Dry Testing - Worth It Or Not?

[hamd01]

I'm in the process of laying pipework from a new heating system.....prior to the plumber coming to install the boiler.

I was thinking about capping the ends off once Im finished, and buying a pressure tester. The tester will probably be ebayed after this, as Im only likely to use it once...so I was thinking one of the 0-4bar testers you can buy on the likes of Amazon.

Id guess most plumbers would test with water when comissioning, but Im curious on what the thoughts are of anyone whos used a dry based pressure tester, and if they are a worthwhile bit of kit prior to filling with water?

Cheers

 

[cross thread]

If confident in your work test with water and save your money

 

[hamd01]

If confident in your work test with water and save your money

I suppose what Im trying to avoid is wasting the plumbers time....he is a friend doing it for me, so I dont really want him hanging around if he fits the boiler and then we find leaks.

Is there any reliable method to fill the pipes and rads with water, as a comparable pressure to a boiler?

 

[cross thread]

Connect the mains with a hose or spare pipe,cap off open ends and join flow/ return together or test separate

 

[hamd01]

Connect the mains with a hose or spare pipe,cap off open ends and join flow/ return together or test separate

Great thanks.....this maybe a daft question, but how do you connect to hose to the flow/returns? Id have thought any sort of temporary connection is going to fail way before the copper joints show signs of leaks?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Great thanks.....this maybe a daft question, but how do you connect to hose to the flow/returns? Id have thought any sort of temporary connection is going to fail way before the copper joints show signs of leaks?

A warmed up garden hose pipe will fit on a 15mm copper bare copper pipe, clamped tight with a jubilee clip. Turn off the flow and return, at the boiler.

 

[hamd01]

A warmed up garden hose pipe will fit on a 15mm copper bare copper pipe, clamped tight with a jubilee clip. Turn off the flow and return, at the boiler.

Thank you, ill do that. There is no boiler in place yet.

 

[bernardgreen]

Testing with air has the hazard of the energy stored in the compressed air being explosively released. An un-soldered end cap can be a dangerous projectile.
Water cannot be compressed so cannot have the same explosive effect.

 

[hamd01]

Testing with air has the hazard of the energy stored in the compressed air being explosively released. An un-soldered end cap can be a dangerous project.
Water cannot be compressed so cannot have the same explosive effect.

Yeah ive read a few people mention that. Dont really fancy being in the same room as half a dozen potentially leathal projectiles that could launch at any moment. Dont really want a window smashing, or my head getting a hole in it. Sounds like water is the way to go.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Testing with air has the hazard of the energy stored in the compressed air being explosively released. An un-soldered end cap can be a dangerous project.
Water cannot be compressed so cannot have the same explosive effect.

It can still happen too, if water is used, but without bleeding the air out, ahead of the water..!

The good points of using air, is that the pressure can be much less than water, yet it still enables leaks to be found, without the mess.

Thank you, ill do that. There is no boiler in place yet.

You will need to fit temporary valves, or blanks to the 22mm pipe ends.

 

[hamd01]

It can still happen too, if water is used, but without bleeding the air out, ahead of the water..!

The good points of using air, is that the pressure can be much less than water, yet it still enables leaks to be found, without the mess.



You will need to fit temporary valves, or blanks to the 22mm pipe ends.

thanks. Ive got my rad valves so ill put those on.

how would you evict the air out the pipes....I assume just open the valves and then close them once water comes out?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

thanks. Ive got my rad valves so ill put those on.

how would you evict the air out the pipes....I assume just open the valves and then close them once water comes out?

Unless you have the rads installed, and can use their bleed valves, then yes..

Might be easier, with two - one filling slowly, one bleeding.

 

[hamd01]

Unless you have the rads installed, and can use their bleed valves, then yes..

Might be easier, with two - one filling slowly, one bleeding.

gotcha....thank you.

 

[kidgreen61]

Don't worry about air, if you have a leak, the air will rush out, closely followed by water.

So a friend told me

 

[dilalio]

Depends if your mains water can get to 3bar.
Usually we fill with water and then use a hydrostatic pressure testing pump.
If you have any pushfit on the system, this needs to be tested to 5x the working Pressure to get the grab rings to "bite" into the pipe.

Rothenberger 60250 TP25 Hydrostatic Pressure Testing Pump, 25bar, 7L, R1/2

BSPT connection and testing can be monitored on the in-built gauge The pressure build-up can be precisely readjusted with the double valve system Weather-resistant and cold-resistant DURAMANT coating ensures an extremely long service life is guaranteed

www.tester.co.uk