Uv light leak detector

[shaka]

Can someone give me an input on the UV light leak detector? I got a leak on a 3 door frezzer that is driving me nuts. Are they any good? Do they work good on all type of system? They have several on the market right now. Range from $100-600 Any brand you like and Why? Thank you in advance for your input.

[Dad]

Originally posted by shaka
Can someone give me an input on the UV light leak detector? I got a leak on a 3 door frezzer that is driving me nuts. Are they any good? Do they work good on all type of system? They have several on the market right now. Range from $100-600 Any brand you like and Why? Thank you in advance for your input.

shaka,

I purchased the Spectronics Titan with all the accessories about a year ago. Spectronics are the best you can buy! You can find them in the Jmart book TLK-100 (H85-359)

It is nice. Re-chargeable battery pack powered unit on your belt, plenty of glow sticks and cleaner. I have the EZ-JECT dye injection system to go with it. There is one glow stick that works with all type of refrigerant oils too!
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I will sell it to you dirt cheap!

It has never located a leak that I couldn't find with soap bubbles first. Grrrrrrrr

Hope this helps

[R12rules]

512.775.0761, call me and give me the price you want! I'll buy it.

[R12rules]

Originally posted by shaka
Can someone give me an input on the UV light leak detector?

use the search feature of this site to find the threads which talk about UV leak detection.

[icemeister]

Here's a thread that started off talking about Dytel leak detection dye but went on to the UV stuff: http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?threadid=62991

I think I have the same big black box that condenseddave has, but as I recall I paid about $400 for it 5+ years ago.

I use it every day.





















It's propping up one corner of a table in the shop.

I could sell it, but I'd have to go out and buy a new table leg.

[Edited by icemeister on 11-03-2004 at 05:42 PM]

[R12rules]

Originally posted by icemeister
Here's a thread that started off talking about Dytel leak detection dye but went on to the UV stuff: http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?threadid=62991

I think I have the same big black box that condenseddave has, but as I recall I paid about $400 for it 5+ years ago.

I use it every day.

It's propping up one corner of a table in the shop.

I could sell it, but I'd have to go out and buy a new table leg.

[Edited by icemeister on 11-03-2004 at 05:42 PM]

Ha ha ... very funny!

NOT!!!


For some, UV is like gold! For others... it just does not apply to the way they do their work.

Or in the case of huge systems containing humungous amounts of freon ... it's just not cost affective.


(very funny .... "table leg" ..... yeh right!)

[Dad]

Opppps


Did anyone see what I saw?





The price of my Spectronics Titan just went up!

How much did ya say you would give for it R-12???

[icemeister]

Originally posted by R12rules
For some, UV is like gold! For others... it just does not apply to the way they do their work.

It just didn't do what I expected it to do. I'm sorry if I offended you Bob, because that was not my intention at all......just jesting is all.

Actually, I stole the table leg line from Dave.

[a\c don]

I also am not impressed by UV light leak detectors.

My boss has the large Rigid brand floodlight and I have an Inova brand battery powered LED UV light with the amber uvs-40 rated goggles that are supposed to enhence the flouresence of the dye.

To date it has found 2 of the last 20 or so leak checks I've done recently.

I've let the Arglo dye circulate as long as 2 weeks, darkened my search areas as much as possible but most of the leaks were found using my Inficon Tek-Mate leak detector and Big Blue.

[hospitalacguy]

I agree with A/C don. I've never had luck with the UV leak detectors. Good electronic leak detector and a bottle of Blue goes a long way.

[R12rules]

Some guys are qualified to use a hood to test airflow .. and some ain't!

Some are quallified to use specialty stuff ... and others just dont click with it.

I love tools. So I go out of my way to try new stuff. If it works for me ... I tell other people about my personal experience.
If it dont work out for them ... it's not the end of the world.

I know Dave dont care for Spectronics UV dye.
That's alright! Dave's kind of a cut above the average guy out there whose trying to make a living doing this trade ...THE RIGHT WAY!

For him ... it dont work.
For me ... it works.
If he worked for me, he wouldnt use it and nobody would be fool enough to press the matter.
And if I worked for him ... I'd simply do what I was told. And if he didnt say nuthin' .... I'd go ahead and use the stuff whenever I felt it was warranted.
But it would never be more than just a fun thing to ocassionally jest about.
Kind of like how everyone here makes fun of Dice for his selection of a maskot.

[a\c don]

Originally posted by R12rules
Some guys are qualified to use a hood to test airflow .. and some ain't!

Some are quallified to use specialty stuff ... and others just dont click with it.

I love tools. So I go out of my way to try new stuff. If it works for me ... I tell other people about my personal experience.
If it dont work out for them ... it's not the end of the world.

I know Dave dont care for Spectronics UV dye.
That's alright! Dave's kind of a cut above the average guy out there whose trying to make a living doing this trade ...THE RIGHT WAY!

For him ... it dont work.
For me ... it works.
If he worked for me, he wouldnt use it and nobody would be fool enough to press the matter.
And if I worked for him ... I'd simply do what I was told. And if he didnt say nuthin' .... I'd go ahead and use the stuff whenever I felt it was warranted.
But it would never be more than just a fun thing to ocassionally jest about.
Kind of like how everyone here makes fun of Dice for his selection of a maskot.

R12, I would really like to know how you make this leak detection system work for you.

I have tried all of the recommended methods for using UV but have had limited success.

Any tips that you would be willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

[R12rules]

Here's what I've learned works;

I first exhaust the primary methods of leak detection. If I do not locate the leak, then I inject Spectronics into the system.
Then I schedule a return trip. I scan the system with the lights out.
If the system is partially on the roof, I do one of two things.
A) I return when it's dark. or
B) I throw a dark tarp over the RTU.

Unless you use the light where it's dark, there will be no contrast with the UV dye. Greater the contrast, the better the UV dye will show up. No contrast, no se the UV... It's simple.


In my book, the UV dye is a method of "CYA".
A lot of guys go out to locate a leak and find little or nothing. So they make up a story and hit the road.
This is typical SOP.
Dont make it right, just tellin' it like it sometimes is.
Sad but true.


If the tech who does this ... if they inject Spectronics before leaving the job ... should they have to return, the dye will be their tattle tale telling them exactely where the leaks are located! (and believe me, they WILL have to return).


Showing up to scan an RTU at five AM isnt fun. And hanging around town just so you can be there to return after sunset to scan a unit on a multi-story building .... that definately puts a kink in anybody's work schedule!

But sometimes that's exactely what it takes to get the job done.



Ultra sonic leak detection is a fantastic method using technology to help find leaks.
Modern electronic freon sniffers are great for their correct chemistry of blended freon.

But a halide leak detector still works on 22.
Bubbles work pretty much anywhere except for really hot surfaces and really cold surfaces.
But Spectronics works in just about every situation.

The only place I admit it is not the best choice is where you have a tremendous amount of charge. Like in rack systems in a market or meat plant. 100# of charge is where I now draw the line.

Admittedly, "Condensate-Dave" helped me to arrive at this compromise.

I have sniffers.
I love the ultra sonic devices.
I have several brands of bubbles.
And the Spectronics UV dye is great when all others seem to fail.
I'll leave the halide to those who never threw theirs away in the 70's.


Oh ... and I always begin by looking for the oil slick....

This is what works for me.