UV Dye in Freon - good or bad

Mar 24, 2006 5 Replies
B

I have always had to add a can or 2 of Freon to my truck every year but the last time I added, it needed another within 2 weeks or so. I picked up a can of Genetron 134aUV thinking I could use a screw in black light bulb in a troublelight to find the leak but in reading the can and website, I question if that will work and if it is even a good idea to use this stuff. It sounds like the dye is not compatible with all systems and I need to find a label saying I have dye in the system. This is a 1996 Chevy K1500. So, questions are:


  1. Is this stuff compatible with my system?


  1. Is it a good idea to use this stuff anyway?

  2. Will the screw in black light bulb from Walmart (in a trouble light) work to find the dye? I see they sell special light and amber glasses but cannot find anything about why the glasses or what wavelenght light is required).

Many thanks for reading. Bobby


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D

No, a so-called "black light" incandescent bulb that you screw into a trouble light will not emit much UV. Maybe enough to spot an enormous leak if you pull the truck into a completely darkened garage-not very practical. Very much better: Get a fluorescent trouble light and put a "BLB" ("Blacklight Blue") fluorescent tube in it. BLB tubes can be had from light bulb suppliers like bulbman.com . These emit enough UV for the UV dye to pop right out at you even in a normally-lit workspace.

Those "black light" incandescent bulbs are OK for kids' parties, but that's about it.

Probably a compressor shaft seal.

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M

Well.... Back when I was a kid, black light posters were in style and those bulbs work very well for lighting them up on the bedroom walls in the dark. Not as good as a tube, for sure, but for the cost they worked very well.

I would think the dye would show up easily under one. It isn't going to be 6 to 10' away like the posters, it will be in a trouble light up close.

Just my opinion....

Mike

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D

Yeah, Mike, I'm sure your fluorescent posters lit up just fine for you when you were a kid. That wasn't the "black light" incandescent bulbs makin' it happen.

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H

Not even for that.

I put one up for my 8 year-old daughter last Hallowe'en in the front hall. We were hoping her white ghost costume would glow, but the result was crushingly dismal. It was two dollars ill-spent. Sylvania ought to be ashamed of themselves for peddling such rubbish.

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