Low Flow/Pressure

[jase158]

24 lam at the mains is poor to start with and if only 18 at the softner then that would indicate to me that the problem is outside. Not inside.

Provided water board are telling truth and not covering their own backsides.

 

[jase158]

Also I'd disconnect the non return valve that should be near the mains and try it without it.

No NRV, no drain valve, pretty sure the pipe wasn't flushed and probably left in trench for few weeks whilst other work was done with nothing on the ends of pipes.

pretty sure it is mains inlet but only one way to find out, problem is the main is in centre of house, all newly tiled floors.

 

[Toxic Ted]

If you are going to run a temp pipe to an outlet further on, then use it to "blow back" into a large tub to flush back anything that could possibly be in there and do the same with the MDPE with the stopcock removed and being controlled from the street in short bursts.

 

[Matt06]

i would check this if there a water meter fitted ? turn all off in the house (stopcock) and see if meter still spins (possible leak outside if does )

2bar is low for standing pressure

I had similar problem a few months ago but was a shared main someone bodged a section with little bits of copper and some pushfit crap

 

[hshah]

Affinity Water had cut the main before the meter to test the flow and pressure there... they recorded 24l/min and 2 bar.

We are seeing 2 bar after the stopcock and water softener, so all that is being lost is the flow (from 24l/min to 18l/min).

 

[SimonG]

Whats the dynamic pressure. 2 bar is poor standing pressure imho.

 

[hshah]

Whats the dynamic pressure. 2 bar is poor standing pressure imho.

That I do not know, nor know how to check, sorry.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

to check dynamic pressure you put a pressure gauge on first outlet i.e. outside tap with it on, then turn on another outlet i.e. kitchen tap. this give you an idea of dynamic pressure.

 

[wetdrip]

Thought about viewing the thread, but with 105 replies I decided against it.

 

[Matt06]

previous post it says 2 bar static 1.5bar dynamic

You could ask to check a few of the neighbours properties see what they get

if they are similar then you'll probably have to go the route someone else said ( Break tank, pump etc )

 

[hshah]

Right, so what do people recommend to be the next steps?

Jase is suggesting we go with:

step 1, disconnect mains and connect new mains to outside, do dynamic pressures and flow rate with open outlet
step 2, reconnect mains with new pipe from meter (if accessible) to house
step 3, do dynamic pressures on mains with system connected
step 4, check every single outlet (that is accessible) for dynamic pressure, flow before and after taps.

The water meter and outside stopcock is accessible if you have the long turning pole thing (no sure what it is called) so I'm thinking we turn that off and check the flow and pressure just before the house stopcock too. Then do the steps above followed by flushing the system with the temporary pipe, like someone mentioned earlier in this thread.

Make sense? Anything else we should do or haven't considered?

 

[anthonytinkler]

Hi Mate
just been reading through the threads some good advise there
however with a large house and with such a big loss in pressure i would start by
confirming that you have good water pressure at the meter on both sides, if so
1) take pressure reading before stopcock
2)take pressure reading after stopcock ( are there the same ? )
3) check all out lets on ground floor only, and check standing pressures ( is their a difference ? )
4) move on to next floor and repeat stages 1 -3 and so on
keep in mind all taps are closed and you are checking pipe work and standing pressure
my idea been is you will be able to check for lost pressure, once you have found lost pressure you will be able to isolate that area put a temp line in and then check standing pressures again
if you are happy with standing pressure move on to checking working pressures
this time remove excising tap and put a temporary tap in its place and check water flow do this one at a time and check flow rare
I know this is time consuming put it will be a question of eliminating blocked or restricted pipe work and will give you some idea of where the problem is
hope this helps
thanks Tony

 

[Sparkgap]

Hi Mate
just been reading through the threads some good advise there
however with a large house and with such a big loss in pressure i would start by
confirming that you have good water pressure at the meter on both sides, if so
1) take pressure reading before stopcock
2)take pressure reading after stopcock ( are there the same ? )
3) check all out lets on ground floor only, and check standing pressures ( is their a difference ? )
4) move on to next floor and repeat stages 1 -3 and so on
keep in mind all taps are closed and you are checking pipe work and standing pressure
my idea been is you will be able to check for lost pressure, once you have found lost pressure you will be able to isolate that area put a temp line in and then check standing pressures again
if you are happy with standing pressure move on to checking working pressures
this time remove excising tap and put a temporary tap in its place and check water flow do this one at a time and check flow rare
I know this is time consuming put it will be a question of eliminating blocked or restricted pipe work and will give you some idea of where the problem is
hope this helps
thanks Tony

Sorry Tony, standing pressure would be the same throughout the whole system under no-flow conditions! To check for excessive drop you'd need to turn on a couple of taps and leave them running while you checked pressures before and after meter and at incoming stopcock in the house. That would show up if there was a possible blockage in the incoming main or a dodgy meter.

One thing: 25mm PE is about 20mm internal. For 6 beds etc. I'd have been happier with something much larger.
I suppose you could try temp connecting some 32mm from the meter into the house and see if that improves the flow but checking the pressures should give an indication anyway.

 

[Ermintrude]

Well....... Initial awesome flow for 20 seconds then dwindled to a trickle. Removed internal stop tap and it was full of .....

Thank the Lord for the check valve above stop tap.

Newbuild 25mm mdpe laid in pipe bedding!!!

 

[Chalked]

Well....... Initial awesome flow for 20 seconds then dwindled to a trickle. Removed internal stop tap and it was full of .....

Thank the Lord for the check valve above stop tap.

Newbuild 25mm mdpe laid in pipe bedding!!!

Is that from this property?

 

[hshah]

Is that from this property?

It isn't lol!

 

[Ermintrude]

From my last job today.

 

[wetdrip]

Looks Vegan to me.

 

[Ermintrude]

Not really. It's crushed lime stone....... Line stone is sedimentary and contains dead animals. [emoji16]

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

I had one yest, no flow at kitchen tap! Unscrewed the airator and loads of metal Chipping's came out so flushed it and good as new!