Bacharach Informant 2 Instruction Manual

Informant

Leak Detection Tips

Instruction 19-9325

Important Facts You Should Know
When Operating the Informant

• The Informant indicates the presence of gas by detect­ing changes in the gas level. The instrument is not
designed to give a numeric measurement of the gas
level.

• The method of locating a leak by detecting changes in
the gas level allows an operator to quickly locate the
leak source without making manual sensitivity adjust­ments, or being concerned about the background vapor
or gas level in the surrounding area.

• If the probe tip is held stationary, and the gas level
does not increase, the instrument’s automatic-zero
circuit will cause the gas-level readings to decrease.
After 10 to 15 seconds, the readings return to zero even
though gas may be present.

Rev. 0 – April 2002

• In order for the instrument to indicate the presence of
gas, the probe tip must be moving toward the leak
source.

• Moving the probe tip in a direction that keeps all gas
indicators activated is an indication that the instru­ment is detecting an ever increasing gas level as the
probe tip nears the leak source.

• Move the probe tip at a speed that will keep the gas
indicators turned on as the probe tip approaches the
leak source. Moving the probe tip too fast will cause
the user to quickly pass up the leak source.

Procedure for Locating a Gas Leak

1. Turn ON the Informant by pressing its POWER key. Hold

the instrument steady and allow it to warm up for at
least 10 to 15 seconds before proceeding. This allows
the instrument time to zero itself to the surrounding
gas level.

2. At this time all gas-level LEDs should be off or at their
lowest level. Also, the probe tip should be blinking and
the audible indicator ticking at approximately once-per­second.

3. Begin leak testing by slowly moving the probe tip along
the gas lines and around fittings. When the instrument
first detects an increased gas level, the gas-level LEDs
begin to glow along with the probe tip blinking and the
audible indicator ticking at a faster rate.

4. Continue moving the probe tip in a direction that keeps
all gas indicators responding in a positive manner.

5. Once the leak source has been passed, all gas indica­tors will register a decrease in the gas level. At this
point, reverse the direction of probing so that the gas
indicators once again respond in a positive manner.

6. Repeat Step 5 until a small movement of the probe tip
over the leak source results in the rapid indication of
increasing and decreasing gas levels.

Caution: The life of a refrigerant sensor depends on

the amount of refrigerant that passes through the
sensor. Exposing a sensor to a steady stream of
highly concentrated refrigerant gas will severely re­duce sensor life or damage the sensor.

621 Hunt Valley Circle, New Kensington, PA 15068

Ph: 724-334-5000 • Fax: [phone] • Toll Free: 800-736-4666

Website: www.bacharach-inc.com • E-mail: [e-mail]

Printed in U.S.A. ®Registered Trademark

World Headquarters