compression fittings All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[rinkydinkydooodaa]

Hi Everyone
Before I fit my new bath I have had to reroute the hot & cold pipes. I have used a couple of compression fittings with end caps as bath is not ready to fit yet. I was wondering if there is some sort of test I can do or anything additional to make sure the joins are sound as I will be tiling over floor also.
Have a good weekend
Bill

[htg engineer]

You can buy a test tee and bellows from BES, then all you need is a
u gauge and you can perform a tighness test on the pipework.

Or

Turn on the hot and cold water, crack open the blanks, so that there's no air in the pipes, and leave for a day or so - no wet patches = no leaks. Then you can fit the floor, bath etc

[Skids]

Hi rinkydinkydooodaa

You should always pressure test a new/refit job, as you say once you have tiled it’s a b**** to find a leak. You should:

visual check all joints and fittings.

Ensure all open-ended pipes are sealed

Using a hydraulic pressure-test pump, fill the system and allow to stand for 30 minutes (water temp to stabilise)

Using the pump pressurise the system to 1 1/2 times the working pressure (I would always check pressure at the outside tap which is normally on the same feed as the kitchen cold tap, e.g. mains fed - if you have 2bar, test to 3bar. If the bath is fed from a CWSC in the loft you will only have a ‘bar’ or so of pressure, so take it to 2bar)

You are looking for ‘no drop in pressure’ over 1 hour, if the pressure drops, find the leak, repair and retest.

You can them lay the floor with confidence.

Regards

Skids