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UV Dye for chilled water system

Discussion in 'HVAC' started by corinthian99, Sep 17, 2010.

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  1. corinthian99

    corinthian99 New Member

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    Hi, can anyone recomend a good UV visible dye for tracing leaks on our chilled water system. Have seen it used previously and even had some onboard ages ago but can't remember the brand. Thanks guys.
  2. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    Have a look here, it is my understanding that IR Fliud can be added to any system that can handle the actual chemical it self.

    http://www.hydratech.co.uk/coolflowproducts.html

    If your Chilled Water is leaking surely you are getting a pool of it somewhere even if it is just running out of the Aermaflex somewhere metres from the leak
  3. corinthian99

    corinthian99 New Member

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    Thanks for that I'll get in contact. Bit of a mystery leak been with us for years apparently but nowhere obvious, and god knows we've looked. Thats why we're resorting to the UV dye, **** stuff must be leaking somewhere.
  4. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Condensation maybe??? The dye will answer that if it doesn't show up.
  5. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    Knowing that this guy works on the bigger boats I would say it is a drop in system pressure that makes him aware that the water is going somewhere.

    The larger CW Systems usually have a coloured Anti Freeze in them which makes leaks obvious, I guess he wants the UV Trace because he is looking in some hard to access spaces, something that there are lots of on a 60 -80m yacht.
  6. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Good call. They all have those impossible spaces, even the small girls, but I hadn't considered the preassure drop which the boats I run don't monitor.
  7. wdrzal

    wdrzal Senior Member

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    Tracerline makes UV dye for refrigerants,oils and water based coolant systems. I use them pretty often with good results. Get a good high powered (150 watt)UV light, some of the small one using LEDs are junk. I seen some good prices on complete kits,uv dye,light, uv cleaner,uv glasses on Ebay for cheap.

    I have a # tp-1620 kit here
    http://www.tracerline.com/kits.html

    additional dyes:

    http://www.tracerline.com/dyesforfluids.html


    If that doesn't work ,You can empty the coolant system and fill the coolant system with Helium and use a helium detector. Helium has a very very small molecule and will find the tinyest leak. And it's rare in the atmosphere,so no false alarms. The ony draw back is helium detectors are expensive.

    Good luck
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I have never worked on a yacht with a chilled water system that did not loose coolant water. A real bear to trace.
  9. corinthian99

    corinthian99 New Member

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    Thanks for that Wdrzal. Hasn't got annoying enough to be draining down the system, not that I'm likely to get the down time to even consider it. I've found a couple of leaks but not the mother lode, just beginning to drive me a little bit nuts not finding it. Oh well.