Refrigerant Leak Detector And Acquiring Leaks In Your Air Conditioner

As summer approaches, it is time to start out thinking about our cars air conditioning method and if it is functioning effectively. One of the most widespread difficulties with an A/C system is refrigerant leaks and locating them. Locating the source of the leak can be a tedious and time consuming. The leaking Freon could come literally anyplace in the method from tubing to a accumulator to a tiny pressure switch gone negative. The EPA has produced it much alot more stringent guidelines in dealing with refrigerant leaks. The days of topping off the air conditioner with a handful of cans of R12 are lengthy over. Now even smaller leaks must found and corrected. Right here comes technologies to the rescue. There are several solutions air conditioning repair shops employ to locate and repair refrigerant leaks. Each and every strategy has its pros and cons and their use depends on the circumstance. The 3 most typically made use of are a electronic refrigerant leak detector, ultraviolet dye leak detection kit, and ultrasonic leak detector units.

Electronic Refrigerant Leak Detectors

Electronic Refrigerant Leak Detectors are the quickest and easiest to use of the three techniques. Most of the time you will have no notion exactly where the refrigerant is leaking and have to narrow down the feasible locations. A electronic refrigerant leak detector can get you highly close to the location of the leak and from there you can get far more precise. Some of the superior models will enable to crank up the sensitivity after you get the region located. For relatively little leaks you can wrap the suspected location in cling wrap or a rag to attempt and include the refrigerant. When you unwrap the location, place in the refrigerant leak detector and see if you get a reading. Keep in mind, refrigerant is heavier than air and it will sink to the ground. It is ideal to sniff below tubing and compartments when searching for it.

Ultrasonic Leak Detectors

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These are state of the art leak detectors and are the newest tool to find refrigerant leaks. They operate on the principle of sound detection. As an alternative of sniffing for refrigerant gas they listen for the sound it tends to make as Freon escapes the method. To use an ultrasonic leak detector the program must be pressured in order for the refrigerant to leak out and make noise. Also, the work region will have to be completely silent. Try to remember it is looking for sound and no background noise is imperative. This is the most important drawback to using an ultrasonic leak detector. Highly handful of auto shops are quiet enough to use it successfully.

Ultraviolet Dye Leak Detectors

This third method ultraviolet dye is injected into the air conditioning program and in theory must escape with the refrigerant. Usually, an auto shops have an ultraviolet leak detection kit that has all of the tools essential to full this process. Often these kits come with ultraviolet lamp or ultraviolet flashlight, a dye injector, security glasses and ultraviolet dye. This method is the most technically complex of the three and is the messiest. You have to inject the ultraviolet dye into the method and wait for it to leak out. The dye can be messy and get all over the spot. It gets in youre A/C method, your refrigerant manifold gauges and you. Nonetheless after you shine your ultraviolet flashlight and spot the leak, you quite often can see exactly where it is.

Every single process has its pro and cons. For the beginner, I would advise an electronic refrigerant leak detector and the skilled auto shop would be improved served with an ultraviolet leak detection kit.