May be visible on an IR camera, if you can borrow one?
Copper pipe - testing
- Thread starter SirLancelot
- Start date
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I am curious - why the discussion of integrity testing doesn't come up more often.
Many houses have piping that is decades old. Even for newer installs, I often get the impression that part of commissioning/finishing a piping job - involves professional pressure testing.
What are UK regs/guidance on pressure testing internal copper piping. Is there any UK guidance?
I seem to remember something about a club with lost of info on it - UKcopperCLUB. But I am unsure what has happened to it?
Many houses have piping that is decades old. Even for newer installs, I often get the impression that part of commissioning/finishing a piping job - involves professional pressure testing.
What are UK regs/guidance on pressure testing internal copper piping. Is there any UK guidance?
I seem to remember something about a club with lost of info on it - UKcopperCLUB. But I am unsure what has happened to it?
It is quoted in the regs and is a standard/best practice to hydraulic pressure test any new installation - with copper the baseline it is pressurise to 1.5 time the working pressure, over first 30 minutes, then lock off and hold that pressure for a further 90mins.
Plastic it is different and usually refer to the manufacturers guidelines but it normally is pressurised to at least 1.5 times the design pressure with further stress and bedding in testing.
(HEP is 1.5 x working for initial leak test then with a min of 10Bar x 45min to seat the fittings and stress test)
(JG is 2bar x 10mins for initial leak then 10bar x 10mins to seat the fittings and stress test)
Plastic is tested under tightly controlled conditions for obvious reasons - a stop end letting go @ 10bar can be a pretty effective missile. Seen one go through a board wall once, joiner wasn't very happy
Old existing systems is a different kettle of fish and that would come down to experience I would say. If I am converting gravity to mains I always mains pressure pressure test, lock it off and leave it overnight.
Plastic it is different and usually refer to the manufacturers guidelines but it normally is pressurised to at least 1.5 times the design pressure with further stress and bedding in testing.
(HEP is 1.5 x working for initial leak test then with a min of 10Bar x 45min to seat the fittings and stress test)
(JG is 2bar x 10mins for initial leak then 10bar x 10mins to seat the fittings and stress test)
Plastic is tested under tightly controlled conditions for obvious reasons - a stop end letting go @ 10bar can be a pretty effective missile. Seen one go through a board wall once, joiner wasn't very happy
Old existing systems is a different kettle of fish and that would come down to experience I would say. If I am converting gravity to mains I always mains pressure pressure test, lock it off and leave it overnight.
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Okay - so let me summarise.
For Mains (ONLY):
Isolate all taps below any flexi's.
Isolate toilets.
Make sure shower (mixer) is off.
Put meter on washing machine fitting. Open valve.
Isolate incoming mains.
Watch pressure for a few hours to see if there's any dramatic change?
Please add detail that I may have missed. This is an exploratory thread -and I suspect it will be of great help to many fellow members in the future.
For Mains (ONLY):
Isolate all taps below any flexi's.
Isolate toilets.
Make sure shower (mixer) is off.
Put meter on washing machine fitting. Open valve.
Isolate incoming mains.
Watch pressure for a few hours to see if there's any dramatic change?
Please add detail that I may have missed. This is an exploratory thread -and I suspect it will be of great help to many fellow members in the future.
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