Pressure testing your plumbing work

[RaceDiagnostics]

Is this something that is a standard on new installations.

I've just put in the hot and cold pipes into my new shower/wetroom/bathroom, if it ever leaks it will be a massive and costly pita.

So am thinking about buying a pressure tester or getting in a plumber to test.

Any thoughts?

 

[Ross365]

I have one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184135489106?hash=item2adf549652:g:Q9wAAOSwKCheJJlt.
Very good for getting stuck pistons out of brake calipers!

 

[Agroshield]

The one above requires the system to be full of liquid, which if it does have a leak...

This one is good:

Monument Tools Dry Pressure Test Kit 4bar - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Suitable for water, air, gas and petroleum oil pipes up to 60psi and for testing combi systems. Can be left on test while flooring is laid to reveal any nail damage. Tests hot and cold supplies separately to ensure pipes are not crossed. Dry tests pipework during...

www.screwfix.com

Top tip, make sure the bleed valves in all the radiators are closed or you will be pushing on the bike pump for a considerable time.

Top tip 2, do not rely on any valve to provide a complete seal - use a cap.

 

[Barlidge]

I've done dry testing using this one:

Monument Tools Dry Pressure Test Kit 4bar - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Suitable for water, air, gas and petroleum oil pipes up to 60psi and for testing combi systems. Can be left on test while flooring is laid to reveal any nail damage. Tests hot and cold supplies separately to ensure pipes are not crossed. Dry tests pipework during...

www.screwfix.com

But for full belt and braces I would wet test like Ross has linked to above.

One thing to note regarding the dry test, I think you need to be careful with the pressure as if end caps etc come off they can become a projectile.

Edit: Agroshield beat me to it

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Too late for a dry test, it's currently under mains water pressure.

Just bought the tester from the eBay listing, better to be safe than sorry. Was a bit hesitant as they are £200 from Screwfix, £20 is a no brainer.

 

[Agroshield]

But for full belt and braces I would wet test like Ross has linked to above.

You just have to go easy with the wet tester. The full range of the gauge is 25-30 bar rather than the 4 bar of the air one, so it is less sensitive. If you are blowing up a full central heating system with a bike pump, you have to do a lot of strokes to raise the pressure a little (because air is a compressible medium). On the wet tester, half a stroke of the handle can increase the pressure a lot (because the water is not compressible).

As it says in the blurb for the air one, you can leave it on while closing up in front of the pipes, so you know when you drive a screw through the pipe.

 

[Ross365]

You just have to go easy with the wet tester. The full range of the gauge is 25-30 bar rather than the 4 bar of the air one, so it is less sensitive. If you are blowing up a full central heating system with a bike pump, you have to do a lot of strokes to raise the pressure a little (because air is a compressible medium). On the wet tester, half a stroke of the handle can increase the pressure a lot (because the water is not compressible).

As it says in the blurb for the air one, you can leave it on while closing up in front of the pipes, so you know when you drive a screw through the pipe.

Yes, those comments are all correct; you do get a tiny bit of give because there's the flexible hose, and replacing the standard one with a longer hose of lower rating would offer even more give. However...the higher pressure one will do calipers which are so stuck that an 8 bar air line won't budge them .

 

[JMS1972]

Is this something that is a standard on new installations.

I've just put in the hot and cold pipes into my new shower/wetroom/bathroom, if it ever leaks it will be a massive and costly pita.

So am thinking about buying a pressure tester or getting in a plumber to test.

Any thoughts?

I've got one of these I use to pressure test stuff. Never used it for plumbing but should do the trick.

Water Pipe Line Leakage Tester Hydraulic Pressure Test Pump Heating System 5 L 3172521096880 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Water Pipe Line Leakage Tester Hydraulic Pressure Test Pump Heating System 5 L at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[brightspark]

costs nothing to test if u have a compressor a paintbrush and some fairy liquid

 

[Ross365]

I guess that you could cobble up 12V tyre inflator?

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

The tester should be here on Saturday, so what pressure should I test it at?

 

[voipio]

Pumping up to the working pressure of the system should be sufficient to tell if there's a leak, unless the need is to stress test, but then the pressure relief valves will probably start to give.

 

[brightspark]

google it

 

[Ross365]

The tester should be here on Saturday, so what pressure should I test it at?

You cannot set a "pressure"; each stroke of the handle will raise it more until you stop pumping; start off gently. It has a release valve, and you might start by leaving that slightly open and watch how the gauge responds to each pump stroke

Have you got some piece of plumbing or heating hardware lying around which you could use as a practice piece? Think you'll very quickly get the feel of it.

 

[angellonewolf]

if i installl a bathroom i cap off any ends with isolater valves turn on the water open the vales one at a time to remove any air (thisalso removes flux or bits that got in the pipes) turn them off and leave over a day while im doing something else as you normaly got the pipe work fitted before you fit the bath or sink putting the toilet in place

 

[Mikes]

Before you pressure test it, put some restraints on those pipes. The biggest cause of sudden failure will be a fitting joint giving way. That looks to be push fit plastic and the weight of the unsupported pipes full of water will put strain on the joints / fittings. Leaving the pipe under test whilst you nail up the plasterboard will show any accidental damage that may occur. For pressure testing typically use 1.5 times the normal working pressure of the system.

 

[grim_d]

If you have it under mains pressure with air removed and it's not leaking then what more testing is required?

Unless they are installed incorrectly it's highly unlikely those speedfit fittings will leak.

It would be the threaded connectors on the BIV I'd be most concerned about, they are so sloppy sometimes you need a million wraps of PTFE...or use the gas type.

 

[julianf]

If you have it under mains pressure with air removed and it's not leaking then what more testing is required?

Unless they are installed incorrectly it's highly unlikely those speedfit fittings will leak.

It would be the threaded connectors on the BIV I'd be most concerned about, they are so sloppy sometimes you need a million wraps of PTFE...or use the gas type.

I suspect it may be that there may be a small leak that is hard to see? It has to be confirmed by holding a set pressure, rather than just hoping?

Maybe, maybe not, but that would make sense to me!

 

[julianf]

I have one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184135489106?hash=item2adf549652:g:Q9wAAOSwKCheJJlt.
Very good for getting stuck pistons out of brake calipers!

Am i right in thinking that could be used to load fluids (antifreeze) into a partially pressurised system?

Im thinking a solar thermal panel install. People always seem to have trouble loading up the antifreeze.

 

[JimmyS]

what's the pressure the cylinder is operating at - presuming you have balanced hot and cold water pressures then 1.5 x that would be good enough so guessing 4.5bar with anything that you could damage taken out of circuit. If its Hep or anything plastic you might see the pressure drop back slightly as the pipe gives. You are supposed to pump it back up to pressure and may need to repeat a couple of times until pressure stabilises.