code says a loss of less than 5lbs over 48 hours passes.
plumber installed copper lines. new construction. I would think no loss would be the case. shouldn't pressure hold constant, say after the first 24 hours and have no loss what so ever?I am taking in outside temp, etc, for fluctuation changes but the pressure should be more than 5lbs even after a 5 day?.
If it's losing pressure, where's it going? That indicates a leak, is that leak acceptable?
Personally, I wouldn't want a leak in my water lines.
I'll jump into this only because we've designed a couple of testing systems for manufacturers of water or water/glycol coils and I know a little about it.
I AM NOT a plumber, so their advice may take precedence.
First off, air is a poor choice for testing a water system. Water systems act on the premise of hydraulic pressure, while air acts on pneumatic pressure.
The two are distinctly different animals, and the systems designed to carry them are, too.
Water is much denser than air, so it takes less pressure to achieve the equal mass. Domestic water piping systems, unless specifically designed for the purpose, don't see near the pressure a pneumatic system would.
Thus, if you pressure tested with anything above about 5 psi, a whole bunch of valves, regulators, and joints might be damaged. Hydraulic (water) testing is the common and most acceptable method for your application.
Jake
At what pressure 150# or 300# and I will assumed we are talking air pressure
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