Dry test kit for water pipes

[ironer]

B&Q have a Monument brand or make 'Dry test kit' (=A334.98). There are no visible instructions, but appears to be a 4bar pressure gauge, with a push fit(?) connection to 15mm tube(?) in the base plus a schrader valve in the side.

Has anyone used one? If so, a quick how-to-use run through would be appreciated + whether it does a good job + value for money.

Immediate queries on inspection were (1) what is the exact connection type in the base? (2) how do you pump up the pressure - is a tyre pump sufficient or do you need a 'proper' pump? (3) If a leak did show up, how easy is it to pin point the failed joint?

If it is OK, then are any alternatives worth a look?=20

TIA

[John Stumbles]

DIY!!

Pressure gauge from BES about £5, requires 1/4" BSPFemale-to-something adapter, plus various speedfit bits & bobs to connect to pipework and something to pump it up. I use a garden spray pump (which I've adapted to

15mm for putting inhibitor in CH systems but makes an OK air pump too) but a car tyre valve and car tyre inflator (stirrup pump or electric with suitable power supply) would enable you to test to higher pressures.

[Andrew Gabriel]

I bought one for much less than this. Can't recall where from, possibly screwfix, but it was some years ago.

Yes -- I pressure tested each section of my heating system before letting water anywhere near it.

Excellent.

There are different types. Mine is pushfit.

I used a plunger (detonator) type bicycle pump. It takes a lot of effort to pump up a couple of large radiators to 2 bar though. For pipework alone, it's no problem. Beware that you are storing large amounts of energy in the system, and if some part is going to fail, it could to so explosively. (I was temped to release a pushfit endcap from such a system -- it bounced off every wall, ceiling, and floor in the room at least twice before slowing down enough to be visible, and I was temporarily deafened by the noise. You wouldn't want this to happen to a brass pipe fitting which you hadn't tightened up enough;-)

Buy a can of gas leak detector spray, such as LD90. Spray this on the joints, and it will grow a large clump of cuckoo spit at any leak. The air, being much less viscous than water, will leak out much faster than water would. So you can be sure that if it's air-tight, it will certainly be water-tight.

[Lobster]

presumably?

I've never tried pumping up a system with air for testing, having been put off a bit by the risk of explosive failure due to the enormous amount of stored energy (in fact, as described by Andrew Gabriel earlier!)

My choice is coupled with a pushfit adaptor; total cost about 13 quid - does the same job as the first one except there's no Schraeder valve for introducing air, so it's a wet-only test.

David

[hzatph]

Has anyone used one? If so, a quick how-to-use run through would be appreciated + whether it does a good job + value for money.

Immediate queries on inspection were (1) what is the exact connection type in the base? (2) how do you pump up the pressure - is a tyre pump sufficient or do you need a 'proper' pump? (3) If a leak did show up, how easy is it to pin point the failed joint?

If it is OK, then are any alternatives worth a look?

TIA

I bought and used one on a couple of pipes - glad I did despite the cost. It just pushes onto a 15mm pipe and pump it with a car foot pump or similar. You don't need much pressure. Leave it for a while and see if the pressure is drifting downwards. If you have much of a leak you will not be able to pressurise it much anyway.

[Broadback]

I am not sure how efficient it would be. Some years ago I installed a central heating boiler in a different location to the original one. I filled with water, ran the pump and found no leaks. I then heated the water. Oh dear me, I had forgotten to solder (I know, I know) one of the joints, by the time it had heated enough to melt the flux it was a steam bath, luckily only in the utility room!