Ratermann Leak Check fluid may seem like a simple product with a simple function, but hiding behind that simplicity is an extremely important purpose: reducing product loss and doing it safely.
Soapy water is NOT a safe solution.
There’s a common misconception out there that soapy water is perfectly safe for leak check. Soaps can contain a wide range of dangerous residues that can be flammable as well as corrosive to the valve assembly.
Soaps can contain animal fats, mineral or vegetable oils, hydrocarbons, ammonia, ethylene glycol, halide ions, ketones, aldehydes or alcohols – all of which can be highly flammable. Fats and oils burn easily, and can be explosive in oxygen environments.
According to the Food and Drug Administration’s current Good Manufacturing Practice for Medical Gases:
“[Leak check] solution should be safe for use with oxygen, leave no residue that is flammable, and be noncorrosive to the valve assembly...Solutions containing soap are not recommended because they can corrode the valve stem and leave a residue.”
Ratermann Leak Check is safe and easy to use.
Formulated without any animal fats, oils, or synthetic oils or alcohols (and recently formulated without fluorosurfactants), Ratermann Leak Check is available ready to use, or as a concentrate for producing larger volumes.
In addition to 1 and 55 gallon sizes, Leak Check is also available in an 8 oz. squeeze bottle with an extender tube for easily getting into hard to reach places.
Shelf stable so you can keep ample supply on-hand.
Ratermann Leak Check can be safely stored for up to five years from manufacture date without any compromise to product integrity, such as mold growth. That means you can always have a ready supply on-hand.
Quick Facts:
- Does not contain mineral oil, vegetable oil, animal oil, fats, ketones, aldehydes, or alcohols as components in the formulation. (Our latest formulation has also phased out fluorosurfactants.)
- Does not contain any material that will act as primary skin irritants, skin sensitizers, or produce any other dermatosis.
- Does not possess or produce any objectionable odors. The threshold odor number will be a maximum of 1 with a maximum odor intensity index of 0.
- Has a pH between 6.5 and 7.5.
- Passes and surpasses Mil-Pref foam tests (minimum 130 mm foam height after 5 min).
- Has a residue below .5% by mass.
- Will not support mold growth within the product shelf life (5 years from day of manufacture).
- The formula has also undergone and passed halogen testing (ASME section V, Article 6, T-641, ASTM).