Sensitivity: The sensitivity of your refrigerant leak detector is important to know as high sensitivity leak detectors are required to check for small leaks. While some models are rated at 0.25 oz/year and others at 0.15 oz/year where lower is better. Sensor Life: All of these refrigerant leak detectors use a sensor that has a limited life before they stop working. Generally, this sensor life is given as 100 hours or 200 hours with some models, including a sensor life rating in years. Battery: Most of the leak detectors available out there are battery powered for ease of use. Because of this, checking the supported battery type as well as battery life are quite important to check since you have to change or charge the battery once it runs out.
You can only fix a refrigerant leak after you have detected it, which makes refrigerant leak detectors highly essential and useful. Thus, today, we are here with some of the best refrigerant leak detectors. We have also provided all their important details along with a detailed “Buying Guide” in this article. These things can be handy to differentiate between these refrigerant leak detectors and buy the right one for you after following this article until the end.
Best Refrigerant Leak Detectors
Top Refrigerant Leak Detectors Reviews
1. Inficon Refrigerant Leak Detector
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Inficon is quite a popular brand of AC maintenance and repair products that is known for making all-rounder products just like its refrigerant leak detector mentioned here. The Inficon 705-202-G1 refrigerant leak detector is present in the 1st position in this article as it can be a great overall detector model for most users. This is primarily possible due to its sensor that has a decent sensitivity rating of 0.25 oz/year. You also get a sensor life of 100 hours that is much better than most other options available out A great thing about this leak detector is that it comes included with a rugged carrying case. When combined with its 1-year long warranty, you can expect it to easily last for a long time. The included batteries of this leak detector can offer a pretty good battery life. However, the price of this leak detector is a bit on the higher side. Best Features:
Sensor sensitivity of 0.25 oz/year Sensor life rating of 100 hours Comes with a 2-year long warranty Includes a rugged carrying case
Pros:
Decent sensor sensitivity with decent life Long warranty period Great build quality with a compact form factor
Cons:
Price is a bit high
2. Aprvito Refrigerant Leak Detector
Aprvito is a well-known brand that manufactures the maintenance specialist for HVAC tools and temperature controllers, which are widely used by DIY hobbies and professional HAVC engineers to detect and repair refrigerant gas leaks. This WJL-6000 PRO refrigerant leak detector with LED light is a great option that comes with a two-color LED light (UV light for fluorescent agent and white flashlight to illuminate dark and small areas). It is a halogen leak detector that is an upgraded version with a high sensitivity rating of 0.11 oz/year. You get a sensor life of 50 hours which is much better than other options available out. Its LCD screen will display the gas leakage level and sensitivity level with multi-alarms (both audible and visual display). It is powered by 4 AAA batteries and compatible with devices like R22, R410A, R134A, R1234YF, CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs. The product is backed by a 1-year long warranty. Best Features:
Sensor sensitivity of 0.11 oz/year Sensor life rating of 50 hours Audible and visual alerts Visualization of leakage and sensitivity levels Comes with a 1-year long warranty Includes a rugged carrying case Works even in small, contaminated areas
Pros:
Works with most refrigerants Battery voltage indication Compact and great build quality Dual-color LED light and multi alarms Easy to use budget-friendly detector
Cons:
Nothing much
3. Elitech ILD-200 Advanced Refrigerant Leak Detector
In comparison with other brands, Elitech is a brand of refrigerant equipment tools that are known to be highly durable and reliable, including this refrigerant leak detector mentioned here. This Elitech ILD-200 Advanced refrigerant leak detector is present in the 3rd position in this article as it is the most durable and reliable option present in this article. Most of the refrigerant leak detectors mentioned in this article comes with a 1 year or a 2-year long warranty. But this one comes with a 3-year long warranty which is much longer. Another great thing about this leak detector is that it has a sensor life rating of 10 years that is much higher than others. Talking about its sensor sensitivity, it is rated at 0.14 oz/year that is quite good for most users out there. If you want, this sensitivity can also be adjusted between 3 different levels so that you can use it as per your needs. A great thing about this is that it comes with a carrying case that is quite sturdy and allows you to take it with you anywhere you want easily. Best Features:
Sensor sensitivity of 0.14 oz/year Sensor life rating of 10 years Comes with a 3-year long warranty Includes a rugged carrying case
Pros:
Highly durable and reliable Adjustable sensitivity for precision Includes a TFT screen on the front
Cons:
A bit on the expensive side
4. Yosoo Refrigerant Freon Leak Detector
Though this Yosoo has been newly entered into this HVAC accessories, yet manufactures efficient tools at an affordable price range. The Yosoo Freon refrigerant leak detector can easily detect most refrigerants or halogen gases which include CFCs, HFCs, HCFCs, and others (HP62, AZ-50, MP39, dragon gas) that are used in most cases. With its high-quality sensors, it let you adjust the sensitivity for optimal detection, and its built-in voltage, ultra-low-power IC design, and high accuracy allow you to work quickly and easily. With its audible (beeping), and visual (light flashing) alarm, the device won’t let you miss any leak around. It has 7 adjustable sensitivity levels to choose from for accuracy. The sensor has a life of up to 50 hours. Best features:
Two detection modes – beeping and light flash Sensor life rating of 50 hours Adjustable sensitivity for accuracy Includes a rugged carrying case
Pros:
Affordable and budget-friendly device Small, compact, and portable. Easy to use and operate Widely compatible with halogen and other gases.
Cons:
Sensor life rating is a bit low. No information is available on its warranty.
5. Robinair LD7 Premium Refrigerant Leak Detector
Robinair has been one of the most trusted names in automotive A/C service equipment since 1956. The brand houses a strong technical team with hundreds of service centers across the country to ensure hundred percent satisfaction of consumers. Robinair has used its patented 3 LED UV lights with 395 to 415 nm wavelength in this refrigerator leak detector for accurate detection of leaks. Using the UV lights, you can detect leaks in dark environments. Not only does this tool detect the leak, but also shows the size and source of the leak in two ways. The bar graph mode highlights the level of refrigerant present in the air and changes color when the sensor gets close to the leak. In the sweep mode, you can see the amount of refrigerant leaked through a line graph and you can identify the source of leak by tracing the line graph back and forth. There is also an audible alarm that alerts you in case of a leak. The detector is equipped with an 120 x 160 full color graphic LCD screen for accurate reading of the graph data. It has 3 adjustable sensitivity levels you can choose for maximum accuracy. The probe has a length of 17 inches that gives you enough flexibility to move around and detect the source and level of leak. The detector features a universal fit and is compatible with all the most commonly used refrigerators including R-134a and 1234yf. The sensor has a long life of up to 10 years. On top of this, you get a 2-year warranty on the detector from the original date of purchase. Best Features
Two detection modes Sensor life rating of 10 years 120 x 160 full color graphic LCD screen Comes with a 2-year long warranty
Pros
Adjustable sensitivity for accuracy Automatic calibration for ease of use Patented LED UV lights for detecting leak in dark environments
Cons
Most expensive option on our list
Buying Guide for the Best Refrigerant Leak Detector
Just per the name, a refrigerant leak detector gets used for detecting and informing you about any refrigerant leaks. These leaks might occur in your fridge or even in an AC unit in certain circumstances. And thus, we have mentioned the best refrigerant leak detectors in this article. To help you in choosing the right one, we have also mentioned their major features and options. That being said, if you are still confused about these leak detectors, then this detailed buying guide is just for you. This buying guide for the best refrigerant leak detector will take you through all of the factors that you would want to know before getting one. In other words, make sure to follow this buying guide until the end:
1. Detector Sensitivity
If you want a given refrigerant leak detector to work properly, then it needs to be sensitive enough to detect small leaks. There are a lot of cases when the refrigerant might leak in a very small amount. But even this small amount can affect the cooling performance by a lot over time. Thus, a given leak detector should be highly sensitive and able to detect small leaks as well. As a result, these refrigerant leak detectors come with a sensitivity rating like 0.25 oz/year or 0.15 oz/year. Out of these two options, the later lower rating is better since it offers higher sensitivity as it can detect much smaller refrigerant leaks. Generally, these refrigerant leak detectors come with controls that allow you to adjust this sensitivity as per your needs.
2. Sensor Life
Just per the name, a refrigerant leak detector uses a sensor for detecting any refrigerant leaks. Unfortunately, this sensor has a maximum work-life and needs to be replaced afterwards. If you want to use your refrigerant leak detector for a long time, then it needs to have a long sensor life. In some cases, this sensor life is given in days as 100 days or 200 days. You can also find a few refrigerant leak detectors that offer a much longer sensor life in years. Such leak detectors are made for heavy-duty usage and ideal for long term usage.
3. Battery and Battery Life
A great thing about most refrigerant leak detectors is that they are completely wireless. As a result, you can check for refrigerant leaks without the need to have a power source. They are able to do this since most of them are powered by a battery that powers the sensor as well as the rest of the functional components. Although, as you would expect, this battery will run out sooner or later. In some cases, this is a replaceable battery and a rechargeable one in others. For both of these cases, checking the battery life that suits your work needs is highly essential. Other than that, checking the battery type is also important so that you can get the correct replacement batteries for your refrigerant leak detector.
4. Supported Refrigerants
If you are familiar with refrigerants and cooling equipment like refrigerators and AC, then you must know that there are a lot of different gases that get used as a refrigerant. Because of this, some specific refrigerant leaks might not be detected by a given detector. To overcome this issue, you should get a refrigerant leak detector that supports a wide range of refrigerants and detects them properly in case of a leak. Thankfully, almost all refrigerant leak detectors come with a list of various supported refrigerants that you should check. It includes various CFCs, HFCs, HCFCs, and other refrigerant types, as well as their mixes.
5. Warranty
Apart from having a long-lasting sensor, the whole leak detector unit also needs to be reliable and durable if you want to keep using it for a long time. And the easiest way to ensure this is to check the warranty offered by your refrigerant leak detector. Different models come with different warranty periods, which include options like a 1-year long warranty or a 2-year long warranty. When compared, any leak detector that offers a longer battery life is considered to be more reliable and durable. A few refrigerant leak detectors also come included with a carrying case that can be handy for easily storing as well as taking the detector with you to a remote job site without damaging it.
Conclusion:
There might be a few rare cases where the refrigerant of your AC or refrigerator might leak out, which can affect the cooling performance by a lot. To prevent such issues, checking on such leaks is highly important using a leak detector. Hence, we have presented the best refrigerant leak detectors along with all their details in this article. You can also find a detailed buying guide that will take you through everything related to these leak detectors. But, if you are still confused and can’t choose the right leak detector, consider going with one of the following recommendations:
The Fieldpiece SRL2(K7) Refrigerant Leak Detector is the most accurate and precise option in this article. You get the best sensitivity rating of 0.18oz/year with it, which is to be expected at the given price. While there is no sensor life rating, its 1-year warranty is quite decent. Although, if you want a highly durable and reliable option, then the Elitech ILD-200 can be a great option for a lot of uses. It offers the highest warranty of 3 years along with a sensor life of 10 years for its 0.14 oz/year sensor, which is much higher than what you will ever need. Those of you who are on a budget can go with the LotFancy Freon refrigerant leak detector since it is much cheaper than all other options in this article. Despite the lower price tag, you get a decent sensor sensitivity of 0.21 oz/year along with a sensor life of up to 50 hours.
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