When LeakTronics founder Darren Merlob began in the leak detection industry, the only equipment available for finding leaks was plumbing equipment made to hear leaks in pipes, but nothing for listening for leaks from inside the pool shell itself. It was common at that time that leak detection was performed by diving into a pool and using dye to test for leaks. With research and development, Darren created the tool that would ultimately find leaks from inside the a pool shell. Darren design a microphone to listen for the sound of leaks from inside the pool water, called a hydrophone – the PoolScope was born. It was the first of LeakTronics hydrophones for swimming pool leak detection.
At 8.34 pounds per gallon of water, the weight of a full pool creates a pressure that when pushed through a crack, hole or crevasse makes a sound, like a whoosh. With the right equipment, hearing that sound is easy. LeakTronics PoolScope is one of the many hydrophones LeakTronics has developed to hear those sounds with precision and to accurately identify the loudest point where the sound occurs. This “loudest point” tells the technician exactly where the water loss occurs and where repairs need to be made. LeakTronics hydrophones work fast, with less and often no invasive techniques to get on top of leaks and identify where and why the happen.
LeakTronics professional leak detection kits have become the staple equipment leak detection technicians use to provide leak detection services around the world. Each kit addresses specific needs for each discipline; swimming pool leak detection, plumbing leak detection, irrigation leak detection and more. LeakTronics has enabled contractors to locate pipes, even plastic and PVC underground without digging, to map and trace lines, detect leaks in pools, spas, residential and commercial plumbing and more. LeakTronics patented F.L.A.S.H. Technology works to locate pipes and plumbing, find leaks in it and make precise repairs on affected areas. LeakTronics offers cameras with F.L.A.S.H. Technology and allows users to work inside of lines as small as 1-1/2 inches while navigating elbows and 90 degree turns with ease. Where a need to discover leaks presents itself, LeakTronics has developed equipment to get the job done fast.
For swimming pool leak detection professionals, the hydrophones do more than just listen in pool and spa shells. The PoolScope provides 360 degree omni-directional listening, allowing for precise detection at any point in the shell. The weight of the PoolScope allows the user to drop and drag the mic head onto main drain covers, structural cracks and areas at the bottom of the pool where technicians would otherwise have to be in the pool to detect leaks. Listening in skimmers, at lights and return fittings, side suctions and along tile lines is as easy as putting the hydrophone at those areas and listening.
As LeakTronics research and development team has worked to address methods of detecting leaks using hydrophones, they turned the PoolScope on it’s side, literally, creating the SM-1 Side Mic. Where the PoolScope offers extreme omni-directional listening, the SM-1 controls the direction of the diode’s capabilities to hear leaks and focuses it’s power uni-directionally. When listening along vertical surfaces, at light rings, step tracks, wall cracks and fittings, the SM-1 applies it’s focus in front of the mic head and reduces ambient outside interference that may be heard from other directions. Its accuracy is increased for hearing the sounds of leaks when facing a vertical challenge.
The PipeMic from LeakTronics is designed to listen inside of pipes and plumbing lines that run away from the pool. Where it’s been proven that 95% of all leaks in a pool happen within a 3 foot radius fo the pool shell, listening inside of return lines, skimmer ports and spa jets with the PipeMic allows the technician to go inside smaller radius pipes and position the mic head at the exact area of a leak. Its loudest point indicates where the most water is escaping, and its distance into the pipe tells the user where the repair needs to take place; without digging or breaking concrete to look at the pipe from the outside. The user pinches the cable at the fitting where it was inserted and withdraws the mic from the line. The length between where the line is pinched and the mic head indicates how far into the line the leak occurred, and by simply laying the cable down on the deck, the user can see how many inches into the line the leak was heard. it’s one of the many ways professionals use hydrophones for swimming pool leak detection.
Working with the 3 foot radius rule, LeakTronics has introduced a new hydrophone for 2020. The Push Mic combines the leak locating design of the patented F.L.A.S.H. Technology with the accuracy and power fo the Pipe Mic to get inside of returns and trunk lines, skimmer ports and spa jet lines. The Push Mic is created using a rigid, yet flexible push rod, 10 feet in length, to navigate 90 degree turns in pipes and find where leaks occur. When a leak is identified, a F.L.A.S.H. transmitter located behind the mic head transmits a 512 hz pulse that can be found underground by using the F.L.A.S.H. Stick by LeakTronics, or a 512 hz receiver. By finding the location of the leak underground, repairs can be made at the exact location of the leak and contractors can reduce digging and breaking concrete to fix the pipe.
All of LeakTronics hydrophones and listening equipment are powered by the LT-1000 Amplifier, the only phantom powered headphone amplifier in the industry. The LT-1000 runs on 2-AA batteries and provides a boost of listening power to all of LeakTronics equipment, adding to it’s sensitivity and ability to clearly hear the sounds of leaks. LeakTronics complete leak detection kits include the LT-1000, and users who already own a kit with the LT-1000 in it can add hydrophones, and other LeakTronics equipment to their arsenal of equipment for enhanced leak detection.
Learn more by visiting https://pipeoxy.com or by calling 818-436-2953.
