Testing water pressure w/o hose bibb

Users who are viewing this thread

Mike Magee

New Member
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
San Francisco, CA
Hi Guys, I am an MEP engineer, and need to do a site visit tomorrow where I will need to test water pressure on multiple floors in a 12 story building. The goal being to determine how many of the low floors are fed by street pressure, and how many of the higher floors are served by the storage tanks on the roof.

The problem is, I do not expect hose bibbs in the restrooms, so my test locations are going to be either angle stops or aerators. And I won't be able to find out what size angle stops they have, or what brand of tamper proof aerators they have to know exactly what to bring in advance.

Any advise from folks who spend a bit more time in the field than I do on how best to make a connection? Has anyone ever tried to just put in a soft washer and hold it tight to the tap?

I am hesitant to break any connections at the angle stops since the building is 100 years old, I really don't want to be shaking around the piping, or breaking a connection that I can't put together.

Shutting off the building water for any period of time is not an option.

Thanks!
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
My comments are not based on experience.

For houses or apartments, I would think
Drain valve on water heater.
Laundry taps.

For commercial bathrooms, maybe close a stop valve, loosen the connector end, and connect to the stop valve. Does the sink in the cleaning closet have a thread on its spout?
 

WorthFlorida

Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
Messages
5,726
Solutions
1
Reaction score
982
Points
113
Location
Orlando, Florida
If this is a commercial building, not built as an apartment building, there should be a utility closet with mop or utility sink on every floor. But being 100 years old who knows. Utility sink faucets generally have a hose thread at the end of the spout and no aerators. Depending on type of faucets or age of the bathroom faucets, the aerator can come off and an aerator to hose adapters are sold. If they are newer with tamper proof aerators, a tool usually came with the faucet to remove the aerators. I do recall seeing in old building bathrooms with floor drains, there might be a hose bib on a wall that requires a key to open but if any they all could be corroded.

I did search and this came up and it may work for you. I agree, don't touch the angle stops.

https://www.acehardware.com/departm...imTDFMH9pzs6UpPh3vB9lfy0sd4reG-BoCBi0QAvD_BwE

015dd3d5-80e7-46d9-a6f5-fbff99305cc3
 

Mike Magee

New Member
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
San Francisco, CA
If this is a commercial building, not built as an apartment building, there should be a utility closet with mop or utility sink on every floor. But being 100 years old who knows. Utility sink faucets generally have a hose thread at the end of the spout and no aerators. Depending on type of faucets or age of the bathroom faucets, the aerator can come off and an aerator to hose adapters are sold. If they are newer with tamper proof aerators, a tool usually came with the faucet to remove the aerators. I do recall seeing in old building bathrooms with floor drains, there might be a hose bib on a wall that requires a key to open but if any they all could be corroded.

I did search and this came up and it may work for you. I agree, don't touch the angle stops.

https://www.acehardware.com/departm...imTDFMH9pzs6UpPh3vB9lfy0sd4reG-BoCBi0QAvD_BwE

015dd3d5-80e7-46d9-a6f5-fbff99305cc3
That adapter should be awesome hopefully my ACE has one in stock. Unfortunately the as builts do not show mop sinks (it is a commercial building)
 

WorthFlorida

Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
Messages
5,726
Solutions
1
Reaction score
982
Points
113
Location
Orlando, Florida
No doubt pressure is preferred but if you only need to determine the source of the water, would temperature readings help. Water from the city underground pipes should be different than the ambient temperature from the water tanks on the roof. At least it may allow you to start testing if you cannot find an adapter right away. DANCO also has the same adapter and as always there is online shopping,
https://www.amazon.com/Danco-10514-...adapter&qid=1557260027&s=instant-video&sr=8-2
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
That adapter should be awesome hopefully my ACE has one in stock.
If you have some old garden hoses with different IDs, maybe cut off some pieces that you could clamp onto different sized spouts.
 

Mike Magee

New Member
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
San Francisco, CA
Thanks for the input guys, the adapter worked great, some of the faucets were more stylized without protruding aerators, but the adapter also has an insert that allows it to be connected to a 1/4" compression male on the angle stops. I had to hold it in place, but it measured up to 70 PSI without much issue.

One suggestion in case someone comes across this thread in the future, is that the hose clamp that comes with the adapter is super cheap, and some of the "rungs" of the band broke off. In addition the hose will stretch to the point that the hose clamp is too small to fit, so anyone who goes down this route should have a couple extra hose clamps on hand, ideally in one size bigger (9/16"-1 1/4")
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks