and then pump nitro in the rest.

Gas prices have risen 300% in Australia so wasting gas like this is not the best idea.
Is there a way with out using an ultrasonic leak detector that i can sniff out just nitro .
Also how much refrigerant is need to be picked up in thinking 10% is abit to much ?

Would this device pick up nitro ?

http://www.interscience.be/promotiesites/restek/topics/promotiesites/restek/nieuws/gnpc1078int_leakdetector.pdf

[install monkey]

leakspray will pick up 100% nitro-no need for ur 10% of refrigerant

[Tesla]

Hi Simon
I use (allegedly) R22 for trace, pump it up to 10psi then in staged pressures with nitro in the past. I read this measure in a reference to ASHRAE guidelines. But the young apprentices say they are taught there should be enough trace gas in the oil which will mix with nitro, but I'm not so sure as these younger ones have more problems finding leaks. If working on an R410a system I would use the R410A as trace gas as the molecules are smaller then R22. How ever I am sure we need to reclaim this mix of gases so as not to break the rules. I re-did the refrigerant section at tafe last year and the rules are a little grey as it focuses on other methods of tracing gas leaks. I just checked and it says
Except where used as trace gas (see 3.2.2), flourocarbon refrigerant must not be used for the purpose of leak testing.
May be used by manufacturers
a must be premixed not greater than 10% by volume.
b must be recovered
c must be pretested for gross leaks with non flourocarbon method.

[Simeonx1]

Thanks for your detailed reply telsa .

The problem is that i dont want to use gas because it cost money and then time to recover the gas . nitro fills up reclaim bottle pretty fast.

My apprentice said there is a mix new project that is a special kind of nitro and then you buy a special kind of sniffer and you can use it the same as normal . since he is dum and cant explain things probably all use correct names i dont know where i can find this new way of sniffing with no refrigerant .

[#1freezergeezer]

try looking for an ultrasonic leak detector these can find leaks where any pressure is present so require no refrigerant at all and also are able to source leaks where background refrigerant is present

[hyperion]

You can use a nitrogen/hydrogen mix, which needs a lower pressure than OFN for leak testing and does not require any refrigerant. Downside is that you need a special electronic sniffer and the 5% hydrogen/nitrogen mix is quite expensive and only available form a few specilaised supliers. It will normally find smaller leaks when other methods sometimes fail.

[Rob White]

.

Unless the system is totaly empty which they very rarely are
there will always be enough gas inside the system to find a leak.

Bear in mind those electronic leak detectors are sensative down to
between 3 and 5 PPM. That means a gas leak of between 3 and 5
grams a year. Think about it 3 to 5 grams a year is such a small leak.

Now I'm not sure about Australia but in Europe we can't add gas to
leak test, it goes against our F-Gas directive....

In the UK we have a trace gas that uses nitrogen and Hydrogen and
then a leak detector to find the gas, but it is as expensive as buying
a good Ultrasound leak detector...

Regards

Rob

.

[sarmisak]

There are some paints produced by Refco called Glo-Leak, you just mix it in oil before adding gas -any gas- or inject it with a special gun to the system, and it does not effect the coolant performance. Under UV light and some special glasses -I'm not sure if they're special, might be just some kind of filter- you can even find microscopic leaks they say, haven't tried it myself, I'm using Würth's leak detection sprays, which I find very effective and cheap -~15US$ / bottle-. You can check REFCO's 2012 catalog chapter 6, pages 86-87 for glo-leak.

[Simeonx1]

you dont even need glasses most of the time or a uv light for that glo-leak .

Its still not illegal because you try to find the leak first with nitro and bubbles and its to small to find . then you fill it with a tiny bit of gas then you find the leak after 30mins max reclaim all that gas into a bottle. you would loose less than a purge of a gas line.

[Gwyn]

ultrasonic leak detectors are they any good???
what sort of experience have engineers had so far with them any good... worth the mony...etc.
Any reply s on this matter please would be good.

[Brian_UK]

ultrasonic leak detectors are they any good???
what sort of experience have engineers had so far with them any good... worth the mony...etc.
Any reply s on this matter please would be good.
Don't use one now but have used them in the past.

Found leaks every time regardless of the background noise levels. I would recommend them as 'another' tool to have in the box.

[Gwyn]

Don't use one now but have used them in the past.

Found leaks every time regardless of the background noise levels. I would recommend them as 'another' tool to have in the box.

Great will have to start to look into getting one then :) any good preferences as to make model etc?

[Sinnema]

Hi all,

It appears in this thread a lot of knowledge of leak detecting is present and I would like to make use of that.

I am looking for a stationary leak detector located on a R134a installation. This detector should not react to N2 (nitrogen gas).

Does anyone know which sort, brand, type, etc. I can use?


Kind regards,

JR