I must have missed the boat on the ultra-sonic leak detectors, how do they work, do they work like a doctors stethoscope - does it look like that. Or does it look more like a regular leak detector with ear pieces.
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I must have missed the boat on the ultra-sonic leak detectors, how do they work, do they work like a doctors stethoscope - does it look like that. Or does it look more like a regular leak detector with ear pieces.
I found that apprentices are the best tool to find leaks, regarless of which method.
They take their time and want to impress!
yea but at some point the padawan must move aside so I can get my job done and move on to the next call, I have that I am training, he is a hard worker but he will stay there all day if he has to find that leak, at some point you have to call-it.
I must admit i do not limit myself to a single test method, it depends upon the size of the system, is it windy, how bigs the leak (repeat calls), I have found the the fluro dye and UV light has been succesful on problem jobs
my problem with the dye is that it gets on every thing and the next to put his gauges on the unit get that dye all over his gauges and so on, my boss admittedly against the use of using any kind of dye, and if you use the dye in a unit it voids the warranty on the unit. ARS - the american standard dealer has the dye on there counter, but when you ask if that dye is american standard approved they say no - it will void the warranty if you put any dye into an american standard unit
I stated I use on problem jobs (normally older systems), but I can agree with your issues.
Excluding equipment which is dead on arrival, I can say I after 30 years i can count manufactured warranty issues on one hand, I think refrigeration mechanical equipment is pretty reliable,
Electronics thats a different issue
I'm sorry I must have missed the "on problem jobs portion", I agree on systems that are 30 years old, yea what is the point warranty doesn't matter then, but on those unless it is a very small leak I would just make the call and tell them that it is that time.
Sorry for that, slightly of subject, Here NZ due to location we self warranty/insurance (cheaper from the manufacture) So the dye is not an issue, and can say i have not seen a problem caused by the dye. (if used correctly)
have used loads of different electronic ones D tech make the best the heated diode one is as good as a halide torch but you have to change the diode after 40hrs use sometimes sooner and yes have worked with guys who never change them and wonder why they cant find leaks lol i heard mention of soapy water would stay away from that unlessyou desperate as washing up liquid has a very hi salt content an tends to rot bits of a system you really dont want to i currently use D Tech with infrared sensor its great an rechargeable have found loads even picks up flare joint weepage where ya cant get a bubble to form :)
wats the best buy for ultrasonic ***** leak detector. Thank a lot.
I would suggest Ultraprobe. They have different models depending their sensitivity and also the chance to vary the search frequency. And no matter which gas you are looking for, that's a good point when using ultrasound technology.
http://www.uesystems.com/
Ultrasonics also have other applications, for example, to check bearings in compressors before you go to vibrations, or checking leaks in valves, etc.
You can have it of INFICON. There are several other companies just you need to Google it.
Odd to see a forwarded message in so many months. The TIF model is still by far the best for supermarket use. The reason I like the TIF is the software. You can ramp it up and down and actually home into a leak. Inficon and others pretty much tell you are getting close and then telling you that you are getting farther Sort of like the old game when your children are telling you that you are getting warmer or colder. Plus, the TIF has a 25 year warranty, although they don't quite deliver on it in a timely basis.
Ultrasonics are underemployed, in my opinion, mostly because technicians are not quickly adaptable to them. Accu-trak and Am-probe have a good product. I have an off brand I bought online that has a 12-inch parabolic dish that saved the day a while ago. We turned everything off in the market... lights and all. It indicated a suction line leak near an exhaust fan in the deli area. We were at our wits end with that one, but were able to pinpoint it after the ultrasonic provided the weak high frequency signal that a leak provided and we were off with our TIFs and bubbles to find it. Leaks underneath armafllex and behind walls are the trickiest, and ultrasonics to not fare well with them.
But beyond the equipment, the finest leak detector is a technician who is seasoned enough to employ all six senses and experienced as a construction technician... Knowing the most likely places to look, the signs of oil saturated insulation, the likely rub spots, etc.
It's one of the reasons we bring our service techs out of the construction department whenever we can.
I use this myself and can defenitely recommend it. It has a rather long startup sequence though, often 1,5 minutes...
A nice feature is the NH3 optional sensor.
I too agree that Tek-Mate is a reliable leak detector..And what you often need to do is check it instantly in order to see if it is working fine..And i am comfortable using this detector..
We check ours everyday. Spare sensors are a must. Keep them charged. I remove the battery and well as some of our tech do; they sometimes drain. They have problems with the vacuum motor sometimes. But an awesome warranty. It takes more than a month to get one back, but so far Tif has honored the warranty on 10 of them
. We have 20 of them. And I will stand by any technician who uses any other brand and I always win. It's the software that out performs the others. You can reset it's sensitivity much better than a D-tech, Yellow Jacket, etc.
How do we test them? We start them up in the office and walk into the warehouse. They are screaming. Then we lower the sensitivity and find leaking bottles, or hoses on our reclaim machine. I have a 30-pounder that is supposedly empty and it has been caught leaking for 3 years. It is one of our most important tools and all our techs understand to treat them and charge them and store them carefully.
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I am still a Tiff fan. It outruns the teck-mate every day of the week.