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Heated Sensor Leak Detectors
When the heated sensing element is exposed to refrigerant, an electrochemical reaction changes the electrical resistance within the element, causing an alarm. The sensor is refrigerant specific with superior sensitivity to all HFCs, HCFCs, and CFCs and minimal chance of false alarms. When exposed to large amounts of refrigerant that could poison other systems, the heated sensor clears quickly and does not need recalibration before reuse.
Negative Corona Leak Detectors
In the sensor of an old-style corona detector, high voltage applied to a pointed electrode creates a corona. When refrigerant breaks the corona arc, the degree of breakage generates the level of the alarm. This technology has good sensitivity to R-12 and R-22, but only fair for R-134a, and poor for R-410A, R-404A, and R-407C. Sensitivity decreases with exposure to dirt, oils and water. And false alarms can be triggered by dust, dirt specks, soap bubbles, humidity, and smoke, small variations in the electrode emission, high levels of hydrocarbon vapors, and other non-refrigerant variables.
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