sniffer tips - TIF5550 sniffer

[aribert]

I purchased a TIF5550 sniffer used at an auction when the Penske Auto Centers at Kmart closed - this was an impulse purchase, I was at the auction to buy a service lift. This was in 2002 so the sniffer is at least 21 yrs old now. The sniffer never produced repeatable results. This summer I really needed the use of a sniffer and found (and read) the manual for the sniffer including how to clean the tip - no improvement. The replacement tip is P/N TIF555. I bought a 3 pack of tips from Century Tool (knowing that the tips were made in China - I just assumed that TIF had outsourced the tips and I was buying OEM tips). The replacement tips did not improve the repeatability. Doing a little more research, it appears that the tip is fairly common to other sniffers also and that leads me to think the tips are a generic replacement using the OEM P/N.

What is the typical life expectance of a sniffer? I am trying to decide if I should consider buying another, "name brand" TIF555 tip set or if I would be wasting more of my money. Unlike a professional, I might not use a sniffer more than a couple of times in a year. Are there budget sniffers out there that function well? At what price point should I be expecting to pay for a sniffer?

[JohnHere]

I've had my electronic leak detector (sniffer) for about 20 years, and it's still working very well with the original sensor tip. The tips that you purchased, although imported, should be fine since they're made to TIF's specifications. It's probable that something else is wrong with your sniffer. New units are available at various price points: https://www.ackits.com/index.php?route= ... 0detectors

How much you spend for a new one is up to you. But you can be assured that every one listed on the link above is of high quality. Contact Tim at ACKITS.com for additional information.

[Tim]

Thanks for posting, John. I need to clean up that page.

43-MT1380

43-MT1734

[tbirdtbird]

I've had my TIFF XP-1A for twenty years. It cost me 100.00 at that time. It has continued to be my right hand and works well. It came with a spare tip and I have not yet needed it.
As far as reproducible results, be sure your sensitivity is not too high. Generally on hi sensitivity you locate the basic area of the leak, then turn the sensitivity down once you close in on the suspect area. There is a bit of an art to using one. Sometimes water vapor or water mist will trip the device, so be sure everything is dried off. You can actually exhale on one of these and set it off, and I often do that just to check that it is working.
I have read of people who complain that everything in sight will trip it.....they need to focus a bit more on what they are doing and how they are doing it.

[aribert]

Thank you all for responding. If/when I need to use a sniffer in the future, I'll probably buy the 43-MT1734.

I got lucky recently when I could not find the leak (nitrogen pressure drop, leak detector fluid not showing any bubbles, sniffer not producing results on a partial charge) - I added dye to the system and planned to do a full charge and wait to see the eventual leak when the remaining leak detector fluid on one joint started bubbling with only a few ounces of charge.

[JohnHere]

Good news. Keep an eye on it, though. Sometimes, the leak you find might not be the only one.