Deep Technical Chapters · Pressure Testing & Leak Diagnosis
Leak Diagnosis — Find It, Prove It, Clean It
Field leak finding: oil trails, "Big Blue", cleaning the joint, proving the leak, and rechecking after repair.
Refrigerant leaks often carry compressor oil, and oil holds dirt. An oil-stained or dirty area is useful field evidence — but the dirtiest spot is not automatically the exact leak point, because oil migrates along pipework, fittings and insulation.
Clean up your leaks & "Big Blue"
A larger oil-stained area shows history. To find the actual leak, clean the area, inspect carefully, leak-test, identify the actual leak point, repair, retest, clean again, and reinspect for fresh oil. A dirty leak is evidence of history; a clean joint gives you evidence of what is happening now.
- Clean the area
- Inspect carefully
- Leak-test
- Identify the actual leak point
- Repair
- Retest
- Clean again
- Reinspect for fresh oil
Field Rules
- 01
"A dirty leak is evidence of history. A clean joint gives you evidence of what is happening now."
- 02
"The dirtiest spot is not automatically the leak point — oil migrates."
Diagnosis at a glance
Common mistakes & callbacks
- •Repairing the oiliest spot without proving the leak there.
- •Not rechecking after disturbing fittings.
