Pressure testing copper pipes

[PlumbSolve]

I find it amazing how different your systems and products are to my country ,S Africa.
I find myself not recognizing or even understanding your systems for example your waste connections and layouts etc. Your inspectors also seem quite strict.I was hoping to ask a question on pressure testing water pipes using a rothenberger test pump. What pressure do you guys test your lines to and how long must it hold the pressure to?
I have bought a second hand pump and would like to try it out.

 

[Erico]

I've tested copper supply lines using an air compressor set at 35 pounds if I remember correctly. I think we left it for 24 hours. Being the paranoid type I probably tested more than once.

I bought a gage and air fitting to hook to compressor hose.

It sure is nice to air test instead of water test. Especially if you can't drain the pipes in the event of a leak.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[PlumbSolve]

I've tested copper supply lines using an air compressor set at 35 pounds if I remember correctly. I think we left it for 24 hours. Being the paranoid type I probably tested more than once.

I bought a gage and air fitting to hook to compressor hose.

It sure is nice to air test instead of water test. Especially if you can't drain the pipes in the event of a leak.

I dont have a air compressor. Does water not give a better result.? I would think an compressor couldnt give enough pressure?

 

[Terry]

I'm not a big fan of air pressure testing unless it's in the Winter. Air compresses differently than water and has more force behind it. You can't run the same pressure with an air test that you can with water safely.

Can you post pictures of some of the work and fixtures there in South Africa? That would be very intersting for us to see.
I know when I travel, it's very different for me too. Part of the reason I like doing the site is that the information gets shared around the world.
Once time when I was in Belize, married at the time, my wife suggested to the owener of the hotel that I could come back and replumb it for room and board. I was like, What!!?? No way!! The plumbing there was a mess. and I still would have a house payment to make at home. The math didn't work at all.

 

[Erico]

I'm not a big fan of air pressure testing unless it's in the Winter. Air compresses differently than water and has more force behind it. You can't run the same pressure with an air test that you can with water safely.

Can you post pictures of some of the work and fixtures there in South Africa? That would be very intersting for us to see.
I know when I travel, it's very different for me too. Part of the reason I like doing the site is that the information gets shared around the world.
Once time when I was in Belize, married at the time, my wife suggested to the owener of the hotel that I could come back and replumb it for room and board. I was like, What!!?? No way!! The plumbing there was a mess. and I still would have a house payment to make at home. The math didn't work at all.

Yeah, the time I did it we had 3/4 inch pipes in the floor in a tight spot with nowhere to drain (above finished neighbor's ceiling) if we had a leak. I then used the same set up to test by pressure loop in my tub.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

I air test copper. Our static water pressure is commonly 40-60 psi, and the regulator on my compressor is set to 100psi. We do PVC DVW too, but only at 5 psi. I have had a test ball blow out of the roof stack, and 5 psi is much more impressive than it sounds when your test ball is airborne.

 

[PlumbSolve]

I find it amazing how different your systems and products are to my country ,S Africa.
I find myself not recognizing or even understanding your systems for example your waste connections and layouts etc. Your inspectors also seem quite strict.I was hoping to ask a question on pressure testing water pipes using a rothenberger test pump. What pressure do you guys test your lines to and how long must it hold the pressure to?
I have bought a second hand pump and would like to try it out.

 

[PlumbSolve]

Most of our plumbing is done in copper but theft is a problem. We use a pex pipe that uses compresion fitting and is compatible to copper in size but needs inserts.
Wastes are not allowed to be connected to batches so a basin and shower have to run separately to a gully or stack.We never pressure test our wastes Only municapal sewers are tested and they are strict.Almost all our houses are brick and concrete so most wastes are cast in the floor.
Our geysers are mostly electric powered .We dont use bladders on our expansion systems and you guys seem to have some kind of basement in your homes.
our taps and mixers are mainly washer based or simple lever type ceramic mixers. None of our toilets have a connection under the base of the toilet. They all go through the wall or use a bend outside the toilet if they go through the wall.
You guys have funny names for things. Commode,psi,faucet, boiler,

 

[Terry]

You mean like these?

South Africa Plumbing

South Africa

 

[PlumbSolve]

that's pretty much standard. I was reading another post about vacuum breakers on a garden tap. Is this standard practice in all of the states in USA?

 

[Cwhyu2]

that's pretty much standard. I was reading another post about vacuum breakers on a garden tap. Is this standard practice in all of the states in USA?

Yes it is.

 

[DougB]

For testing refrigeration systems, we use nitrogen. You could do it for plumbing, just set the regulator at 60 psi.

 

[Gary Swart]

I have never tested a copper joint before using, so this is just an opinion. A domestic water line should never have extremely high water pressure, so the air test would not require high pressure either, probably 100 psi would be more than enough. Connect an air compressor with a gauge to the system. Pump in air to the test pressure, and let it stand for a period of time. If the pressure holds, you're good. It does not hold, then you check each joint with dish washing soap...just like you would check natural gas connections.