How much refrigerant must a system contain to effectively use an electronic leak detector?

Using an electronic leak detector effectively requires the system to have a sufficient amount of refrigerant gas present so that the detector can accurately sense the leak. When the refrigerant charge falls significantly below an optimal level, there may not be enough gas for the detector to pick up on the refrigerant presence in the air, which could lead to missed or false readings.

Having about 10% to 15% of the system charge allows for adequate detection while still being below normal operating levels. This range strikes a balance where there is enough refrigerant to produce detectable leaks without risking the integrity of the system. In contrast, having less than 5% would likely leave the system too low to yield accurate results, and requiring a full system charge could lead to inefficiencies and is not practical for leak testing purposes.