Refrigerant sniffer, anyone got a recommendation?

[KinzeMech]

I've had decent luck finding and fixing AC leaks without one thus far, but I've seen enough instances where it would have saved me time, that I think it's time to consider one. This seems to me like a good way to instantly confirm suspected leaks at condenser, evaporator, and shaft seals.

I'm probably looking for a middle of the road quality tool. I don't do ac everyday, so I don't need the cadillac model, but for this sort of tool my gut instinct says not to look and HF, either.

I have some mastercool products in my AC toolbox that haven't disappointed me yet. Would one of their sniffer models be a good choice? A mastercool 55100 looks promising, but I haven't had my hands on one of these enough to know specifically the best things to look for.

Thanks!

 

[devoncoolman]

I have a mac sniffer. It works good. Id recomend a mastercool.

 

[metaldad]

what do you want to spend?

 

[Tarheelgarage]

I do plenty of AC at the shop....and on the side in my home shop....

I use the Inficon D-tek Select electronic leak detector as one of the tools in my leak detection arsenal.

It's not cheap, but AC repairs are not cheap. Down South, you've got to have AC or your *** is going to get sweaty

 

[CJKaz]

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?419592-Choosing-the-best-refrigeration-leak-detector

 

[KinzeMech]

what do you want to spend?

I'm presently weighing that decision. I don't need the absolute best, and I won't have the absolute worst, so I'd say I'm looking for a midrange product with a good balance of cost and quality.

Fully 2/3 to 3/4 of my AC work is either myself, friends, or family. It's mostly low revenue/no revenue work, trading favors kind of stuff, so the idea here isn't to get too expensive.

 

[chris142]

The battery operated ones are garbage! Nothing but false posatives or missed leaks with them. The only good one is the black leather box That plugs into the wall outlet.

 

[pop pop]

Disagree chris. My BluePoint one has never missed a leak yet, nor found one that didn't exist.

 

[chris142]

Disagree chris. My BluePoint one has never missed a leak yet, nor found one that didn't exist.

Maybe the bp one is ok. I've never had one of those. I threw away my $300 mac one that was junk and my robinair one and another brand that escapes me that didn't work
I have zero luck with the battery operated ones myself.

Btw all I do is automotive ac

 

[bonneyman]

The old GE (now I guess it's Yokogawa?) H10 was loved by the auto tech guys I worked with. So it worked great on R-12, but can't say for sure with R-134A.

I had a TIF 5600 for years, but, honestly, I never found leaks with it that I didn't find another way first. The TIF was good for confirming a leak, but not finding it.
I use DAWN dishwashing liquid to find leaks. Thinned out just a tad, and it makes BIG, stable bubbles around even tiny leaks. Plus, you can then spray water on it...and clean off all the accumulated oil in prep for soldering.

 

[cryan]

I served my apprenticeship on refrigerated ships. We had huge plants chilling brine to chill the cargo holds. The company supplied all the latest electronic detectors but the Frosty (what we called the refrigeration officer) was old school and preferred to use a gas torch with a rubber hose attached used for sniffing. If the hose picked up fridge gas the flame turned green. He used to say that electronics need calibrated and can fail where as a chemical reaction will always happen. Cheap too!

 

[KinzeMech]

I've been reading a little bit about the torch method. They call that a halide torch, right? How sensitive is that? Can it detect small leaks? Some of the specs for these electronic ones say they detect leaks at rates of fractions of an ounce per year.

My primary use for this will be mvac (cars, tractors, etc). On rare occassion, I may use it on an R22 system.

 

[metaldad]

I use electronics frequently as part of my job, industrial, heavy commercial HVAC
The best hands down is the corded H-10 (whatever suffix they are up to now).
made by a multitude of companies as the rights change hands. (GE, Yokogawa, Bacharach, Johnson Controls, Mars)
Cordless version of the H-10 is the H10PM, an excellent unit. I have versions of both.
H-10's go for abouts $350 new, H-10PM about $475.
All the others, and I have had experience with many of them, don't seem to 'work' as well.
A halide torch is an excellent detector, provided you are not color blind (I am) and, you are working where there is no wind current. (inside). You may not be able to see the flame in bright sun shine.
I would NOT buy a used electronic, except from a trusted source.

 

[rlitman]

The gas torch is no longer made, because the color change in the flame is produced by phosgene. That stuff is way dangerous. Anyway, an electronic detector is over an order of magnitude more sensitive.

Inficon seems to be the pro's choice, but I'm very happy with my Viot at 1/6 the price.

 

[chris142]

Phosgene gas is what the germans killed the jews with in ww2! Just 1 sniff takes your breath away.

 

[Hawk]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BJINTW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

This is what I was trained to find AC leaks with in the 60's/70's.

 

[KinzeMech]

I've been looking at something like that. I'm getting conflicting information on whether it works with R134a or not. Some say it only works on CFC's. Others say HFC's will still signal a halide torch.

Presently trying to determine who is right...

 

[Steinmetz]

I served my apprenticeship on refrigerated ships. We had huge plants chilling brine to chill the cargo holds. The company supplied all the latest electronic detectors but the Frosty (what we called the refrigeration officer) was old school and preferred to use a gas torch with a rubber hose attached used for sniffing. If the hose picked up fridge gas the flame turned green. He used to say that electronics need calibrated and can fail where as a chemical reaction will always happen. Cheap too!

Ahh...the halide torch. I was waiting for someone to remember that. They worked well.

 

[Gary S]

Have you looked around for a used one? I found a used one at a local swap meet for $10. I don't use it much, but it finds the leaks for me.
Swap meets, tool sales, garage sales, and even pawn shops might turn one up for you.

 

[bonneyman]

Ahh...the halide torch. I was waiting for someone to remember that. They worked well.

Yep, sometimes you'd go to a call that several other techs had been too and find the leak with an HT that all the others with their latest and greatest electro testers couldn't locate.
But, you didn't want to breathe those purple vapors.

 

[royesses]

TIF5750A. I've found many small leaks with it.

 

[jimindm]

They will all work just as they are intended to. Most have a spec as to how fast to move the probe. Some are just a few inches a minute. The best leak detector out there is a dye system. I have the corded yokagawa one and it works great. I got a BP when I bought my SO recycle machine. It seems to be OK.

I still do not rely much on my electronic units, even if I did, I would include dye in every charge.

 

[Dust]

Inficon Tek-Mate. I researched freon sniffers for a couple months before buying one, and all the pros on IATN's HVAC forum swore by it, as did many residential and commercial HVAC techs on other forums.

I haven't had it miss a leak yet. Paid for itself after two evaporators.

The hardest part of using one is learning to trust it, and learning the proper technique, as they require a bit of finesse and critical thinking to use them properly.