ncor

pressure testing pex with a psi gauge and a shraider valve befor putting heating loops in service.
what are guys using to pressure test copper supply lines?

Ron The Plumber

Just a PSI Guage with air, or we just turn on the water.

Double-A

For new, we test to 120 PSI or higher with 3" pressure gauge and nitrogen or compressed air, depending on if we have electricity to run the compressor or not.

When we add to an existing system, we just turn on the water.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

ncor

pulled basement concrete to run heating coils home owner had us run cu parallel to existing galv. supply lines while slab cures. with pex its a simple crimp and gauage is at beginning of loop valve at end. I'm gessing a sweating type gauge and valve are available for cu but not sure. What exactly am I asking for at the supply house.
thanks neil

Ron The Plumber

Are you just wanting to test for leaks. All test gauages screw on, which will require a male thread.

ncor

thanks ron my pex gauage is barbed one end oil gauge on the other.

1/2'swt-f npt have one at the lav should do the trick.
a little pipe dope on the threads screw the gauge in. have yet to see a sweated fitting that allows the introduction of air into a system.
Some thing tells me I'm missing a crucial element here.

In pex the fitting is barbed slides into the tube simple crimp and its in place other end has a shraider valve. hook up the compressor a little filtered air gauge at the other end of the line gives you the reading.

747

I'm confused. On this old house. Rich T. pressures the system and lives it like that overnight. Then checks it in the moring. If pressure is the same its good to go.

ncor

inslab pex al pex is basicly a big loop no branches no tees.
a loop startes at the manifold and ends right back where it starts.

residential plumbing on the other hand has a riser from the munisapality entrance at the house and travles to every bathroom kitchen hose bib h2o heater ect.ect. all over the crazy place.

with inslab radient uncoil ,bend, place, and set concrete. pressurize to determine tubeing was'nt damaged during pour. bad form to find out a month later when you get your water bill the pex was compromised.

Ron The Plumber

You won't, at least I never seen any.

ncor

didnt think so Ron. what do I look for to introduce air into the system. short of modifing my barbed fittings with pex pig tails and compression npt ends might as well purchase a dedicated tool.

Ron The Plumber

For per use a pex x mip adaptor.
For copper use a sweat on a copper male adaptor.

Then attach the gauge.

Double-A

Be sure to cross the hot and cold at some point. Some do this by installing the tub valve and turning on the hot and cold, some do this by crossing at the water heater risers.

This way, you test both systems at the same time.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

a1plumbingyakim

i used to cross lav supplies or water heater stub outs....then...i used a washer machine hose at the washer box, and sheetrockers bought me a 6 pack. not really but they should.