Cheap leak testing?

[AH^DK]

So me and a friend starting building my unit. Soon I'll order Condenser etc from Chilly1, but we have a BIG problem. How do we leak test? Nitrogen is expensive and hard to get here. Can any thing else be used?

We are using R290/Propane.

Thanks.

Alex.

[Gray Mole]

If you were using any other refrigerant I'd say you COULD use that, and just pressure it up, find the leak, and recover it.

Propane is a different story though, as it's flammable. Butane could work for you as it's not quite as combustible, but I'd never recommend propane.

Worst case, and I really don't like doing it but you can, is to use an air compressor (non oiled) and pressure it up that way, but I'd strongly recommend changing your oil afterwards, and that means chopping it out, changing oil, and brazing it back in. Kinda makes you need to leak test again.

Other than that, I can't really suggest anything other than if you can get ahold of some co2 and a regulator for cheap, as that works well for testing too.

Just save some cash and get some nitrogen mate, you really should be using it for vaccing the system as well.

Gray

[Skinny13]

http://octech.gr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=282
third post here :)

and there are these products ,too
http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/4525/spr4pb.jpg

[Stewie007]

Nitrogen is expensive? Really? Sure, the tank deposit is alot, but the gas costs 12 bucks for a full tank. That's what you pay for the gas over here. I can't imagine why it'd be more than that over there.

[AH^DK]

AFAIK you need permits etc to have it, so thats pretty much out of the picture unfortunately.

Skinny --> I might look in to that option, thanks.

Gray --> Hmm, it sounds a bit too risky, but thanks for it. :)

Any of you guys, Chilly? BBMods? perhaps know something?

[jinu117]

Another cheap method... dunk it into bathtub... watch for bubbles :)
Oh... take out any electronic connections or klixxon, etc before it. I've done it once (still couldn't find micro-micro leak till I got my detector)