Gas Line - Can't Find The Leak

jman116

'What are the tricks to finding gas leaks in a pressurized line on new construction? We are using air right now we just can't find it....Let's hear all the tricks you folks have in finding leaks.

tzzzz216

Get a spray bottle with soap and water and spray all of the joints and make sure you leave your air test on it, you'll get a bubble at the leak or leaks , also your test gauage needle valve maybe leaking spray that as well.

mottyk

Try using a match near all fittings.

thom

could be a small hole in the body of a fitting. Took me two days to find one of those. It wasn't in the joint but the body of the fitting. I've heard of pin holes in pipe. Those are a real bitc* to find.

If you get really exasperated, take off the guage and pressure it up to 100#. You should be able to find it then, though you may blow out some of the joints.

westcoastplumb

I agree, I blow it up as much as possible, it will whistle...... Anew system should take 50-70 lbs no problem! Any plumbers in Alb New Mexico know Manuel Austin??????????

trptman

propane torch is faster and you dont have to keep relighting matches as they burn out and burn your fingers

rjordan392

Sometimes soap suds won't find a leak as happened to me one time. So on a hunch I guessed right and tighten up a union some more and that solved it. However there is a solution manufactured just for detecting gas leaks around pressurized fittings and pipe. Don't remember its name though.
If you want something more upscale, check out the combustible gas leak detectors in the Cole-Parmer catalog. I seen one for $175.00 in the 2005-2006 catalog. This instrument may also be a time saver in finding leaks fast.

Plumber

They are pretty good! But I'm not sure if it's a myth, But heard from a guy that said sometimes the pipe dope can set it off from the oder of it???? Anyone ever heard of this???

Michael

KillerToiletSpider

I have a detector, and it has never detected pipe dope as a leak that was not an actual leak. They are indispensible for finding leaks on small underground gas lines, for gas lights and such.

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A flush is better than a full house.

logdoc

Just for the record......the leak detectors WILL give a false positive on some types of pipe dope.....they even pick up the gasses from sweaty feet !!!!

MechanicalDVR

Try putting it near a can of regular Hercules pipe dope, most of them will go off.

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Grumpyplumber

Sorry, copy/pasted & Emailed to the mrs...next time she complains, I tell her "at least I don't set off detectors".

JohnJ0906

I've seen a pipe seam leak. The Gas fitter was going nuts trying to find it, and when he did, he showed me. (Wanted a witness, I guess). A whole stick of 1/2" had a leaky seam. At least it was cut into 3 long runs all adjacent.

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John from Baltimore
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All replies based on the 2008 NEC

KillerToiletSpider

Foreign made pipe, US made pipe is seamless.

You get what you pay for.

__________________
A flush is better than a full house.