The 7 Best UV detection dyes (2023 reviews)

We consider a uv detection dye to be a worthy investment in the long run. We are here to help you choose the right one for your purposes from all the best available products in market today.

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Our Top Picks:

Best Overall: Buy: Interdynamics UV detection dye READ REVIEW

Best For AC Leak detection: Buy: REALHUNLEE UV detection dye READ REVIEW

Best For hazardous materials drill: Buy: Acdelco UV detection dye READ REVIEW

Best With included dye: Buy: Mastercool UV detection dye READ REVIEW

Best With All refrigerants: Buy: Leak saver UV detection dye READ REVIEW

Best For DIY jobs: Buy: Leakfinder UV detection dye READ REVIEW

Best value For money: Buy: Lichamp UV detection dye READ REVIEW

Best Overall: Interdynamics UV detection dye

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The interdynamics uv detection dye's high-end materials makes sure that it ages well with use. It really lights up under UV light. It is made for the cooling system. It is easy to use, you’ll need a black light to see it. The dye is meant to get dispersed throughout the system. There are.25 oz hash marks on the side of the bottle for your reference which makes it a little easier.

The UV light will make it easier to see if the leak is small. It is great for future in case a leak develops. It is easy to spill a little than make a mess.

• Make easy, short work out of a less than desirable job
• Works very well one bottle should last for years
• Must have for slow leak air conditioning on vehicles
• Shows up nicely with a black light

Best For AC Leak detection: REALHUNLEE UV detection dye

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The realhunlee uv detection dye's superior materials makes sure that it ages well with use. If you live in or are traveling to a scorpion prone area, uv lights are an easy way to detect these hazardous pests, day or night. It is used to locate leaks in power steering/ hydroboost. It can be used for multiple things, too.

Easy to use, flash light has a nice weight to it and glasses really help see everything. The glasses just bring the dye out a little more. It is a great value and works really well. It would work for a home refrigerator.

• Delivers what they promise
• New and hot release

Best For hazardous materials drill: Acdelco UV detection dye

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Best part: acdelco uv detection dye costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. There's a 61 LED uv flashlight with an aluminum body for about 20 bucks that's marketed for finding pet urine but it works perfectly with this dye. It does stain porous materials. This dye is very fluorescent and is easily seen with a black light without the need for special glasses or being in the dark. It helps to clean off as much as possible around suspected leak area just to speed up diagnostics.

This lights up very bright with a UV flashlight. Fluoresces well under a UV leak detection flashlight and the ACDelco brand assures compatibility with GM vehicles. The dye will show up as bright yellow under the UV light. This is for oil applications and will work on engine oil power steering.

• Shines like the sun under uv light
• Works great with a ultraviolet light to detect the leak
• Lights up with the same uv light kits you would use with r-134a dyes
• Uv dye for oils, works great

Best With included dye: Mastercool UV detection dye

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The mastercool uv detection dye should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. It is difficult to tell the difference between fluid that has the dye, and water that has anti-freeze. It is great with the included dye to track down an massive oil leak. It includes all of the components necessary to locate a variety of leaks. The dye container is emptied into a reservoir, like the power steering fluid reservoir, coolant reservoir / radiator, brake reservoir etc. It can be used in almost any oil leak situation.

There are Oil Dyes included in the kit. It has a cardboard box with a flap style lid, so it does close. It allows for cleanup of excess dye. The kit is set up to test for different kind of leaks.

• Detecting leaks in engines, hvac, power steering etc
• Bright enough to use in the driveway in daylight
• Leak detector dyes for ac and other systems
• Light is bright enough to work outside in the sun

Best With All refrigerants: Leak saver UV detection dye

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate dye. The leak saver uv detection dye is exactly that - it's a simple dye that hits all the right notes. The leak saver uv dye inject is the easiest way to inject uv leak detection dye into your air conditioning and refrigeration systems. It makes adding leak dye to the system so easy. It works with all refrigerants including r410a freon, r22 and replacements, r134a, r1234yf, r404a, r290, r600a, and more. It is great for central air conditioners, car and automotive air conditioners, refrigerators, ductless mini-splits, heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, commercial refrigeration systems, micro channel coils and more.

The UV Dye works best when the compressor is on and circulating the UV with the refrigerant. It is safe for all manifold gauges, hoses, expansion valves (txvs, tevs, capillary tubes, etc), schrader valves, and anything needed to service your system. It is easy to follow and the mit is very easy to use.

• Easy to use and it works
• Fully compatible with mineral, pag, and ester oils
• More messy syringes, hoses, or cans

Best For DIY jobs: Leakfinder UV detection dye

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The ultraviolet fluorescent universal dye provides the most precise leak detection for all automotive air conditioning systems containing r-134a, r-1234yf, or other widely used refrigerants. It is designed to be a cost-effective solution for end-users in the automotive aftermarket. It comes in a kit box, 3 dyes, engine trans and a/c and a good strong uv light along with a syringe tool to push dye in the ac line.

This kit also comes with a refillable ac syringe injector, leak detection flashlight, and glasses. The light is focused so you can see the dye in a yellow color and collects at all leak sites. The kit covers leak engine oil trans fluid leaks coolant leaks and ac leaks but requires the ac to be dehydrated then filled with leak uv liquid then charges if you have the dye in the refrigerate then use it and this kit light. These are the perfect tool for finding small, sporadic leaks in cars, truck and other automotive ac and fluid systems.

• Uv dyes easily pinpoint hard-to-find leaks in minutes
• Pinpoint micro leaks with high accuracy
• Compatible with r-134a, r-1234yf, or other widely used refrigerants

Best value For money: Lichamp UV detection dye

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The lichamp uv detection dye is capable of outshining several other dye featured in this list in overall features for the price point. If you need a portable UV flashlight for checking just about anything that will react to UV light, this flashlight will do the job. It's light, powerful, and effective at lighting up whatever you are trying to detect that's luminous. The supplied contrast glasses are the right tint and 50+ LEDs in the head put out an adequate amount of light to make indicator dyes fluoresce. The switch is a simple button at the tail of the light and there is a lanyard supplied but it is more for hanging the tool than putting around a wrist.

This UV detector works very well when you come across UV reactive material. The light itself is fairly large and heavy. It can use this V blacklight flashlight also covers a larger area without weakening the light. It is VERY bright and you will definitely need to wear the safety glasses or you will feel the eyestrain quickly.

• Handy flashlight style design with a large amount of leds
• Makes it way easier to see uv leak-detection dye in the daytime
• Multiple uses for this light and glasses
• Decent uv light for leak detection