# Leak



## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

I have to recommision a wet sprinkler system in a warehouse/office, approximately 12,000 square feet, which has been drained for at least 12 years. To test for leaks, I tried hooking up a large compressor, and the system will not hold anything.
The offices are occupied, so filling with water is not desirable.
The compressor is a large stationary one which is in one of the rented spaces, 220v., 3 phase, but I fed it with a 3/8" hose. Would I be better off with an engine powered compressor with a 1" hose? Would smoke testing be viable?


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## Fullmetal Frank (Jul 11, 2012)

Smoke would not be any more welcome in a office than water. Can the system be visibly inspected through out?


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## Tim`s Plumbing (Jan 17, 2012)

I would go rent a large gas powered compressor. About 10 years ago I worked on a job that had the boiler quit on them in the middle of the winter all the pipes froze inculding the 8" fire sprinkler main. We fixed the abvious leaks then tested with a gas powered compressor. The 8" main had moved 18" when it burst and it was a pain in the a** to get it all lined back up. It had been done with sch 40 threaded joints so we cut off the threads and fittings then welded the leaking joints.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

A liquid smoke would be a lot better than a bomb.


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

probably 75% can be visible. The offices have drop ceilings with heads in the empty space.(an engineer will have to file plans for me to install heads in the drop ceiling tiles)
I can do smoke off hours, no problem. I have never done a smoke test before. I did see a homemade rig somebody posted once with a shop vac. I'll have to search the archives for this.


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

Gettinit said:


> A liquid smoke would be a lot better than a bomb.


 where do you get liquid smoke?


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

newyorkcity said:


> where do you get liquid smoke?


I got mine from the waterworks supply house. I used aerosol cans.


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## The bear (Sep 27, 2012)

Check this website Pollardwater.com. They have liquid smoke and Hurco blowers


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Their blowers are expensive.


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## The bear (Sep 27, 2012)

Has anyone used the Cherne air loc dwv smoke blower. Also wonder what the price is. I believe Oatey is the distributor.


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

We use a halloween type fogger for smoke training at our firehouse, I have also used it in combination with a shop vac for smoking plumbing and it works well. They use an oil based fog juice but you can breath the smoke (veg oil I believe) and you can get pleasant aromas! I prefer the cinamon:yes:


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

Great. I just got the new Pollard catalog in the mail. Can it be rigged with a shop vac?


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## PrecisePlumbing (Jan 31, 2011)

Might have done this already but give your local fire department a courtesy call before you test. Don't want a false alarm bill. Over here its 1200 bucks. Don't ask me how i know that


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

You can make one of these...











Ours works GREAT!

http://www.upfrontprice.com/galleryimg/smoker_intro.htm

Thanks to Randy Hilton for sharing his simple design.


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

I ordered a pack of smoke candles from Pollard. I was thinking about shimming open the clapper on the siamese check valve, inserting the smoke candle there, and hooking up the blower side of a shop vac on the siamese. Will this work?


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Is it a combined system? Is the standpipe tied into the sprinklers? If so, can you open the valve at one of the hose assemblies and introduce the smoke there? Preferably on the 1st floor, or basement.

I remember a story from NYC where the firemen showed up to a blaze, attached their hoses to the siamese connection at street level and proceede to pump up the system. They mistakenly believed that the sprinkler and standpipe piping was intact. But in fact there was a breech somewhere in the building and the water was pouring out onto the floors up above instead of being directed to the fire. It was due to someone disconnecting the pipes in a portion of the building. Perhaps that's what your situation is. Maybe some portion of the piping has been dismantled.


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## chuckscott (Oct 20, 2010)

The bear said:


> Check this website Pollardwater.com. They have liquid smoke and Hurco blowers


If you have a United Rentals near you you could rent this. Well worth the money.


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## kiddplum (Feb 7, 2010)

*leak*

did a job years ago where we installed approx 1000 feet of 2 inch screw pipe with 100 drops for knitting machines 
used my tow behind air compressor and hooked up to the blow off at the end of the line 
got pressure quick and ....... all the noise was outside......seems to be the biggest problem for me when trying to find an air leak on a dwv system 5 pounds too much noise any suggestions ? tried a stethoscope ....... bubble leak detector dosent always seem to show the leaks ......


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## Radium (Dec 25, 2010)

For the second time in two weeks I had a pex fitting drip/leak. My old employer used to burn off the old pex rings and reuse pex fittings. So naturally I started doing the same thing. Thing is, I think either heating the pex fitting, or cutting the crimp ring off with a ring cutter, makes the fitting faulty. And cannot be reused.

Sent from my iPad using PlumbingZone


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## plumberpro (Jan 1, 2013)

I never reuse pex fittings they are so inexpensive . when you cut the rings off you could get a small nick or scratch on the sealing part of fitting and it will leak. toss used ones in the scrap pile and put in new


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## davidokc (Mar 5, 2013)

I recently found a leak in a dry system with a pull behind air compressor and a few cherne smoke bombs. we hooked up to drain down on the outside of the building used some 2" nipples a tee and reducers to make a chamber for the bombs to burn in
turned down to pressure on the air compressor to 50 psi where we had 185 CFM blowing into the system, found the leak in 45 minutes


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## Hoozycoozy (Apr 26, 2011)

Does anyone still peppermint test? I've done it once when we could not get a final tight. Worked like the old timers told me.


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## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

Hoozycoozy said:


> Does anyone still peppermint test? I've done it once when we could not get a final tight. Worked like the old timers told me.


Never even heard of it. Sounds tasty.


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## Hoozycoozy (Apr 26, 2011)

dclarke said:


> Never even heard of it. Sounds tasty.


I don't know how you would do it on water lines, but for dwv, you dump 2 ounces of peppermint oil down the roof stack, with a few gallons of very hot water, the area of the leak will be shown because the peppermint smell is very strong, and easy to find. 
I think he could put some oil in the line then blow air through and it will help him find the general location then continue blowing air and use soap and water to pinpoint.


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