test pipe work

[Bodd]

Hello all

I need to test all the pipe work I have installed into a house. I want to use a dry pressure test kit . rothenberger do one. Used one years ago when I was Younger can't remember if I did it right or not. Any advice how go about it . If I hire one I doubt if it will come with instructions.

Bod

 

[bengasman]

Hire a hydraulic kit for a day and pressurise it up to 4 bar.

That's great advice considering that the standard test pressur is 10 bar.

 

[cantaloup63]

Oops - was quoting a pro from another site

 

[Bodd]

Ok I test it to ten bar. Anything else. ?
I read somewhere that it can be dangerous iv not carried out in the right way.

 

[bengasman]

I read somewhere that it can be dangerous iv not carried out in the right way.

Of course. If you somehow damage or weaken the pipework with incorrect testing, it can either break then or at a later point.

 

[Bodd]

I read somewhere that it can be dangerous iv not carried out in the right way.

Of course. If you somehow damage or weaken the pipework with incorrect testing, it can either break then or at a later point.[/quote



Then is it size to test at ten bar. Max should be 3 bar ? ]

 

[Norcon]

Oops - was quoting a pro from another site

He wasn't that far away if it was a central heating system with metal pipe and he was adhering to the UK's copper boards recommendations which state....

"1 1/2 times the maximum pressure to which the installation or relevant part is designed to be subjected too in operation. "

 

[LargeWrench]

Why would you test to 10bar?

Some fittings/valves have a maximum operating pressure of 10bar, so testing to 10 bar would be a bit foolish.

You only need to test to 1 1/2 times working pressure.

 

[bengasman]

No it's not foolish, that is a typical comment for people that don't have a clue what they are on about.

It is standard procedure to TEST for more than the OPERATING value in order to build in a safety margin.

Anyone with half a brain would not feel safe in a lift with 500kg capacity if the cables were only tested at 5000N.

 

[cantaloup63]

Sorry for creating this bit of kerfaffel Looking back on the source which I quoted on, there were several posts suggesting that an air pressure test (and most contributors pointed out the dangers of such a test) of 3 bar was the going rate. Does this sound about right?

Also, would you test all metal pipework to 10 bar, or less than this in the case of a domestic pressurised sealed CH system?

 

[Terrywookfit]

Pipe work should be Hydrostatically tested for safety reasons.

Especially at 10 bar.

 

[bengasman]

Also, would you test all metal pipework to 10 bar, or less than this in the case of a domestic pressurised sealed CH system?

Entire length of pipwork, plus valves, plus radiators gets tested with water, not air, at 10 bar.

 

[cantaloup63]

So that stuff from the UKCopperboard (which also seems to be citing water regs) of 1.5 working pressure is misleading, inasmuch as it states an example of a 3bar system having to be tested at 4.5 bar?

Useful to know. Thanks fellas

(PS - looking through my old C&G notes, we were told (and tested in online assessments) that pipework should be tested ad 6 bar or twice the working pressure, whichever is greater ). So it seems that there is some misinforming going on during training

 

[Terrywookfit]

6 Bar is reccommended pressure for underfloor heating circuits.
Twice working pressure should be fine for heating pipework.

 

[LargeWrench]

That's exactly what I said. You test at one and a half times the usual operating pressure.
Why would you test at 10 bar when a lot of fittings and valves can only operate at a maximum of 10 bar?

Why risk damaging something by testing to a pressure that is more than 5 times the normal operating pressure. Not only that, it is highly unlikely a system would ever get anywhere near 10 bar.

It's impossible on an unpressurised system and the prv would activate on pressurised systems once it got to 3 bar.