Which method uses a detector that senses refrigerant in the air to locate leaks?

• A. Soap bubble tests.
• B. Electronic leak detectors.
• C. Dye or UV tracer methods.
• D. Pressure decay tests.

Answer: (B)

Electronic leak detectors use a sensor that detects refrigerant vapors in the surrounding air, letting you sweep around components and hear or see an alarm when refrigerant is present. As you move the probe, the detector highlights the area with the strongest signal, guiding you to the exact leak source on a live system. This method is fast, non-destructive, and can be tuned for different refrigerants, which is why it’s the best match for a detector that senses refrigerant in the air to locate leaks.

Soap bubble tests rely on applying a soapy solution and watching for bubbles at the leak site; they don’t involve sensing refrigerant in the air. Dye or UV tracer methods add a dye to the refrigerant and look for dye leakage under UV light, which reveals a leak path but isn’t an air-sensing detector. Pressure decay tests seal the system and watch for a drop in pressure to indicate a leak, which identifies leak presence but not by detecting ambient refrigerant vapors.