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Recommendation on good soap bubble for leak testing

23K views 31 replies 26 participants last post by  R600a  
#1 ·
Hey guys. I got a customer. State customer community action housing authority. Anyways they asked for my recommendation on soap bubbles for checking gas lines. Big wig customer so I’m putting extra effort into this versus tell them just regular soap or the green stuff with the dobber. Any suggestions a spray bottle type with fancy stuff in it called something other than soap. Lol. Thanks
 
#2 ·
I like big blue from refrigeration technologies it claims to be the best. [emoji3]
Or the dauber bottle stuff.
Definitely not soap it barely works and causes corrosion.

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#4 ·
Big Blue is the best.
 
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#5 ·
I wouldn't recommend any soap bubbles for that purpose. As previously said it supposedly causes corrosion. If used in conjunction with a sniffer to narrow it down and wiping it down afterwards may be fine.
Won't the gas company do it for free?
 
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#9 ·
Eaven my ultra cheap no name Chinese leak detector works well it finds leaks that bubbles barely show.

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#12 ·
Electronic leak detector, zero/recalibrate re-test. Verify with BigBlu from Refrigeration Technologies, they even sell a SubZero version for low temp. Out of all the bubbles I’ve tried BigBlu will catch the tiniest of leaks producing micro bubbles.
 
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#16 ·
I have always used and had good luck with big blue. Our company has tried some other cheaper kinds of leak detector and we all made them switch back to big blue. I actually had two leaks in a house once on a call i went on and the cheaper soap did not even pick it up. Went and got the big blu from the truck and found both leaks in probably 5 mins. It is worth the extra money. That being said a good electronic leak detector is a nice compliment to help narrow it down to a certain area before using the big blu to verify exactly where it is and pin point it.
 
#19 ·
H-10 or DeTek along with Big Blu (don't like swab) & Snoop.
Snoop better for control panels & smaller leaks, but bubbles don't hold as long, no residue.
Best for small leaks and leaving evidence is Prell & glycerin mix 20/1. Leaves bubble skeletons until washed off, should wash off, avoid controls.
Duct tape flanges, pencil hole on low side for test point.
Cork chiller & condenser tubes after blowing out with compressed air, leave overnight, large leaks will blow out corks, can soap end sheets & corks, remove one cork at a time and sniff with electronic.
Wash off any soap residues.
I tag leaks on larger systems so repair is not overlooked, critical systems also have someone else test in case I missed a leak.
 
#24 ·
The best I've used is a bar a Castile soap in a coffee can of water. The soap is made from coconut oil I'm told.
Bubbles like crazy and can be used on oxygen lines safely. It will freeze though.
I'm sure few will go and buy this but I had to try. It will out bubble the best.
 
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#25 ·
I use big blue unless it’s too cold out then I just use whatever they sell at the supply house that is rated for super cold temps.

Big blue tends to really stick on the joints so it’s good at showing up leaks, but when it’s really cold out it will freeze in the bottle.
 
#26 ·
I use big blue regular most all the time unless it’s below freezing outside then I use the big blue sub zero since it doesn’t freeze. The sub zero doesn’t work quite as well as regular because of the stuff they put in it to prevent it from freezing.
 
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