manifold test gauges (r134a) seal and clutch service ultraviolet leak detector kits manifold test gauges (r134a/r12) ultraviolet leak detector dye cartridges/accessories valve core tools (r134a/r12) a/c hose crimping tools ultraviolet leak detector kits (high intensity light) ultraviolet leak detector kits (led lite) heated sensor leak detectors digital manifold gauges (r134a) metered uv injection kit heavy duty manifold test gauges hybrid a/c compressor oil eco™ plus a/c service center (r134a) kool kare™ plus a/c service center (r134a)As summer approaches, it is time to start thinking about our car's air conditioning system and if it is working properly. One of the most common problems with an A/C system is refrigerant leaks and locating them. Finding the source of the leak can be a tedious and time consuming. The leaking Freon could come literally anywhere in the system from tubing to a accumulator to a tiny pressure switch gone bad.

The EPA has made it much more stringent rules in dealing with refrigerant leaks. The days of topping off the air conditioner with a few cans of R12 are long over. Now even small leaks must found and corrected. Here comes technology to the rescue. There are several methods air conditioning repair shops employ to locate and fix refrigerant leaks. Each method has its pros and cons and their use depends on the situation. The three most commonly used are a electronic refrigerant leak detector, ultraviolet dye leak detection kit, and ultrasonic leak detector units.Electronic Refrigerant Leak DetectorsElectronic Refrigerant Leak Detectors are the quickest and easiest to use of the three methods. Most of the time you will have no idea where the refrigerant is leaking and have to narrow down the possible areas. A electronic refrigerant leak detector can get you very close to the location of the leak and from there you can get more precise. Some of the better models will allow to crank up the sensitivity once you get the area found.

For very small leaks you can wrap the suspected area in cling wrap or a rag to try and contain the refrigerant. When you unwrap the area, put in the refrigerant leak detector and see if you get a reading. Remember, refrigerant is heavier than air and it will sink to the ground. It is best to sniff under tubing and compartments when looking for it.Ultrasonic Leak DetectorsThese are state of the art leak detectors and are the newest tool to find refrigerant leaks. They operate on the principle of sound detection. Instead of sniffing for refrigerant gas they listen for the sound it makes as Freon escapes the system. To use an ultrasonic leak detector the system should be pressured in order for the refrigerant to leak out and make noise. Also, the work area must be totally silent. Remember it is looking for sound and no background noise is imperative. This is the main drawback to using an ultrasonic leak detector. Very few auto shops are quiet enough to use it effectively.Ultraviolet Dye Leak DetectorsThis third method ultraviolet dye is injected into the air conditioning system and in theory should escape with the refrigerant.

Commonly, an auto shops have an ultraviolet leak detection kit that has all of the tools necessary to complete this task. Generally these kits come with ultraviolet lamp or ultraviolet flashlight, a dye injector, safety glasses and ultraviolet dye. This method is the most technically complex of the three and is the messiest. You have to inject the ultraviolet dye into the system and wait for it to leak out. The dye can be messy and get all over the place. It gets in you're A/C system, your refrigerant manifold gauges and you. air handling unit steam humidifierHowever once you shine your ultraviolet flashlight and spot the leak, you usually can see exactly where it is.ac control unit mitsubishi lancerEach method has its pro and cons. how to defrost ac evaporator

For the beginner, I would recommend an electronic refrigerant leak detector and the professional auto shop would be better served with an ultraviolet leak detection kit.If you want to service the air conditioning system on your vehicle, here are some A/C service tools you may need: Gauge sets (2) One for older R12 A/C systems and one for newer R134a A/C systems. Two separate gauge sets are necessary because the hose connections are different, and you also want to avoid cross-contamination of refrigerants. A gauge set is used to read the high and low side pressures in an A/C system. These readings can provide essential diagnostic information for troubleshooting cooling problems. The gauge set is also used when recharging the system with refrigerant. Minimum requirements: The low pressure gauge should be capable of reading from zero to 30 inches of vacuum Hg, and zero to 250 psi. The high pressure gauge should have a range of zero to 500 psi.This is only required for professional repair shops, not do-it-yourselfers.

Even so, it is illegal to vent ANY type of refrigerant into the atmosphere no matter who does it. Federal clean air regulations require the recovery and recycling of the refrigerant from a vehicle's A/C system prior to performing any type of service work that involves opening up the system. Refrigerant recovery and recycling equipment must meet Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards. In addition, different types of refrigerant must not be intermixed. This requires a separate recovery/recycling machine for each type of refrigerant used: one for R12, one for R134a (or a combination machine that includes separate circuits and storage tanks for R12 and R134a), one for R-1234yf, and one additional recovery machine for any other "alternative" refrigerants that may be used (this includes blended refrigerants as well as RVs & trailers using R-22). What's more, professional technicians who do A/C work must be "certified" as having successfully passed an EPA-approved training course on recycling and recovery procedures.

This is NOT a requirement if you do your own repairs. Thermometer for measuring air temperature at the A/C outlets to diagnose cooling performance. A thermometer should be capable of measuring air temperature from 20 degrees up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A non-contact infrared thermometer is also a useful tool for measuring the surface temperature of A/C hoses, the condenser and radiator. Leak detector or leak detection dye to find refrigerant leaks. It is pointless to recharge an A/C system if it has a leak. It may work for awhile, but sooner or later the refrigerant will leak out again. The least expensive and easiest way to find leaks in your A/C system is to add dye to the system. After several days it will leak out and leave telltale stains where the system is leaking. Many dyes are fluorescent and will glow bright green or yellow when illuminated with an UV light. Electronic leaks detectors typically cost several hundred dollars and are too expensive for most do-it-yourselfers.

But electronic leak detectors are good for finding leaks in hidden areas that are difficult or impossible to see directly (such as an evaporator leak inside the HVAC unit). Sensitivity depends on the model, but most can detect leaks as small as 0.1 to 0.4 ounces per year. Vacuum pump for purging air and moisture from the A/C system prior to recharging it with refrigerant. The pump should be capable of pulling a minimum of 29.5 inches of vacuum Hg. (This is included in almost all recovery and recharging stations.) The A/C system also has to be purged if you open any hoses to replace any parts. Air and moisture get inside. Air displaced refrigerant and can reduce cooling efficiency, while moisture can form acids and sludge that can damage the compressor and other metal parts. Refrigerant identifier is an expensive tool that many repair shops use to identify and verify the type of refrigerant in a vehicle's A/C system before they service it. This reduces the risk of cross-contaminating their A/C recovery/recycling equipment.

The more sophisticated equipment will even reveal the exact percentages of various refrigerants and contaminants in the system. But these are expensive tools, costing over $1500 or more. So if you suspect bad refrigerant, take your vehicle to a shop that has one of these machines and have them check your refrigerant for contamination. CAUTION: Flammable refrigerants such as propane or butane (which are illegal to use in mobile A/C systems) are dangerous and pose a serious explosion hazard if there's a leak and something ignites the fumes. A shop may refuse to service your vehicle if your A/C system contains a flammable gas. EPA-approved certification programs for A/C technicians are available through numerous industry and aftermarket sources. These include the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS), the International Mobile Air Conditioning Association (AMACA), the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), plus various service equipment manufacturers and vehicle manufacturers.