Best refrigerant leak detector

[heatcool3137]

Just want to get some of your opinions on this... I have used dtek, inficon, yellow jacket heated sensor, several others... getting ready to look for the 'New Big Thing' in electronic leak detectors- What works on everything?What's your favorite? I still use the old halide torch for 22 and cfc's. Ultrasonic? Talk to me, Goose...

[ault51]

Just want to get some of your opinions on this... I have used dtek, inficon, yellow jacket heated sensor, several others... getting ready to look for the 'New Big Thing' in electronic leak detectors- What works on everything?What's your favorite? I still use the old halide torch for 22 and cfc's. Ultrasonic? Talk to me, Goose...

I just want to point out that I think you missed the technology that is one of the newest to refrigerant leak detection...Infrared like the Fieldpiece SRL2.

[itsiceman]

I/R has been out for a while now
Electrochemical seems to be the "New" thing

[walterc]

The H10g is the best in my opinion. It has never lied to me and "will" find any leak.
However it is having a hard time reading R410a. I must set it to "small leak" and set the sensitivity up or evacuate and use R22 and nitro to find small leaks.

I don't like having to run a cord for it though.

I will be trying out the Fieldpiece SLR2 soon.

I almost forgot- soap bubbles is next to best to find or "see" the leak.

[kamersoutdoor]

In need of a new leak detector, I decided on the SLR8 instead of the SLR2K7.
Had my heart set on the latter but just couldn't take the chance on it.
I will continue to monitor the reviews for the next couple years when upgrading is needed.
As of now, the SLR8 has been a real champ. Missed a leak on a rack system the other day, but not due to lack of performance. More like evironment issues. Way too many fans going, and leak was very tight. Found it with dye a day later.

[Saturatedpsi]

What works on everything?

Where's the end of the rainbow?

[n-e-w Jerz!]

The H10g is the best in my opinion. It has never lied to me and "will" find any leak.
However it is having a hard time reading R410a. I must set it to "small leak" and set the sensitivity up or evacuate and use R22 and nitro to find small leaks.

I don't like having to run a cord for it though.

I will be trying out the Fieldpiece SLR2 soon.

I almost forgot- soap bubbles is next to best to find or "see" the leak.

i have the Fieldpiece and i have very mixed feelings about it. got it to check for 400 series refrigerants to compliment a TIF ZX1 i had before some douche auto mechanic stole it from my truck during a oil change(long story). the ZX-1 is a great detector, as close to the H10g as you can get IMO, and thats a great leak detector(the disadvantage to the h10g is that it doesn't have a "wand" like more modern detectors which helps you get into hard to reach places).

i can't afford to buy a new detector anytime soon, but my displeasure with how erratic they can be sometimes has lead me to use something for the first time in my 12 year career: flouresent dye. had to put it in the first stage circuit of a 40 ton air cooled chiller recently as it may have multiple leaks. never thought i'd ever use it but my supervisor has sworn by it and if thats what he wants me to do to find the leaks than thats what i'm doing....with big blue to verify of course

[kamersoutdoor]

You won't need the trusty "Big Blue", most times I don't even need the light! (Leak dye).

[heatcool3137]

Ok, the slr gets good press, someone mentions TIF detectors, never had one of those- REMichel sells three models, the leak seeker, the eliminator, and the heated pentode- any comments on these? The methods I've been using lately are mostly bubbles, dye, or if indoors, jacking up the pressure w/ nitrogen and listening carefully. But I do like gadgets and customers like gadgets too! Just don't need another $300 paperweight like that Inficon POS in the garage...

[FrostyBeer]

i have the Fieldpiece and i have very mixed feelings about it. got it to check for 400 series refrigerants to compliment a TIF ZX1 i had before some douche auto mechanic stole it from my truck during a oil change(long story). the ZX-1 is a great detector, as close to the H10g as you can get IMO, and thats a great leak detector(the disadvantage to the h10g is that it doesn't have a "wand" like more modern detectors which helps you get into hard to reach places).

i can't afford to buy a new detector anytime soon, but my displeasure with how erratic they can be sometimes has lead me to use something for the first time in my 12 year career: flouresent dye. had to put it in the first stage circuit of a 40 ton air cooled chiller recently as it may have multiple leaks. never thought i'd ever use it but my supervisor has sworn by it and if thats what he wants me to do to find the leaks than thats what i'm doing....with big blue to verify of course

Which Fieldpiece do you have?

[n-e-w Jerz!]

Which Fieldpiece do you have?

SLR2 (INFRA RED)

[cchc]

http://www.inficonrefrigerantleakdet...kdetector.html

I bought a D-TEC and have replaced more coils this year than any in the past.

[Jax]

http://www.inficonrefrigerantleakdet...kdetector.html

I bought a D-TEC and have replaced more coils this year than any in the past.

I vote for the D tec also. Been using one for about 5 yuears. Takes a little leaning to get good with one, but worth every penny it cost. And coil replacments will pay for it the first year.

[Danimal535]

I use the D-tek select and double check with H10 and bubbles

[Danimal535]

Only thing about the D-tek is the batteries it need to be on charger all the time

[cchc]

Only thing about the D-tek is the batteries it need to be on charger all the time

And I dont believe you can search for a leak with it plugged in.

[badgerland01]

We bought 20 of the infa-red fieldpieces for each tech, and only one of the techs actually likes it. Biggest POS I have used, IMO. The h-10's are great when they are working properly and can find leaks consistently. It needs to be callibrated before every use and has a long warm up period. It seems like they have good days and bad days though. I realize that isn't technical, but I'm not a leak detector repairman. They just act strange sometimes. The battery life is terrible and the recharge time is long, 8 hours or something. The sensors also cost about 90 bucks to replace. All that said, I keep an H-10 on the truck as a trusty spare. I am currently trying a TIF zx1 and a d-tec inficon. The d-tec doesn't seem like it is the magical answer. The zx-1 seems pretty reliable so far, but I have only had it for a few months.

[nratom45-70]

TIF ZX 1 and H10PM are my favorites. I also have a Fieldpiece infared but don't trust it.

[refertecbd]

TIF ZX 1 I have been using one for 2 years now and it never fails.

[RussellHarju]

We bought 20 of the infa-red fieldpieces for each tech, and only one of the techs actually likes it. Biggest POS I have used, IMO. The h-10's are great when they are working properly and can find leaks consistently. It needs to be callibrated before every use and has a long warm up period. It seems like they have good days and bad days though. I realize that isn't technical, but I'm not a leak detector repairman. They just act strange sometimes. The battery life is terrible and the recharge time is long, 8 hours or something. The sensors also cost about 90 bucks to replace. All that said, I keep an H-10 on the truck as a trusty spare. I am currently trying a TIF zx1 and a d-tec inficon. The d-tec doesn't seem like it is the magical answer. The zx-1 seems pretty reliable so far, but I have only had it for a few months.

Please have your techs call us. Normally techs just need to get used to infrared technology and once they do they will never go back. Here's a video on how infrared works and describes a bit of the difference to the heated diode technology.

http://youtu.be/GA9A7cUWRHI