My plumber is finishing up the install of an all black iron pipe for propane job. What is considered OK for a drop in pressure? I think I read here somewhere that the building inspector will look for no drop in 15 minutes with 15psi? They had to come back this morning to fix a leak and after 9 hours the pressure dropped 1/2psi. Would this be considered a normal drop just from day time changes in temp? Before the fix the pressure dropped over 5psi in 24 hours
Does anybody do a pressure test on the pipe they install longer than a hour or so?
Just wondering what people think, I realize propane runs about 1/2psi but want to make sure the new pipe is tight.
Thanks
Kevin
Replies
The problem, or challenge, to pressure testing pipe in the field is ... temperature. The gas you pressurize it with is one temperature, the above ground pipe another, and the pipe in the ground yet another. Add to this the daily temperature cycles, and you're left wondering .... am I losing gas, or did the gas in the pipe just drop a few degrees? Heck, I've even seen the pressure rise over time!
All you can do is rely on the time-tested 'trade practices' to decide what is the proper way to test.
They put about 50' of 3/4" in for my pool heater. The installer pressurized it to 30PSI, tagged it and the inspector showed up the next day. It was still 30 +/- the width of the gauge needle. The installer came back the day after that for the trim out and it was still 30 when he took the gauge off. At the price of propane I was inspecting it too. ;-)
>>At the price of propane I was inspecting it too. ;
Check your supplier tomorrow.
I just had my tank filled for $1.66/gal.
Beats the whey out of the $2.30+/gal I paidlast winter.
$1.19 around Kansas.
Closer to the welll heads?
Yep, plus we're NOT a democratic state. We have oil wells, gas wells and oil refineries. Makes for cheaper gas and oil.
I'm pretty sure it's a right to work state as well.
Doesn't that mean it doesn't support unions?"There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."Will Rogers
"I'm pretty sure it's a right to work state as well. "
You're right.
However, there sure is a lot of strikes going on in Kansas. Aircraft workers, telephone, you name it. Maybe why there's a lot of jobs being out-sourced.
If I noticed that it was dropping even 1/2 lb of pressure I would get out the soapy water and start testing untill I either found the leak or tested every joint.
you could also take the pressure up to 30 or 40 to make it easier to find.
SOP here is to pressurize gas lines to 30 psi at time X of day, leave pressurized for 24 hours (X time of day, the following day) - look for no more than 1/2 psi difference. Same time of day somewhat compensates for temperature differences during the test -- chances are day 1 and day 2 will be about the same temperature.
Not a plumber, so not sure what the specs are, just SOP for the folks here.
Jim
Contact your propane supplier. Where I have run lines it doesn't matter(but it does) what the inspector or plumber says. The propane supplier will test themselves before final tankset/hookup.
BTW, in the past, I have had a few test guages leak. Makes for a misserable day of tracking down a ghost.