TEARING DOWN THE HOUSE...

[rockycoon]

Shaun, the toilet is out back and away from the house (arrrr matey, just in case of "thar she blow's...)  LOL LOL LOL  I'll let your
imagination do the rest ... lol

[rockycoon]

Actually, we use a Johnny can on work location.  The toilet will be installed after the damn roof gets on, if it gets on as my
workers took a 3 week vacation and are not back yet.  Got the plates in the floor and all the plumbing is ready.  We tested the
water lines and they held- no leaks (that we could see)  however when tested with air, they would not hold it, but did hold water,
perhaps PEX is not airtight or what?''[

[shaun]

OK Don, I was tracking with you until you said PEX.  I don't know what this is.  Is it like PVC?

[Vince G]

PEX stands for cross linked polyethylene.

So your putting in Radiant Heat? or are you using it for the potable water too? As for air leaks? Depends on the pressure put into the line? All piping is limited to some amount of pressure.

[maxx]

When I was working for a plummer back in the early 90's. Ark plumming code.Said that it had to hold 5 pounds of air for 15 minutes.If it doesn't you have a leak somewhere.What we used to do if we couldn't get it to hold air.Was run it up to about 15 pounds.And just listen for the leak.

[Vince G]

5 pounds of pressure? Avg. water pressure is around 30?

[maxx]

Yes 5 pounds per square inch.I don't know why Ark picked that number.It was just that number.We ran a gas line, water, and sewer.In a ketchup factory.On  one job.We kept loosing air on the gas line.It took us about 3 hours to find the leak.We found it right in the middle of the factory.It was leaking from the coupling comming out of the ceiling.

[David5o]

I don't know what your normal water pressures are in the States,  but most of Europe would normally want to see at least 1.5 to 2 bar of pressure on any domestic cold water faucet/tap. They normally pressure test a new installation at 4 bar for 24 hr.  Domestic hot water lines normally run at lower water pressures, unless of course the installation is a pressurised system. In that case both hot and cold water lines will run at similar pressure values.... Which is exactly what i have here in Cyprus, and my system runs at around 3.5 bar....   ( 15 psi = 1 bar )


David......

[David5o]

Vince wrote :  PEX stands for cross linked polyethylene.

I'm a little confused now, as my understanding is that,  XLP is abbreviation for ''cross linked polyethylene''
Unless it's some sort of common used trade name for a particular type of plastic type piping??

David....

[rockycoon]

We used a spray bottle of dish soap and water and look for bubbles.  Hence, we pumped it up to 30 lbs, which is usual city water
pressure (although it can go up as much a 60 lbs, depending on the city's water system).  We watched as the air went down rather
quickly.  Being concerned,  I had a guy pump it up and keep it at 30 pounds while I went to every connection and sprayed and
sprayed.  No bubbles anywhere.  So I was a little concerned about this agian, as the air was going fast and I did not get any bubbles
anywhere.  So we then used 30 to 40 pounds of water pressure.  No leaks.  I felt good about this, but the pump is automatic with
an air bladder in it.  So the plumbing was holding but now the water pump is going off and on like crazy.  It should have shut off.
After a lot of thought, I found that the damn water pump has an air filler on the back of the bladder assembly and requires 19 pounds
of pressure to be put into it (new pump, we don't read instructions.. ).  So we pumped the air into it and damn if it didn't keep
doing it  ), so after much thought and a couple of beers, I came to the conclusion that it was because we just used a garden hose
to supply water, and the pump needs a one-way valve to keep it from bleeding pressure back through the water line...(dumb  )
So I figure that since the PEX is holding water, I don't need to test further, but will proceed and when I put in the water pump I will
install a one-way valve which will cure the problem.
























af

[rockycoon]

This is my new porta potty, works good, ease of use, excellent clean up, can be moved from job site to job site, keeps employees
working longer - fewer breaks, cost effective....

[maxx]

Oops my bad guys.It was 15 pounds not five.And yes it had to hold for 15 minutes.Rocky are you on well water or City water? If your on well water.What you need to get is called a accumulator tank.It will keep your water pump from switching on and off all the time.According to the diagram i'm looking at it needs to go in line after the watr pump.Before the water heater.

[Bee964]

Rocky,

Ummmm, not to sound sick or anything here but what have you been eating lately??? Not sure what I see in the bag there. And who's job is it to change the bag? Do they get hazard pay?

Dave C

[Vince G]

Diagram? I'm not seeing any diagram?

It sounds like well water? Because you say you have a pump. So going with that... disconnect the pump and put pressure in the line. Use colored water, food dye, I've used windshield washer fluid, and pump up the pressure (try a air compressor). I'd take it to 50 lbs for the hell of it. Then you know the lines are holding. By pass the water heater if you have it installed already? Just make a temp connection line.

Yes, air pressure has to be put into the bladder? lol But that is for air pressure in the incoming line. As for the "one-way valve to keep it from bleeding pressure back through the water line" ? Are you meaning a "Check Valve"? This keeps the water from leaking back in the line, it won't keep pressure from leaking back (to a certain amount, it's rated).

But first check for leaks.

[Bee964]

We have this type of system at the house my parents have up north here. It sounds like Rocky is talking about a well system. I thought the pump had a setting for the pump to come on at a set low pressure  and stop when it reached a set higher pressure? if these two are set too close together the pump will cycle like crazy. If I remember right theirs was set at 15 and 30 lbs respectively. I think there was an adjustment for this on the pump. I would check this first if the pump is cycling like crazy.

Dave C