Test O2 connx for leaks

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dave Taylor
what to use?
Soapy water has carbon (& hydrogen) so that sounds LTI (less than ideal). Can't hold these underwater.
'A+P Google' had no ideas (or he wasnt sharing with me).
 
You should be able to feel the air flow.
 
Every place I've seen uses soapy water in a spray bottle, don't over think a simple answer :)
 
Use a candle to look for an O2 leak. It's a positive indication....

okay, don't do this.
 
GlennAB1 said:
Every place I've worked has supplied something safe, like Sherlock gas and air leak detector.
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Which might be normal at a airline repair base. GA shop, not so much. You sure do get a kick out of your lordly implications that you work on Big Iron. I say Big Deal. Anyway, your implication that soapy water is unsafe cannot be supported.

Would anyone care to explain why using soapy water is unsafe? This is using the assumption there isn't a leak large enough to be heard or felt by passing one's fingers over the connection.

It's not gonna start a fire. There isn't going to be a chemical reaction. Not going to explode. The hydrogen in water is attached to oxygen atoms in a chemical bond that will not change with exposure to additional oxygen atoms.

Here's a recommendation for leak checks from a technical school, American Welding Society guidance is similar.

Leak detection
Joints and hoses should be checked for leaks before any welding is attempted. Whilst acetylene may be detected by its distinctive smell (usually at levels of less than 2%) oxygen is odourless.

Leak detection is best carried out applying a weak (typically 0.5%) solution of a detergent in water or a leak detecting solution from one of the gas supply companies. It is applied to the joints using a brush and the escaping gas will form bubbles. On curing the leak, the area should be cleaned to remove the residue from the leak detecting solution. Leaks in hoses may be repaired but approved replacement hose and couplings must be used in accordance with BSEN 560:1995 and BSEN 1256:1996.
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3393RP said:
Which might be normal at a airline repair base. GA shop, not so much. You sure do get a kick out of your lordly implications that you work on Big Iron. I say Big Deal. Anyway, your implication that soapy water is unsafe cannot be supported.

Would anyone care to explain why using soapy water is unsafe? This is using the assumption there isn't a leak large enough to be heard or felt by passing one's fingers over the connection.

It's not gonna start a fire. There isn't going to be a chemical reaction. Not going to explode. The hydrogen in water is attached to oxygen atoms in a chemical bond that will not change with exposure to additional oxygen atoms.

Here's a recommendation for leak checks from a technical school, American Welding Society guidance is similar.
Click to expand...

Big deal, a guaranteed safe solution costs a few bucks.

Some soaps contain animal fats (lard), some soaps contain petroleum (oil), some soaps contain both, those solutions leave residues which burn easily or even spontaneously combust in an oxygen enriched atmosphere. Truth.

And that is why the places I've worked have supplied a known safe solution.
 
when in doubt...experiment. Try some of that soapy water in a cannula first. If it doesn't light up....yer good. Let the spraying begin. :D
 
It has been my experience that leaks are audible. think about how high the pressure is. You can feel it or hear it typically.
 
Even if you sprayed WD40 on it in ambient pressures nothing is likely to happen. THis is a far cry from getting oil in your high pressure O2 fittings.
 
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