Air pressure testing equipment

[Jim Goodenough]

I'm looking for advice please for what equipment to use for air pressure testing of copper pipework (for cold & hot water services).

The client is asking for a test of min 7 bar for 24 hours.

Info on 'wet' water pressure testing also useful.

MTIA

 

[Riley]

Air pressure at 7 bar v dangerous, I’d go water every time

 

[king of pipes]

Would not be doing that with air Jim its very dangerous mate , always use water off the mains and then pressurise it up with a test pump to 7bar , i will sometimes do it to test a carcass but never ever to those sort of pressures. Cheers kop

 

[Jim Goodenough]

Cheers Riley & KOP,

What max pressure would you air test at?

 

[Jim Goodenough]

Got my answer...

As above can't go above 0.5 of a bar with air

MT Shaun

 

[Jim Goodenough]

By the way why is air testing dangerous? Excuse my ignorance

 

[Bibbs118]

By the way why is air testing dangerous? Excuse my ignorance

Yes, I'd like to know too, probably obvious but I can think why it would be dangerous .

By the way why is air testing dangerous? Excuse my ignorance

 

[king of pipes]

Fill a pipe up with 7 bar of air and the fitting comes off or the pipe fails you could have grit, gravel swarf , solder in the pipe it will be like being shot and the noise when it blows will damage your hearing ,could even blowup in your face use water above a 1bar is my advice . kop

 

[Bibbs118]

Fill a pipe up with 7 bar of air and the fitting comes off or the pipe fails you could have grit, gravel swarf , solder in the pipe it will be like being shot and the noise when it blows will damage your hearing ,could even blowup in your face use water above a 1bar is my advice . kop

But that would be the same as testing at 7 bar with water wouldn't it? Still dangerous

 

[Riley]

But I think what he’s saying is that with sir there’s no protection from debris in the pipes. Water will dampen it down. Plus water cannot be compressed

 

[Bibbs118]

But I think what he’s saying is that with sir there’s no protection from debris in the pipes. Water will dampen it down. Plus water cannot be compressed

Yes, good point about compression

 

[ShaunCorbs]

It's the volume with air stores a hell of a lot more energy than water

 

[dan_the_plumber]

Ive got to pressure test a large Carcass this week, I’ll air test up to 1bar for half hour, to make sure System is complete. Then test with water and a hand pump up to 6 bar (the pressure of the expansion valve PRV) for an hour

 

[Bibbs118]

Ive got to pressure test a large Carcass this week, I’ll air test up to 1bar for half hour, to make sure System is complete. Then test with water and a hand pump up to 6 bar (the pressure of the expansion valve PRV) for an hour

I just fix boilers so all a bit to technical for me.