Fixed leak detection: when is a leak detection system mandatory?
Above 500 tonnes CO₂ equivalent the F-gas Regulation requires a fixed leak detection system. What counts, how many kilograms that is, and how it halves your leak-check frequency.
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Most installers know the three leak-check thresholds by heart. Less well known is the fourth obligation that comes with the highest threshold: above 500 tonnes CO₂ equivalent a fixed leak detection system must be present. This article explains when that applies, how many kilograms that is per refrigerant, and what the system does for your inspection frequency.
The threshold: 500 tonnes CO₂ equivalent
The F-gas Regulation ties the weight of the obligations to the CO₂ equivalent of the installation — not to the number of kilograms of refrigerant itself. Three thresholds apply to the periodic leak check: from 5 tonnes annually, from 50 tonnes every six months, from 500 tonnes every three months. At that highest threshold one requirement is added: a fixed, automatic leak detection system that alerts the operator or the installation company as soon as a leak occurs.
How many kilograms is 500 tonnes?
Because the threshold is expressed in CO₂ equivalent, the tipping point differs per refrigerant. The GWP value does the arithmetic:
- R-32 (GWP 675): 500,000 ÷ 675 ≈ 740 kg
- R-410A (GWP 2,088): 500,000 ÷ 2,088 ≈ 240 kg
- R-404A (GWP 3,922): 500,000 ÷ 3,922 ≈ 128 kg
An industrial refrigeration or freezing installation running on R-404A is therefore already in the fixed-leak-detection regime at around 128 kg — whereas an R-32 system only reaches that limit at well over 740 kg. That is an immediate argument for looking at a lower-GWP refrigerant when replacing equipment: not only for the quota, but also to stay out of the heaviest compliance category.
What counts as a fixed leak detection system?
This means a permanently mounted, automatic system that detects refrigerant in the air and raises an alarm — for example a gas detection sensor in the plant room reporting to a central panel. A handheld sniffer detector the installer brings along does not count: that is a tool for the periodic inspection, not a fixed system. The fixed system must be checked for correct functioning at least every twelve months, and that check belongs in the installation logbook.
The benefit: halving the inspection frequency
A fixed leak detection system is not only an obligation above 500 tonnes — below that threshold it is a smart choice. With an approved system the mandatory leak-check frequency may be halved. An installation of 60 tonnes CO₂ equivalent that normally has to be checked every six months can go back to annually with a fixed leak detection system. For larger installations that saves real service visits per year.
How Koldwerk keeps track of this
Koldwerk calculates the CO₂ equivalent per installation from the refrigerant type and charge, so you immediately see which systems exceed the 500-tonne limit. Per installation you record whether a fixed leak detection system is present; the derived leak-check deadline takes that into account. That way you don't run the risk of having an installation checked too little — or unnecessarily often.
Further reading
- F-gas leak checks: how often are they mandatory? — the three thresholds with worked examples
- GWP values of refrigerants — table — for your own conversion
- Refrigerant balance: a practical guide — administration that adds up for the audit
Disclaimer: practical guidance based on Regulation (EU) 517/2014 and (EU) 2024/573. Threshold values and implementing requirements may change through implementing decisions — consult the official source or your Certification Body for the version in force. Not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
When is a fixed leak detection system mandatory?
From 500 tonnes CO₂ equivalent of F-gases in a single installation. That follows from the F-gas Regulation (EU 517/2014, continued under EU 2024/573). Below that threshold a fixed system is not mandatory, but it is permitted — and it halves your mandatory leak-check frequency.
How many kilograms of refrigerant is 500 tonnes CO₂ equivalent?
That depends on the refrigerant. For R-32 (GWP 675) it is roughly 740 kg, for R-410A (GWP 2,088) around 240 kg, and for R-404A (GWP 3,922) already at about 128 kg. The higher the GWP, the sooner you hit the threshold.
How often does the leak detection system itself have to be checked?
The fixed leak detection system must be checked for correct functioning at least once every twelve months. Like the leak check itself, that inspection belongs in the installation logbook.
Does a leak detection system replace the periodic leak check?
No. The periodic leak check by a certified installer remains mandatory. But with an approved fixed leak detection system the frequency of those checks may be halved.