The 8 Best Ultrasonic Leak Detectors
This wiki has been updated 20 times since it was first published in December of 2016. Nothing can bring an engine or HVAC unit screeching to a halt quite like an air or fluid leak. Unfortunately, finding one can be a lot like searching for a needle in a haystack, since the sound made is tough to hear. These ultrasonic leak detectors take some of the guesswork and pain out of diagnosing a fault, as they can pick up on noises beyond the reach of human ears. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Robinair 16455 TruTrack
2. Inficon Whisper
3. Bacharach Tru Pointe
Editor's Notes
March 02, 2021:
I’ve added some more affordable models like the Allsun EM2280 and EM410, as well as one more to the higher end of our list in the Superior Signal AccuTrak Kit. It may seem like there’s a large price gap between the likes of higher end models like Bacharach Tru Pointe and Robinair 16455 TruTrack with the rest, you’ve got to remember that these options are both more sensitive to a wide variety of leaks, and are prone to less interference. As is expected, this discrepancy in quality between high-end and budget models can make a huge difference in the professional field where experts may be on multiple jobs a day and the accuracy with which they detect leaks is paramount to their employability.
High-end professional tools always cost quite a bit more to engineer, and you’ll see the same sort of discrepancies in refrigerant leak detectors too. Note that, unlike refrigerant leak detectors, ultrasonic leak detectors do not pick up refrigerants or other gases; rather, they detect the high-pitched sound of gas escaping from a system. As such, their advantage is that they can be used to detect a wider variety of leaks, but are also prone to sound interference in a way that refrigerant leak detectors aren’t.
April 08, 2019:
While the selections on this list are all quality options, that doesn't necessarily mean that they're all equally suitable for whatever task you have at hand. For example, the Robinair 16455 TruTrack is ideal for HVAC technicians, whereas mechanics in busy garages may prefer the Amprobe ULD-300.
Some models come with their own headsets, like the Inficon Whisper, while others require you to purchase your own. Which one is preferable for you is a decision we can't make; some people will want to upgrade the basic models that come with the devices, while others will be more than happy to deal with a little less comfort and inferior sound quality in exchange for more money in their pockets. It's completely up to you, so long as you can still hear clearly, whichever one you choose.
4. Allsun EM410
5. Superior Signal AccuTrak Kit
6. Amprobe ULD-300
7. Allsun EM2280
8. Allsun EM282
Kaivaan grew up in a little town called York in the north of England, though he was whisked off to sunny Jamaica at the age of 14, where he attended high school. After graduating, he returned to the UK to study electronic engineering at the University of Warwick, where he became the chief editor for the engineering society’s flagship magazine. A couple of uninspiring internships in engineering later however, and after some time spent soul-searching and traveling across Asia and East Africa, he he now lives and works in in Dubai.