no brainer test for 'electronic sniffers'

[mike h]

Last spring some friends wasted hours trying to find leaks with two kinds of electronic sniffers. One was a Yorkogawa H-10 series, and the other was a Robinair.

The flashing lights and the audible alarm would sometimes work and sometimes not.

Bought a calibration bottle from Johnstone Supply. Bacharach (they took over from Yokogawa) part number 3015-0864. Basically it is a one ounce glass bottle of R-11(???). The bottle lid is glued on (human nature-- you always want to unscrew a bottle)-- with a very tiny hole is the lid's top. The hole gives a leak equal to 1/2 ounce per year of R-134a.

Retail cost is $35. And you use it every time you leak test. If your leak detector doesn't alarm-- then first step is to change the filter. If it still doesn't work, then you might have to change the sensor. At the worst case you send it back to the factory (or just buy a new one).

You might be able to get a cheaper cal bottle somewhere else.

Here are some other manufacturer's part numbers:
Bacharach "reference bottle" Part No. 3015-1416 or 3015-0864.
Dwyer "14 grm/year calibration vial" Part No. S0143.
Robinair "leak standard" Part No. 16705.
TIF "reference leak standard" Part No. TIF5201.

There are a lot of side benefits. Many of the 'modern' sniffers zero out 'background' leaks after 5-10 seconds (with the calibration bottle-- you will know what your tester does); very old sniffers aren't sensitive enough for small R-134a leaks.

"Best electronic sniffers" :
D-TEK and D-TEK SELECT by Inficon.
H-10 series by Bacharach/Yokogawa/Uniweld/General Electric/Westinghouse.

[R12rules]

So are you ..... kissing up to Dave? Or what?



Did Dave put you up to this?



How much is he paying you to up the H10 detector?





Come on .... fess up........

[mike h]

While bribes will be accepted--- I think Inficon's D-TEK is handier (while still being a world class tool).
http://www.inficonservicetools.com/r...gerant_339.cfm

[selfemployed]

They like onions and thats fun in a sandwich box.

[gas_n_go]

an inexpensive alternative to the the dteks is the tek mate`s they are made by the same company and the sensors are equally responsive the biggest differences are the sensors hour life rating and it dosnt use rechargable battiries but as far as finding leaks they are equally reliable and about a third of the price of a dtek

[smilies]

Your friend with the H-10 should see that he has a spot for the calibration bottle. Also let him know of maintenance kits available for it. Also run the sucker in manual mode so it doesn't "background" the gas in the air. Calibrate when you take it out of your van and before approaching the work area. There should also be alittle red ball in the tip to make you aware of the suction. I personally like the H-10G (120vac) over the H-10PM.

I've also used the D-Teks and like them.

[mike h]

Checked 5 electronic sniffers (Yokogawa H-10s and Inficon D-TEK) with the calibration bottle. 2 didn't pass.

Best $40 spent in a long time.

[air1]

H-10 is the only leak detector worth owning. IMHO

[mike h]

A friend at a US Navy lab tested all of the available electronic sniffers (over 7 years ago) for their refrigerant conversion program. Yokogawa, Inficon, SnapOn, Robinair, TIF, and others.

He made up artificial leaks on piping/fittings/valves. And I think he also tested whether they alarmed on cleaning solvents, paints, lacquers, etc.

The two best were the H-10s and the D-TEK.

This is 7 years out of date, but all of the others had false positives [alarmed for solvents, etc.] and false negatives [missed known leaks]. There might be new 'equals' but I don't know about them.

[air1]

I compared the D-Tek and the H-10 side by side and the H-10 found leaks the D-tek did not detect. Pun not intended

[wunderman]

yeah i have the d-tek (with the 12 volt recharge accessory, and i have the cps 3000. both eat shit when comparing to the old trusty.(s&w)

[absrbrtek]

Is this the same Mike H I had dinner with in Dallas at the cowboy steak place and took the York overhaul class with at Entech?

Originally posted by mike h
Checked 5 electronic sniffers (Yokogawa H-10s and Inficon D-TEK) with the calibration bottle. 2 didn't pass.

Best $40 spent in a long time.

[supplymike]

All I have to say is I sell more H10-G to small/single guy refrigeration companies then anything else. I also sell a lot of the D-tek Tek-Mate to A/C Guys. They have never complained. There is one thing that is bad with that new D-tek Select and it has nothing to do with a reference bottle, but rather with a little tube of blue stuff made by highside chemical that will set that leak detector off like a banshee, so if you think you got a flare that's leaking and there is that blue stuff on it. you better clean it up first and check it after, I had a customer who purchased it at another store and showed me. I didn't believe it till I saw it. We tested it with Rectorseal 5. It was quiet. just a word to help you guys out in the field.

[condenseddave]

Ban Leak Lock. Forever.

[selfemployed]

Originally posted by condenseddave
Ban Leak Lock. Forever.

You can get it on your ear ordering it on the phone

[mike h]

Originally posted by absrbrtek
Is this the same Mike H I had dinner with in Dallas at the cowboy steak place and took the York overhaul class with at Entech?

[i]

[/B]

Craig M.(Absrbtek)-- nice hearing from you again. Still keeping busy in Philadelphia? Merry Christmas to you and your family. mike h (hamelam@navsea.navy.mil)