Sniffing leak detector with switching valve and buffer chamber

A sniffing leak detector comprising:

• a handheld device with a sniffer tip probe comprising a sample gas inlet;
• a reference gas inlet;
• a gas analyzer;
• and
• a switching valve adapted to alternatingly connect the sample gas inlet to the gas analyzer and the reference gas inlet to the gas analyzer in a gas conducting manner, such that either a gas drawn through the sample gas inlet or a gas drawn through the reference gas inlet is analyzed by the gas analyzer,
• wherein the reference gas inlet is not arranged on the sniffer tip probe and thereby is located a remote distance from the sample gas inlet,
• wherein the sniffing leak detector comprises a reference gas conduit, which connects the reference gas inlet and the switching valve, and comprises a buffer chamber defining a buffer volume, which permits homogeneous mixing of the gas drawn into the buffer chamber through the reference gas inlet with a remaining gas in the buffer chamber, and
• wherein the buffer chamber comprises a buffer chamber inlet connected to the reference gas inlet and a buffer chamber outlet connected to the switching valve, wherein the buffer chamber outlet is off-set to the buffer chamber inlet with regard to a main gas flow direction through the buffer chamber inlet.