Pressure test

Eddy123 · 11 Jun 2015

Hi ,

I have fitted 7 rads with speedfit pipes for new central heating , plumbers coming in a few weeks so want to pressure test before he arrives

I have closed all valves to the Rads !?

Is it Ok to test straight of the water mains, any pitfalls ?

Thanks

Newboy · 11 Jun 2015

Depends on what mains pressure you have!

We would normally pressure test using air (via a compressor)

mogget · 11 Jun 2015

Like newboy says, proper way to do it is with air but as a diyer in my own house I have always checked with water. Whatever you do don't apply more than 3 bar to a radiator ( edit because I've been an eejit - when testing from the mains)

You did do the last bit above the floor in copper didn't you?

Edited again because I can't be bothered to get a proper computer.

SandyLyon · 11 Jun 2015

Read what it says in the installer guide.
I don't use Speedfit only Hep20 they say a low pressure test and one at 1.5 times working pressure.
I usually take it up to 10 bar, if there are any of the old style fittings on the system (O ring First Type) it needs to go up to 18 bar.

Edit. This is on a first fix with no rads, taps, cylinders ect connected

AlanE · 11 Jun 2015

SandyLyon said:
Read what it says in the installer guide.
I don't use Speedfit only Hep20 they say a low pressure test and one at 1.5 times working pressure.
I usually take it up to 10 bar, if there are any of the old style fittings on the system (O ring First Type) it needs to go up to 18 bar.

Edit. This is on a first fix with no rads, taps, cylinders ect connected

Hope you put all the Health & Safety measures in place if testing with air.

Low pressure would be bad enough if a fitting came loose, but at 10 or 18 bar the fitting would be projected with such force and cause more injury than a gun being fired!

SandyLyon · 11 Jun 2015

I always use a water filled system to pressure test with a Rothenberger RP50.

Personally I would never use compressed air to test a plastic system, I saw a young lad hit by a stopend that shot off like an exocet missile, on another day he could have lost his sight.

Plus if there is a small weep due to a scored pipe or dirt under the O ring, it's easier to find with water.

In the Hep2o installer guide they tell you that it should be conducted with water

Richardthe3rd · 11 Jun 2015

SandyLyon said:
I always use a water filled system to pressure test with a Rothenberger RP50.

Personally I would never use compressed air to test a plastic system, I saw a young lad hit by a stopend that shot off like an exocet missile, on another day he could have lost his sight.

Plus if there is a small weep due to a scored pipe or dirt under the O ring, it's easier to find with water.

In the Hep2o installer guide they tell you that it should be conducted with water

Same here Sandy, 16Bar hydronic test with water. On wee jobs & a clear site I Would use a foot pump & air for quickness, this is mostly done for 30 minutes while it's a tidy up, on a empty site at the end of the day.....👍

Eddy123 · 11 Jun 2015

mogget said:
Like newboy says, proper way to do it is with air but as a diyer in my own house I have always checked with water. Whatever you do don't apply more than 3 bar to a radiator ( edit because I've been an eejit - when testing from the mains)

You did do the last bit above the floor in copper didn't you?

Edited again because I can't be bothered to get a proper computer.

Copper tails yes apart from a couple that are dropped down from above in the wall which have plastic elbows .

Eddy123 · 12 Jun 2015

Have filled the system off the mains , only 2.5 bar of pressure though , leaving for an hour to see if it drops , already held up for 30 minutes so looking good .

thanks all

Richardthe3rd · 13 Jun 2015

Eddy123 said:
Have filled the system off the mains , only 2.5 bar of pressure though , leaving for an hour to see if it drops , already held up for 30 minutes so looking good .

thanks all

2.5 bar is pizz poor water pressure for Glasga............

SandyLyon · 13 Jun 2015

The test procedures that the various manufacturers reccomend aren't figures plucked out of the air but are the results of many years of experience and research.

The two main types of Pushfit fittings are :-

"O" ring first, this is where the pipe passes through the "O" ring first before it reaches the grip ring.

And

Grip ring first, the opposite of the above.

Examples of the "O" ring first are Polyplumb and the very first Hep2o fittings

Examples of Grip ring first include Hep2o, Speedfit, Polyfit

The "O" ring first fittings generally require a higher test pressure c. 18 bar

While the Grip first generally state 1.5 times the max working pressure.

I recently attended a factory visit where they tested some plastic pipe to destruction. The pipe failed at 78 bar the fitting at 84 bar and the force to pull the pipe from the fitting was 180 kg (28 stone in old money)

Eddy123 · 13 Jun 2015

Richardthe3rd said:
Eddy123 said:

Have filled the system off the mains , only 2.5 bar of pressure though , leaving for an hour to see if it drops , already held up for 30 minutes so looking good .

thanks all

Click to expand...

2.5 bar is pizz poor water pressure for Glasga............

End terrace house , the mains feeds 4 houses , mines is first in line and the guy who moved into the other end who is a plumber had to get a new feed straight from the main.

Mains was tested and had no leaks so stuck with the low pressure .

Tested flow and only getting 7 litres a minute from tap .

diynot

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Pressure test

Newboy

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