Putting Water Inside Our Leak Detector

Bryan uses his working H10 leak detector as an example. It sucks in some water, and the ball no longer floats at its proper level. So, Bryan hooks the leak detector up to the NAVAC NRP8DI by putting it in a vacuum chamber connected to the vacuum pump.

Before using the vacuum pump, Bryan checks to make sure that the vacuum pump oil is clear and at an appropriate level. He then fastens the micron gauge AWAY from the vacuum pump (and one near the pump as well). Using a large TruBlu hose, he turns on the vacuum pump and watches how far the vacuum will pull. The vacuum pump creates conditions that dehydrate the system, and the same principle works on waterlogged equipment within vacuum chambers.

However, even a small amount of moisture can make the vacuum pump oil start to foul; you can tell that fouling has occurred because the vacuum pump oil gets milky (when it should be clear). The micron gauge at the pump pulls down to 177 microns, and the one at the (somewhat leaky) chamber shows 452 microns. Valving off the chamber makes the micron level rise significantly.

When Bryan tested the leak detector after the evacuation, he determined that it worked again because the test ball floated, and the leak detector reacted to the refrigerant-filled test vial.