Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine May 2022

HVACR NewsMagazine May 2022

Tech News

Refrigerant Leak Detection and Prevention: Epic Article Let’s face it, refrigerant leak detection and prevention will always be important in our trade. Whether we’re dealing with leaks from corrosion or poor connections, we will always run into them in some form. We’ve touched on refrigerant leak prevention and detection quite a lot at HVAC School. Many of our articles, podcasts, and videos cover electronic leak detectors, brazing best practices, flaring tools, and even the likely cause of mini-split line set leaks. However, this article will serve as the refrigerant leak prevention and detection master guide. You can expect to find all of the basics of brazing, flaring, nitrogen pressure testing, bubble testing, and electronic leak detection, as well as many sources of more advanced material.

leak rate of a mere ounce over several years. Think about how tiny a molecule is; many of them could slip through a leak of the same width as a strand of hair. However, leaks can worsen over time. Stress sources like high temperatures, corrosion, and vibration can cause leaks to worsen over time. The goal of leak detection is to find significant leaks, especially in cases where a system performs poorly or where the EPA-mandated leak rate is exceeded. Once we understand the objectives of leak detection, we can focus on serving customers to the best of our abilities, not pressuring ourselves to reach an impossible standard.

Preventive practices: brazing or soldering

Caveat: everything leaks

We will never see a 100% leak-proof system. Everything leaks a little bit, if even only at the microscopic level. Although we may not see leaks with the naked eye, there may be microscopic flaws in the metal that allow for a

Brazing allows us to make a system clean, dry, and tight from the beginning. As with pretty much everything else we do, it’s a skill that requires lots of practice and refinement. However, there are some best practices that