Pressure tester

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by Doall, Sep 12, 2017.

  1. Doall

    Doall Active Member

    what do people recommend to pressure test water pipe work (mixture between 22mm plastic and 15mm plastic and copper). Just upgrading a 4 bed house which I'm in the process of converting the original pipe work up to 22mm as it's been turned into a 7 bed hmo
    Regards david
    Ps be best to by or just hire?
     
  2. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Cheap enough to buy,& you can work at your own pace, no need to rush to return hired eqpiupment, can always put it on Ebay after you have finished.
     
  3. Doall

    Doall Active Member

    Any recommendations kiab plz
    Regards david
     
  4. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    Doall likes this.
  5. Doall

    Doall Active Member

  6. andy48

    andy48 Screwfix Select

    The dry pressure test kit is designed to be used with compressed air. Two points:

    1. It can take a lot of foot pumping to pressurise a large system.

    2. Compressed air testing is dangerous. Because air is compressible, you can store an enormous amount of potential energy in a pipe-work / radiator system. If something blows, for example a push fit stop end, that pressure is instantly released and will propel the stop end like a bullet from a gun. Same for bursts.

    Compressed air testing has its place in my opinion. Useful to test for leaks and fix without having to drain. I'd never go over 0.5 bar on air, and there must be no else in the property unless they are aware of, and can cope with, the dangers.

    The best testing is hydraulic (water). Rothenberger RP50 is a good pump. Fill system, attach and pressurise.

    There are rules / guidelines for testing length and pressure. Copper is 1.5 times normal working pressure for an hour (if I remember rightly). Plastic is pressurise to 1.5 time normal working, allow 30 minutes to stabilise, return to pressure and then it should hold it for (I think) 2 hours. However, some plastic piping system require a brief pressurisation to much higher pressures (10 bar?) to seat the grab rings.

    Make sure you isolate any parts of the system (e.g. boiler) which can't take the testing pressures.
     

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