# Massive nitrogen leak



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I went over to perfcthair4ever 's research facility to look things over at his request and we were lucky enough to have a med gas line burst while doing a walk thru inspecting the plumbing contractor's work. 1 1/4" copper exposed line over head on the 1st floor was covered in 1/2" thick layer of ice coming from the 3000 gallon liquid nitrogen tank outside. Sure enough, one of the researchers taps me on the shoulder and says that he hears a really loud vacuum sound that’s coming from one of the fume hoods. We go up to the second floor and hear a massive leak coming from a fume hood. Luckily there was a ladder near by and perfcthair4ever starts setting up next to the hood. I go out to the main corridor and tell the burly security guard to stay out the room and keep an eye on me from the corridor window. “If I pass out or start motioning to you, get a deep breath and run in hear and start dragging us out! There may not be any oxygen in this room!” I go back in and hold the ladder for perfcthair4ever while he climbs up into the drop ceiling. He spots the iso valve and we move over a bit and get it shut down. Turns out the leak was a blown out compression fitting. Now being that this is a med gas system, I want to know how they got away with using compression fittings to hook up to the hoods. This was a nitrogen line charged to 125psi. Every hood in the building is hooked up with compression fittings.

Starting from the left, it is the third line in the picture. Sorry for the dark photo but cam phone has no flash.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Made it clearer


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

thanks:thumbup:


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Another thing I noticed when walking around was that the building plumber has 4" cpvc all over the place with ONLY orange glue. No purple primer. It's been a while since I've done any big commercial but I'm pretty sure that you have to sand the pipe and fitting just as you would with copper and then prime with purple primer when you go above 2" on cpvc. That's even if you are using "1 step glue".

Can anyone verify this?


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## drtyhands (Aug 16, 2008)

So I see their are no longer any soldering skills necessary to install plumbing on commercial projects in Florida.
Is this happening elsewhere in the U.S.?

I'm feeling that squeezing thing again.


sad saggy plastic for all...enjoy


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Still copper and cast iron around here. Plus Med gas piping must be brazed, and the journeyman doing the med gas piping must be certified for med gas piping.


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## Hyper Piper (Nov 29, 2008)

Heck fire, the boys down at the Depot said all we needed was these here coupler dealy things.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Med gas is regulated by the NFPA and is the same nationwide. That's my point with the leak. It's strictly against code as laid out in NFPA 99 to use compression joints on mad gas systems. All joints must be brazed with nitrogen flowing thru the system while brazing. It actually states specifically that compression joints are prohibited.

This building has already passed second rough inspection with several hundred compression joints on med gas lines. WTF?!?


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I just looked up the installation manuals for cpvc and you do need purple primer on anything over 2".

Taken from the manuals:

*From the Flowguard Gold cpvc manual (the small stuff 2” and under)*

*4. Solvent Cement*
*Application.*
USE ONLY CPVC CEMENT
CONFORMING TO ASTM
F493 OR JOINT FAILURE
MAY RESULT. As a result of
extensive testing, Lubrizol
recommends the application
of FlowGuard Gold One
Step Cement on 1/2"-2" CTS
tubing as the technically
preferred method (a primer
should be used when
joining Corzan IPS pipe and
fittings).



From the Corzan cpvc manual (the big grey commercial stuff you have in your facility)

*4. Primer Application*
Use primer conforming to ASTM
F656. Primer is needed to prepare
the bonding area for the addition
of the cement and subsequent
assembly. It is important that
a proper applicator be used. A
dauber, swab or paintbrush
approximately half the size of
the pipe diameter is appropriate.
A rag should not be used.
Primer is applied to both the
outside of the pipe end and inside of the fitting
socket, redipping the applicator as necessary to ensure
that the entire surface of both is tacky.


You’ll notice that on the Corzan (2” and up) that PRIMER IS MANDATORY.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

I would hang the installing plumber and the chimp inspector out to dry on this one.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

There should be a med gas inspector checking the connections, and making sure the lines test clean. Nothing happens here without the inspector signing off on it.... Nothing.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

There are already researchers in the building doing research at fully operational stations. There is already a 6 million dollar Nano Magnetic Resonance Imaging(NMRI) machine hooked up to the nitrogen and CO2 lines that is being used. Construction is nearly complete. I’d say 97%, but the building is already partially occupied and in use. I would think for that to be allowed med gas inspection would have had to already taken place.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

It should have been. Somebody dropped the ball big time.


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## LIVBMI (Sep 12, 2008)

That would never fly in new orleans. You must have a state license from the state to install med gas. It also needs to be inspected by an independent tester.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Same here. They got around it some how.


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## plumbob1234 (Mar 29, 2009)

just my 2 cents here but it seems everone, from "Sharkbite", to "Pro-Press" has the new and inproved method of joining copper. Only one has been time tested and they never have needed to improve upon it. P.S. Do it proper, do it copper.


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