Leak Testing – Dye and Black Light

The use of a tracer dye that mixes with the refrigerant oil is often used as a leak detection method. Some manufacturers install tracer dye into the AC system when the vehicle is built. If the dye needs to be added to the AC system, it can be injected at the service ports or poured into one of the AC components during a repair process. It is advisable to install a decal in a conspicuous location after the dye is added to an AC system in order to notify anyone who may work on the vehicle in the future that dye has been added.

This dye injector uses a screw press mechanism to force dye into a charged AC system. The advantage of this style of injector is that it has a large capacity and enough substance to charge approximately 40

The dye decal needs to be installed in a visible location to alert anyone who works on the vehicle in the future that refrigerant dye has already been added to the

A flashlight type of black light along with the yellow-tinted safety glasses is a very affordable option to use when using dye leak detection methods. These glasses can be used on any system that has had dye installed into

Kent Moore Tools makes a good corded style of black light that connects to the vehicle battery for a power source. This black light, along with the yellow-tinted glasses, makes finding leaks very easy on systems with dye

The black light should be used with the yellow-tinted glasses to locate refrigerant leaks. The flashlight-style tool is very easy to use and should be aimed at the AC components slowly and carefully in order to locate all of the leak

A service port that is not leaking will not show any bright residue when shining the black light at

The AC compressor should be closely inspected with the black light. It is not uncommon for vehicles with high mileage to have compressors with leaks at some point of the body or front

A system leak that has dye installed will show up as bright color when the black light is aimed at the leak. Service ports are a common location of refrigerant leaks and should always be closely checked when using the black

A common leak point is at a joint connection where an AC line is joined with a rubber hose. Leaking lines need to be repaired or replaced to correct the

The duct box drain tube should be closely checked with the black light to determine if the evaporator core is leaking. The drain tube and water will have a bright color if the evaporator core is

A system with a leaking evaporator core will deposit water that has dye mixed with it onto the ground. This water should always be checked when searching for leaks in the AC

A shop towel that is used to soak up the water that has drained from the AC system can expose refrigerant dye in a vivid way when the black light is directed toward it. A leaking evaporator core would cause this

A black light of some type will need to be used to make the tracer dye very visible. These devices can be corded or flashlight style. The black light should be aimed at as many sections of the AC system as possible in order to be thorough in finding the location of the refrigerant leak. The location of the leak will show up as a bright color. It is important to look at the complete system when leak testing because some systems may have more than one leak.

It is important to remember to look at the duct box drain tube with the black light. A leaking evaporator core will cause the drain tube to turn color and the water that drains out of the tube to have a bright tint.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *