Fieldpiece SRL8 User Manual

Heated Diode
Refrigerant
Leak Detector
Model: SRL8

OPERATOR’S MANUAL

Description

The SRL8 uses a tin dioxide semiconducting gas
detector (heated diode) and microprocessor to cre­ate a highly sensitive portable refrigerant leak
detector technology with superior battery life, porta­bility, and ease of use.

Gas is pumped through the tip of the wand into
the sensor at the base of the snoot. The sensor
chemically reacts with any refrigerant in the incom­ing gas, sending a mV signal into a microprocessor
controlled circuit.

The SRL8 can detect leaks smaller than 0.1
oz/year, which exceeds the toughest SAE J1627
standards. The SRL8 comes with wall and car
charger for its ultra-compact Li-ion battery which
powers the SRL8 for 15 hours of continuous opera­tion before a recharge is needed. That's long
enough to last your
entire workday.

The SRL8 has
variable sensitivity
settings, to give you
the sensitivity you
need while eliminat­ing 'nuisance tripping'. A quick, automatic 30 sec­ond self-calibration upon power-up ensures optimal
performance.

A built in replaceable filter blocks moisture and
harmful particulates. The SRL8 also has manual
and automatic "Zeroing" function to ensure the best

sensitivity possible by canceling out background
contamination. Use the MUTE button to silence the
detector's audio indicators when needed.

Operation

ON/OFF Protection

To turn on/off the SRL8 press and hold the
ON/OFF button for one second. This slight delay
protects against inadvertent powering on or off,
conserving battery life. If you forget to turn the
SRL8 off, it will automatically turn off after 10 min­utes of inactivity.

LED Bar Graph Display

The eight segment LED display indicates the
concentration of refrigerant detected. As the con­centration of refrigerant in the air increases so does
the number of lit bars on the display.

L/M/H Button (Sensitivity)

Set the sensitivity level by pressing the L/M/H
button. Low (L), medium (M), or high (H) sensitivity
will be indicated by the respective LEDs.

The higher the concentration of refrigerant in the
ambient air, the lower the sensitivity setting should
be to minimize false trips.

MUTE Button and Battery check

Pressing the MUTE button toggles the sound of
the SRL8 on and off. In addition, holding the MUTE
button down for one second will display the remain­ing percent of battery charge on the LED bar graph.

ZERO Button and Auto-Zeroing function

The SRL8 has two zeroing modes, manual and
automatic, which are indicated by the "Auto-Zero"
LED being off or on respectively. These modes
allow the user to achieve the best sensitivity possi­ble by setting the baseline signal equal to any back­ground contamination.

The SRL8 defaults to the automatic zeroing
mode when turned on. In automatic mode, the
SRL8 will zero itself to the ambient environment
every two seconds if not triggered. Zeroing is indi­cated by a quick double flash of the "Auto-Zero"
LED.

To switch between the auto and manual zeroing
modes hold the ZERO button down for one second.
The "Auto-Zero" LED will no longer be lit when in
manual mode. To manually zero the SRL8 in this
mode, simply press the ZERO button in a non-con­taminated environment. The SRL8 will indicate suc­cessful zeroing by a quick double flash of the "Auto­Zero" LED.

Leak Detection Procedure

Keep the SRL8 away from any areas of potential
refrigerant leakage until the warm-up and calibration
period is over. The warm-up and calibration
sequence lasts about 30 seconds after ON/OFF is
pressed. Allow the SRL8 to fully warm-up before
using. On startup, meter defaults to high sensitivity
and auto-zeroing.

The most likely points for refrigerant leaks are at
the soldered joints in refrigerant lines and changes
in cross section or direction of these lines.

The SRL8 detects concentration of refrigerant.
The zeroing function lets the user easily detect leaks
in places that may have refrigerant in the air, such
as a refrigerator leaking into an enclosed space.
When detecting:

1. The tip of the snoot should be fairly close to the

line. You may need to be within 1/4” (0.64cm) of

a small leak to detect it. In this case, using a

second hand to guide the tip along refrigerant

lines may be helpful.

2. Keep the tip moving along refrigerant lines at a

rate of 1-3 inches per second.

3. As the SRL8 detects a leak its alarm will sound

and the LED bar graph will light up. As you move

the snoot closer to the point of the leak, more

LEDs light up as the concentration increases.

(Note: If the SRL8 wand moves through a very

high concentration of refrigerant, you may need

to wait for the SRL8 to re-zero or manually zero

it in order to let the sensor readjust, before mov­ing to step 4.)

4. Once the maximum refrigerant concentration is
located, allow the meter to zero away from the
leak. Then do a second sweep of the suspected
leak point, to verify its location.

Filter Assessment & Replacement

The filter blocks moisture and other contaminants

from the sensor. When it gets wet, it constricts flow
of air, and the filter should be replaced. Unscrew the
sensor tip and replace the white filter so that the
rounded end is at the tip of the wand. Use only the
Fieldpiece supplied filter.

Extra filters can be ordered from a distributor.

Model RFL2 contains 10 filters and 5 O-rings.

Installing and Replacing Sensor

Replacement sensors (model RHD1) can be
ordered for the SRL8. To install or replace the sen­sor, make sure the unit is turned off. Then,
unscrew the snoot on the SRL8 and if replacing
gently pull the sensor from the base.

Carefully insert the new sensor and replace
snoot. The sensor can be inserted in two different
configurations, either of which will allow the SRL8
to function correctly.

If no sensor is installed or the installed sensor is
broken when the unit is turned on an alarm will
sound and the unit will turn off.

Quick Tips

1.

To pinpoint larger leaks, adjust sensitivity.

2. Make sure the SRL8 is zeroing between detec-

tions. Look for the double flash of the auto-zero
LED.

Comparing Leak Detectors

Fieldpiece has two leak detectors. The SRL8
uses a heated diode sensor. The heated diode's
advantage is that it detects absolute concentration
levels so it can be held on a leak and will continue
to beep. It is also initially very sensitive. Its major
disadvantages are that the sensor becomes less
sensitive over life, eventually needing replacement
and it is more sensitive to some refrigerants than
others.

The SRL2 uses an infrared (IR) sensor. It
detects a CHANGE in concentration, so the wand
must keep moving. The main advantages of the
Fieldpiece IR sensor are that its sensitivity will
remain the same over the life of the instrument,
the sensor will last the lifetime of the instru
ment, it will not trigger on humidity or on oil,
and it has nearly the same sensitivity to most
refrigerants.The main disadvantage of infrared
sensors is their sensitivity to mechanical
disturbances.

SRL8 testing an A-coil, 1/4” (0.64cm) from the line.

1/4”

(0.635cm)

SENSITIVITY

H

M

L

AUTO-ZERO

LOW-BATT

Caution

DO NOT use the SRL8 without the proper fil­ter correctly installed. Doing so may result in
damage to the instrument.

!

Warning

The sensor may be hot after use.

!

!

!

AUTO-ZERO

SENSITIVITY

H

LOW-BATT
M

L

ZEROL/M/H

ON/OFFMUTE

PRESS FOR

BATTERY

1 SECOND

CHECK

Heated Diode
Refrigerant
Leak Detector

SRL8

Specifications

Sensing element: Heated Diode
Sensor life: 5 years (typical)
Refrigerants: HFC, CFC, HCFC, and blends
Sensitivity: Min (Stationary): 0.03 oz/yr (1g/yr)

Max (Stationary): >6 oz/yr (>180g/yr)
Min (In motion): 0.1 oz/yr (3g/yr)
Max (In motion): >6 oz/yr (>180 g/yr)
After exposure to (50g/yr): 0.1 oz/yr (3g/yr)
In poluted environment: 0.1 oz/yr (3g/yr)

Response time: 0.5 to 1 second
Recovery time: ~9 seconds
Auto off: 10 minutes after no activity
Battery: 3.7VDC(nominal), 1800mAh rechargeable

lithium ion (model NP-120) replaceable battery.

Battery life: 15 hours continuous use prior to

needing a charge. Degradation (30%) after 500
charge/discharge cycles or two years, whichever
comes first

Low battery LED: Illuminated when approximate-

ly 1 hour of battery life remains

Charge time: approximately 4 hours @ 450mA
Operating environment: 32ºF (0°C) to 104ºF

(40°C) at <75%RH (non-condensing)

Weight: 15.2 oz (0.43kg)
Storage environment: <80%RH meter and batt.

For 80% battery recovery:

-4ºF (-20°C) to 140ºF (60°C) less than 1 month

-4ºF (-20°C) to 113ºF (45°C) less than 3 months

-4ºF (-20°C) to 68ºF (20°C) less than 1 year

Notice of Compliance

This instrument complies with the specifications

for an indicating, locating leak detector as
described by the european standard EN 14624,
approved by CEN on Febuary 21st 2005.

More Products From Fieldpiece

Modular Expandability

Modular expandability is ability for accessory
heads and meters to change configurations to
match the various needs of an HVAC/R technician.

Accessory heads (the sensors) send out a mV
signal, which represents the value of the measure­ment, to whatever meter is attached to it. Heads can
attach directly to the top of a Stick meter, DL3 data
logger, or EHDL1. They can also plug into any meter
with mV ranges using ADLS2 leads.

Warranty and Service

The product is warranted to the original purchas­er against defects in material or workmanship for a
period of one (1) year from the date of purchase.
During the warranty period, Fieldpiece Instruments
will, at its option, replace or repair the defective unit.

This warranty does not apply to defects resulting
from abuse, neglect, accident, unauthorized repair,
alteration, or unreasonable use of the instrument.
Any implied warranty arising out of the sale of
Fieldpiece's products including but not limited to
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for
purpose are limited to the above. Fieldpiece shall
not be liable for incidental or consequential dam­ages.

Contact Fieldpiece for an RMA# if returning any
defective SRL8 for warranty service. Include the
defective instrument along with proof of purchase.
Contact Fieldpiece for out of warranty repair
charges.

v15

Lithium Battery Care

The SRL8 contains a very powerful lithium ion
battery. For a long battery life and safe operation,
you must observe the following:

Cautions

1. Do not expose the battery to temperatures high-

er than 140ºF (60ºC).

2. Do not charge the battery in or near heated

places such as fire, hot vehicles, or direct sun-

light.

3. Do not solder directly on battery.

4. Do not expose the battery to direct impact or

throw it.

5. Do not get the battery wet.

6. Do not deform or pierce the battery in any way.

7. If there is any battery leakage, do not touch the

battery. In the case that electrolyte gets into the

eyes, flush with fresh water, do not rub, and see

a physician immediately.

8. Send in for replacement immediately if there is

any deformity, bad smell, color change, or other

abnormality.

9. The battery is user-replaceable and can be pur-

chased at most electronic stores. The following

batteries are compatible with the SRL8: Fuji

Film: NP-120, PENTAX: DLI-7, RICON: DB-43

Charging

Two chargers are included with the SRL8. The
AC charger plugs into a wall outlet, and the car
charger plugs into a car cigarette lighter DC plug.

1. The battery is partially charged when packaged.

Fully charge the battery before first use.

2. The LOW-BATT LED will light red when the bat-

tery is low. Charge can be checked at any time

the unit is on with the Battery Check function

(See Operation section).

3. To recharge the SRL8, plug one end of the

charger into the top of the SRL8 and the other

into the power source. LOW-BATT will blink

while charging until the battery is fully charged.

When the SRL8 battery is fully charged, LOW-

BATT turns off.

4. Charge within operating environment specified

in the Specifications section of this manual.

5. Avoid frequent full discharges. Several partial

discharges with frequent recharges are better

for lithium-ion batteries. Unlike nickel-based bat-

teries they have no charge memory and do not

need to be discharged before charging.

Storage

The battery should have a 40%-50% charge dur­ing prolonged storage of a month or longer. See
Specifications section of this manual for proper stor­age environment.

Battery life is dramatically reduced if the battery
is stored fully charged and/or at high temperatures.

Included Equipment

Use model RRE2 when detecting in tight spaces,
such as through a condenser grille. Model RFE2
extends the wand to 25.5”. The blow molded case,
model holds accessories and chargers.

All accessories shown are included with the
SRL8.

Standalones from Fieldpiece

The SRL8 Heated diode refrigerant leak detector
is designed for HVAC/R technicians. Here are some
other standalone products from Fieldpiece
Instruments.

9”(23cm) Flex

Extension

model RFE2

Blow Molded Carrying Case

w/ RRE2 and RFE2

Model ABMK3

Sensor model

RHD1

9” (23cm) needle

tip model RRE2

T2

T2

T2

/O

SSX34

Superheat and

Subcooling for A/C

and Refrigeration

SRH2

Diagnostic
Psychrometer

SC77

All-in-one
Expandable
Clamp-on Meter

SC77

APO HOLD n m m F
AC
DC

m A K M Ω

m V V

NCV

HOLD

Auto
4000m

µ

400m

400

340

DISCONNECT
TESTLEADS

ATM

TYPE

T2

UNIT

TEMP.

T2

AUTO-OFF BATTERY

CHECK

ON/OFF

PRESS FOR 1 SECOND

Temp Cal

K

SH

SC

T/C

Diagnostic
Psychrometer

°C °F

BATTERY
CHECK

RH/DP/WB/DB

AUTO-OFF

MAX/MIN/H

ENTER

TSH/TEET/NORM

T/C
Cal

ON/OFF

SRH2

T2

T2

Calculates
Target SH
and Target
Evap Exit
Temperature

NTC

SENSOR

T2

ON/OFF

OUTPUT

T2

T2

PRESS FOR
1 SECOND

T2

T2