Small leak copper radiant..............

John Ruhnke

Guys,

I have a small leak in a copper radiant system. I tried to find it with our usual methods. I use a infra red remote thermometer to scan the area and didn't really find anything that stood out. I looked for signs of wetness and everything was as dry as a bone. The leak shows up in our pressure test. We are involved in a repipe now. Has anyone tried one of those thermal camera's that the fire department uses? Anybody have favorite method? What about a leak detection company? and there sound equipment? I fear the leak is to small for sound detection equipment.

John Ruhnke
JR@ComfortableHeat.com

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Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

Our local

American Leak Detection franchise fills the system with nitrogen and detects leaks with a nitrogen sniffer.

I've never really understood that because our air is 80% nitrogen. Maybe they inject a special nitrogen isotope that is different from atmospheric nitrogen.

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Mark Eatherton1

Two ways...

One, find someone with a FLIR infrared camera. They can see in color what you won't believe. If that fails, there are companies out there that use helium, and helium detectors. Guaranteed accuracy plus or minus 6"...

ME

John Ruhnke

Will it work through concrete?

I called my local leak detection company and he tol;d me that the gas won't work because it won't transmit through the concrete.

JR

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Mark Eatherton1

Helium will...

There was a guy from a vacuum leak testing company, I don't recall his company name, but he was thinking about coming to RadFest West and demonstrating his products. Call John Fantauzzi or Larry Drake at the RPA and they can give you his name. He said he could find the leak under 18" of concrete to within inches.

He was also looking to find a demonstration job whereby he could demonstrate and video tape the job...

ME

Kyle Kubs - Benchmark Home Inspections

Low Tech

Don't know if it is suitable for your application but if you are leaking water just throw down clear plastic sheet over the suspect area and run the heat - Within several hours you will see heavy condensation in the area of the leak

John Ruhnke

Thanks........

Thanks Mark,

I'm trying the helium thing. I called the manufacturer and they are coming out next week to do a free demo of there helium sniffer. I'll let you know how things turn out.

JR

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Paul Pollets

Helium

I've used helium leak detection for years...very reliable and doesn't take to long to find. Make sure the patch is silver soldered.

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Weezbo

I think about this heavily....

i have an ultra sound machine and it can pick up quite a few leaks at a tremendous distance with the use of a tone generator and or pressureized lines....look around for Go Pro....maybe since purchasing this one off the assembly line they have a newer version....if so, you let everyone here know this as it would be an invaluable tool ....mine doesnt read thru concrete it needs reflective surfaces and the molecules of concrete are to close and differentiated to find its way thru...