Calibrating a leak detector easily and accurately

Until recently, helium leak detectors were somewhat difficult to use. One reason was that manual calibration was required. Coping with zero fluctuations, due to variations in the helium background, was another major difficulty. New auto-calibration and auto-zero circuits largely eliminate these problems. However, some risks associated with these features should be evaluated before they are used. For instance, auto-calibration does not necessarily ensure the quality of the calibrated leak. The reliability and accuracy of the calibration are only as good as the quality of the analyzer cell design, the leak detector itself, and the auto-calibration device.