How to choose a leak detector
By Grant, Inspection Tool Specialists. Reviewed November 2026.
Three things decide which leak detector you need: what is leaking (gas, refrigerant or water), where it is (open air, pressurised equipment or buried pipe), and how precisely you must locate it. Answer those first.
Which detector?
| Need | Detector | Typical in our range |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerant leaks in air-conditioning and refrigeration | Refrigerant gas leak detector | PCE-LD 1 refrigerant leak detector |
| Halogen gas leaks | Halogen leak detector | PCE-HAD 5 halogen leak detector |
| Ultrasonic leaks in compressed air or vacuum | Ultrasonic leak detector | PCE-LDC 8 ultrasonic leak detector; PCE-LDC 20 |
| Underground water leaks in pipelines | Acoustic leak locator | PQ125 acoustic leak locator |
| Electrical discharge leaks in insulation or coatings | DC spark leak detector | MTH-7D DC spark leak detector |
| Mapping leaks across a plant area | Acoustic imaging camera | MPAI56 acoustic imaging camera |
Procedure and safety
Gas detectors respond to the gas type they are designed for, so confirm the refrigerant or gas before you buy. Electrical discharge and high-pressure systems carry risks, so follow your site's procedure and isolation rules.
Price guide
As a guide to our current range, including VAT: refrigerant and halogen detectors from about R5,500 to R10,100; acoustic and DC spark locators from about R21,300 to R25,000; ultrasonic detectors from about R43,100 to R119,700; acoustic imaging cameras from about R187,000. Prices change, so check the product pages and confirm the probes and calibration each quote includes.
Questions we will ask you
Tell us what is leaking, the gas or refrigerant type, the equipment or pipe and whether it is pressurised or buried, how precisely you must locate the leak, and whether you need a record. With that we can recommend a detector and provide pricing.