QwikDetector-ND is formulated for natural draft furnaces, which are furnaces with no combustion blower. If you are attempting to find a leak in a high efficiency furnace, such as a furnace with a combustion blower(typically an 80% or higher efficiency) or a condensing furnace, then use QwikDetector-HE and do not follow these directions.

The QwikDetector-ND leak indicator is utilized if the technician suspects a leak in a particular area of the heat exchanger and he wants to verify the leak or show the leak to the equipment owner.

QwikDetector-ND relies on spraying the QwikDetector-ND into the heated conditioned air stream while observing if there is any change in the flame characteristic on the combustion air side of the heat exchanger. If there is any change in the flame's characteristics, identified by a color change, then the QwikDetector-ND must be leaking into the combustion side and affecting the flame.

This simple leak detection approach is only effective for natural draft furnaces and is not applicable for the newer high-efficiency condensing furnaces, because the techniciancannot see the flame and therefore cannot see any color change in the flame.

One limitation of this leak detection method is that the leak has to be large enough for a substantial quantity of the liquid QwikDetector-ND fluid to leak into the fire box tonoticeably affect the flame. This technique relies on the pressure difference created by the conditioned air blower to force the QwikDetector-ND into the combustion flame.

Directions for use:

QwikDetector-ND is a safe effective fire extinguishing agent. When sprayed into the conditioned space, if it leaks through the heat exchanger into the fire box, it will slightly extinguish the flame resulting in a lower flame temperature, which is seen visually as a different flame color.

You can test this and verify the effect (to show the equipment owner) by simply spraying the QwikDetector-ND into the fire box and observing the color change of the flame.

Recommended Approach to Show a Heat Exchanger Leak to the Equipment Owner

1. Spray the QwikDetector-ND into the fire box and let the equipment owner see how the spray changes the flame color.
   
   
   
2. Now spray the QwikDetector-ND on the conditioned air side of the heat exchanger and have the equipment owner watch the flame.
   
   
   
3. When the equipment owner sees the color change in the flame, explain that the QwikDetector-ND is leaking through the heat exchanger and causing the flame color to change. Therefore there is a leak in the heat exchanger in the region where the QwikDetector-ND was sprayed.
   
   
   
4. Explain the Heat Exchanger must be replaced, but a better idea would be to replace the entire furnace with a high efficiency furnace.

Part: #QT4500

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