Fluorescent Leak Detection Powder

Fluorescent Leak Detection Powder for Baghouses and Dust Collectors

American Fabric Filter’s fluorescent leak detection powder shows you the exact filter bag, seam, or seal that is letting dust through your baghouse or dust collector. You inject the powder on the dirty-air side. Any of it that gets past a torn bag, a loose snap band, or a failed tubesheet seal settles on the clean-air side, where it glows under a UV light. Instead of swapping a whole compartment of bags on a guess, your maintenance crew can find the failed bag and replace only that one.

Each container holds 5 lb of dry fluorescent powder and comes in five colors: Pink, Yellow, Orange, Green and Red.

How Fluorescent Leak Detection Works

Fluorescent leak detection, also called leak tracing, uses a fine powder that is easy to see under ultraviolet (black) light. During normal operation, intact filter media stops the powder and holds it in the dust cake on the dirty side of the bags. The powder can only reach the clean-air plenum through a hole, tear, worn seam, bad bag-to-cell-plate seal, cracked weld, or leaking door gasket. When an inspector enters the clean side and scans it with a UV lamp, those leak points glow, so the source of an emissions or opacity problem is visible instead of a guess.

How to Run a Baghouse Leak Test

1. Plan the test. Choose a powder color that contrasts with your process dust and that was not used in your last test. Review the product SDS and your site’s lockout/tagout and confined-space procedures.
2. Turn off the cleaning system. Keep the fan running so air moves through the collector normally, but turn off pulse-jet, reverse-air, or shaker cleaning so the powder stays on the bags during the test.
3. Inject the powder. Add the powder into the inlet duct through an access port upstream of the collector, so the airflow carries it evenly to every compartment.
4. Let it circulate. Run the system for several minutes so the powder loads across all of the filter bags or cartridges.
5. Shut down and inspect the clean side. Shut down and lock out the unit, open the clean-air plenum, darken the space, and scan the tubesheet, bag tops, snap bands, cartridge gaskets, and welds with a UV lamp and UV-enhancing glasses.
6. Repair and retest. Mark and replace failed bags or reseal leak points, then run a follow-up test with a different color. Glowing residue from the new color confirms a remaining leak. Residue from the old color does not.

Choosing a Powder Color

Five colors let you match the powder to your process and switch colors between inspections.

Situation	What to Choose
First test on a collector	Any color that stands out clearly against your process dust
Follow-up test after repairs	A different color from the last test, so new leaks are not confused with old residue
Multiple collectors or compartments	A separate color for each unit, so you can trace leaks back to where they started

Specifications

Product	Fluorescent leak detection powder
Form	Dry powder
Net Weight	5 lb per container
Colors	Pink, Yellow, Orange, Green, Red
Detection	Glows under UV (black) light
Used In	Pulse-jet, reverse-air and shaker baghouses, cartridge dust collectors, bin vents

How Much Powder Do You Need?

How much powder a test needs depends on the total filter cloth area, the airflow, and how many compartments you are testing at once. To get a recommendation for your collector, call our team at 877-742-3653 with the make, number of bags or cartridges, and CFM.

Pair It With the Leak Locator Light Kit

You need a strong UV light to see the powder. The Leak Locator Light Kit includes a high-intensity UV LED lamp, ANSI-rated enhancing glasses, a 2200 mAh rechargeable battery, AC and DC chargers, and a rugged carrying case, so your team has everything it needs to inspect a collector in the field.

Leak Detection Powder FAQs

What is fluorescent leak detection powder?

Fluorescent leak detection powder is a fine, dry tracer powder that glows under UV light. It is used to find holes, tears, and seal failures in baghouse filter bags and dust collector cartridges.

How does leak detection powder find leaks in a baghouse?

The powder is injected on the dirty-air side while the fan runs with cleaning turned off. Intact media holds the powder back. Wherever a bag, seam, or seal has failed, the powder passes through to the clean-air side, and those spots glow when you scan them with a UV lamp.

Do I need a black light to see the powder?

Yes. The powder fluoresces under ultraviolet light, which makes small leaks visible that you would miss in normal light. A dedicated UV lamp and enhancing glasses, like those in the Leak Locator Light Kit, give the clearest results.

Why are there different colors?

Changing colors between tests lets you tell new leaks apart from residue left by earlier inspections. It also makes it easier to see the powder against your process dust.

Can I use it in a cartridge dust collector?

Yes. The same method works for cartridge collectors. Inject the powder upstream, then inspect the clean side for glowing powder at cartridge gaskets, seams, and the tubesheet.

Is this the same as automotive leak trace powder?

No. Automotive leak trace powders are aerosol sprays for weather-stripping and fluid leaks. This is a bulk dry fluorescent powder made for industrial dust collection systems.

How often should a baghouse leak test be done?

Many facilities run a leak test after bag change-outs or maintenance, during planned shutdowns, and whenever outlet emissions, opacity, or dust on the clean side increase.

Related Reading

• Troubleshooting Common Fabric Filter Problems
• Tips for Maintaining Your Dust Collection Bags

Need replacement filter bags after a leak test? Request a quote for custom-made bags built to your collector’s specifications.