refrigerant leak alarm setting

[key]

when an alarm is servicing a mechanical room with two different refrigeration systems will one sensor do the job of sensing both refrigerants, and if so, would you set the alarm to activate at the lowest ppm?

[drivewizard]

No, you cannot use one sensor for 2 diff refrig. You can use one monitor with multi-channels and have different channels set for each refrig.

[bryan l]

IRLDS leak detectors do have the ability to detect multiple refrigerants. Most have a setpoint in the program to detect a specific gas or a generic setting for each zone in the program. Now the generic setting may give you faulse readings at times due to some background chemicals around but for the most part the IRLDS systems are the most accurate. the CPC IRLDS II, and Comtrol IRLDS are both made by the same company (bacharach) and both are very good systems. The older CPC IRLDS 1 was a good unit but required more maintenance and did not have some of the features the newer generations have.

Depending on the location of the zone your sensing its really a hard thing to say for sure what the PPM should be. Personally I set them up really low, usually 25ppm Notice and 50ppm alarm with 30min to 60min delay (delay depends on the number of zones and how long it takes to cycle threw all of them, usually a 3 cycle reading will give you a good delay time.) The thing to keep in mind is that refrigerant is heavyer than air, thus the best place for the zone to be is on the floor close to the most likely leak locations. the further away the leak, the less PPM the det will pick up, so a low setting is the best.