The other day I wrote an article that showed a comparison table showing the top refrigerant leak detectors on the market today. I included a Fieldpiece model, an Inficon model, and the famous Bascaharach’s H-10 Professional detector. The goal here was to showcase the top detectors and what the Pros and Cons of each one was. This would give the reader an easy and simple table to pick their premium tool from.
After publishing a reader reached out to me and informed that I had missed a detector that is used widely today: JB Industries’ LD-5000 Prowler Refrigerant Leak Detector.Upon reading his e-mail I took action and began researching the Prowler detector. After a few days of research I wrote a Product Review on the Prowler unit as well. But that still didn’t seem like enough. I needed to include the Prowler in more posts so that we could get a full understanding of it’s ability.
The objective of this post is to do a one on one comparison between the H-10 Pro and the LD-5000 Prowler. What makes these detectors so special? Why should you get one over the other? Let’s take a look:
Breakdown
I am going to start with the JB Prowler refrigerant leak detector first. When comparing against the H-10 the Prowler has a few points that rise above and that are worth pointing out:
- The JB is not a heated diode detector. What does that mean? Well folks that means that the sensor is going to last a lot longer than the H-10’s. While the H-10 will burn out after about a year the Prowler’s sensor can last up to ten years. Ten years without having to worry about a sensor replacement is quite the benefit!
- The other big selling point on the Prowler is the price. The price today is hovering around three-hundred and fifty dollars for a new unit. (Prices are subject to change at any time.) An H-10 model is around five-hundred dollars. Depending on where you shop it could approach five-hundred and fifty dollars. So, you could end up spending a hundred or more extra to get an H-1o detector model.
- The Prowler has a vibration alert as well as an audio and visual alert. So, when you find a leak you will literally feel the vibration alert on your hand.
If we take a look at the H-10 Professional detector and compare it to the Prowler we can see quite a bit of benefits to the H-10. I’ll say this now folks so you don’t get the wrong idea. The H-10 is the superior detector here but it is also the higher priced one.
- The H-10 has superior sensitivity levels going as low as 0.006 ounces per year. The Prowler definitely has great sensitivity going as low as 0.050 ounces per year but the H-10 still takes the gold.
- The H-10 comes with a three year warranty rather than the two year with the Prowler.
- The H-10 comes with a fifty-four inch probe compared to the seventeen inch probe of the Prowler.
Comparison Table
| Name: | JB's LD-5000 Prowler Refrigerant Detector | Bacharach's H-10 Pro Refrigerant Detector |
|---|---|---|
| Image: |  |  |
| Type: | Patented Technlogy - Infrared? | Heated Diode |
| Refrigerants Detected: | CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, and HFO's. | CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, and HFO's. |
| Sensitivity: | 0.050 Ounces Per Year | 0.006 Ounces Per Year |
| Settings: | High, Medium, and Low | High, Medium, and Low |
| Sensor Life: | Ten Years or More | Around One Year |
| Probe Length: | Seventeen Inches | Fifty-Four Inches |
| Probe Extension: | No | No |
| Auto-calibrate: | Yes | Yes |
| Rechargeable Battery: | No | Yes |
| Battery Life: | Four & Half Hour Charge | Three Hour Charge |
| Warm-Up Time: | Thirty Seconds to One Minute | Two Minutes |
| Warranty: | Two Year Warranty | Three Year Warranty |
| Price Point: | Medium | High |
| Manufacturer's Website: | JB's Product Page | Bacharach's Product Page |
| Product Review: | RefrigerantHQ's Product Review | RefrigerantHQ's Product Review |
| Buy: | Buy Now! | Buy Now! |
Conclusion
As I said above the H-10 Professional is the better detector but with the Prowler you can get a lot of the same benefits, or close to the same benefits while also potentially saving hundreds of dollars and having an extra long lasting sensor. If you are a tech wanting to get a quality detector but can’t bring yourself to pay five-hundred dollars for a detector than the Prowler is for you. It will help you get the job done and I am sure that you will be satisfied. However, if you are one of those guys who just needs the best of the best then go and get yourself an H-10!
Ultimately, the choice is up to you. Which detector will you go with? Please review the table above and make your choice!