which pressure tester should i buy? wet or dry?

[long-pass]

Hi everyone, i am looking to finally buy a pressure tester but cant decide on which sort. i have been using my mates rothenberger rp50 which is good but a bit bulky and its on the expensive side for something i might use a few times a year. should i buy a dry test kit? would i need to buy an air compressor then? i doubt i will use it for more than 8 rad systems but if i buy the smaller rothenberger rp30 will i be pumping it all day? i have never used a dry tester, are there any advantages apart from if there somehow is a leak (which has never happened to me before :uhoh2: ) and only air comes out? any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers in advance

 

[mountainman]

I've used both types and my personal preference is for an air test. I use a car type tyre compressor to pump up or else a foot pump.

You can make your own kit up for not much money

 

[Roger Welton]

With a air test there is much more energy stored in the pipework as it is compressible, so if a fitting lets go you know about it! It is easier to rig though and if you have a leak not such a pain to 'drain' to remedy.

 

[AWheating]

safer to do a water test, the large rothenberger pump is the best one you can have, the smaller ones take alot longer to use and break alot quicker then there bigger brother.

 

[dontknowitall]

I use a vertical bicycle pump and a Monument dry tester. Cheap, simple and effective.

 

[long-pass]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am probably gonna go for a dry test kit and use my foot pump. got a plumbfix voucher lying around so might as well use it as they do the rothenberger dry test kit.

 

[cr0ft]

Not sure I would want to be doing dry pressure testing above 1 bar on any pipework with plastic fittings on. As has been said, if a fitting fails expect it to fly off as if it was fired from a gun. For testing to 10 bar which is what Speedfit ask you to do on each install, wet testing is the way to go. As for the RP30, I have one. Takes quite a bit of pumping to get it up to 3 bar or so, then the pressure increases quite quickly. I wouldn't be without it, it allows me to sleep at night and avoids that Friday afternoon syndrome when you've finished and are filling up a large heating system.

 

[dancinplumba]

why not use pressure washer with pressure reducing valve, isolator and pressure gauge instead of a lance ???

 

[long-pass]

Did not even think of that cr0ft so cheers mate. i have stopped using speedfit and have started to use the newish hep20 stuff, which has to be tested upto 18bar! the dry test kit only goes to 4bar as well. decisions decisions

 

[Mike Jackson]

Both is the best bet. Initial low pressure test with air to prevent damage followed by high pressure test with water.