Thread: I have a plumbing question.

^ All great advice above apart from that TWAT Bobcock. -55555

I'm mixing some cement at the moment and will come back with responses and questions later.

Again, thanks for your advice.

How kind...... even needed capitals.....

Whatever floats your boat.....

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Move House

Very helpful indeed Bob.

Im guessing you have access to your pressure tank. It should have a bladder in it that acts as an accumulator charged by air pressure. Usually has a gauge on top the tank or a schrader valve to attach the gauge and or charge with air. The bladder is not your problem however on the water side of this tank there are pressure switches. Low pressure starts your pump, high pressure stops the pump. Usually a pressure gauge is placed downstream of tank in water line so one can see at what pressure the pump starts at and stops at. A simple ball valve should be placed down stream of the pressure gauge. This set up allows one to determine if the leak is up or down stream of the pressure tank. This helps in trouble shooting . When I say usually I dont know your system. Or the norm in LOS. Learn the pressures for your system and this includes what the fittings, joints and pipes are rated for before you let some one overpressurize it and causes more leaks in poorly glued joints ect.

Sorry Im posting on a smart phone and it stinks. The test you want is a leak down test where you pump up to your normal system and isolate the air you are using to do the test. The rate at wich the pressure drops determines the sevarity of the leak. The ability to isolate hot from cold sources and area to area is key to determining where the leak is. You may have more than one. I hope not for your sake. Shut off valves to each fixture ar a blessing in your situation. If I dont have them I put them in at my properties. (i have rentals). Valves cost money on builds so are often omitted. Good luck figuring it out.

Thanks for your advice mate.

I just thought about pumping compressed air connected at the mains at about 7 bar through the pipe system as air gushing out of the leaks may be easier to hear.

I have a compressor at home and may try that.

What do you guys think?

Could it be your swimming pool and you haven't noticed the level going down due to all of the rain ?

Our vacation house in Laos has a super simple system. I think its the norm to have a gravity system. Its cheap to build and maintain. One well pump one on/off switch and a stainless steel elevated tank. Turn on untill tank overflows and you have water for the day. Ill change that if i ever spend more than a month or so a year there. I dont drink the water there but will shower and shave. Even in town many people have a concreet type of reservior in the bathroom used to flush and shower. It works for them.

Dont know what youll hear. Isolating sections and watching the pressure drop over time will be the test. Think of it like a leak down test on an engine cyclinder. You may have quick compression but does it hold pressure is what you need to learn to find the cracks. Good luck.

Originally Posted by fishlocker

Dont know what youll hear. Isolating sections and watching the pressure drop over time will be the test. Think of it like a leak down test on an engine cyclinder. You may have quick compression but does it hold pressure is what you need to learn to find the cracks. Good luck.

That is a good idea. If LT has valves (or can add them) going into each dwelling, he could do some quick isolation just by listening to his pump runs. Also.... He could turn off each dwelling and see which one still has pressure after a few hours. A poor man's leak down!

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I just thought about pumping compressed air connected at the mains at about 7 bar through the pipe system as air gushing out of the leaks may be easier to hear.

You might want to check that "pressure test theory?" Suppose you over pressure the PVC and all of a sudden joints burst? You know the quality of a PVC joint isn't worth spit over years and exposure to elements.

Heres one not mentioned: Smoke test...blowing smoke through your lines will expose a leak. Drain the system first, then hook up a hibachi and use a hairdryer to push smoke into the main line...We use this method when testing piping used for acid services. Harmless to piping and certainly harmless to PVC.

Can underground lines be drained? Yes if they are cracked and not in a vacuume. As was stated, do not let someone overpressurize the system. Use quality gauges that read low pressures acuratly. Know the system pressure and use half of that. If using your air compressor dial the regulator way down. Do not trust that gauge for accurate readings. Where you tie into the system you will need first the fitting to accept compresser fitting, next a valve to hold in the pressure, next a gauge to read the pressure you are holding in. Finally whatever fitting that will tie you in at that point. Natural gas lines use low pressures, the same test is used. If your not sure how to do something please dont do it. You could cause more harm than good.

LT there is a possibility one of your toilets is the problem. It is easy to check this by putting food colouring in the toilet tank wait ten minutes and see if the colour gets into the bowl. simple check but could save you a lot of wasted time and effort.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I just thought about pumping compressed air connected at the mains at about 7 bar through the pipe system as air gushing out of the leaks may be easier to hear.

It won't, water makes a very distinctive and pronounced sound like when you half pinch off a garden hose.. Not to mention the pain in that ass of using air instead..

Rats love eating the plastic water pipes I bet that is the cause of your delema. I know it will be a real pita to fix a mate had a very similar problem a few months ago and had to brakeout nearly all his ground floor as they had had a real feast on his pipes!

Originally Posted by Dillinger

Could it be your swimming pool and you haven't noticed the level going down due to all of the rain ?

If the rain is maintaining the level then no need to add water thereby not using more metered water to fill.

I just spent an hour searching the entire house using the screw driver hearing method and come up with nothing.

One thing that does confuse me is the pumps, and I have 2 only come on spasmodically and do not stay on all the time. They start up in intermittent bursts and then stop.

If there was a major leak, and the 3,000 baht excess I have been paying buys a lot of water, wouldn't the pumps stay on all the time?

Once again thanks for all your valued advice.

^ A bad join that only opens and leaks when the pressure is high enough?

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I just spent an hour searching the entire house using the screw driver hearing method and come up with nothing.

One thing that does confuse me is the pumps, and I have 2 only come on spasmodically and do not stay on all the time. They start up in intermittent bursts and then stop.

If there was a major leak, and the 3,000 baht excess I have been paying buys a lot of water, wouldn't the pumps stay on all the time?

Once again thanks for all your valued advice.

Have you checked how many units of water on a old bill & new bill.
Pay my water bill last night 189 baht for the month.

Have you tried some of the Swimming pool service company.
Sorry but this 1 is in Udon Thani but has the equipment
Our Services - Swimming Pool Builder Udon Thani | Fiberglass Swimming Pool Udon Thani | Pool Thailand

So there should be one in Pattaya Good luck with it LT

This is for air leaks may be can use for Water or maybe they have 1 water leak detector.
This is a hire company in Chonburi


แผนที่ตั้ง บจก. เร้นท์ (ประเทศไทย) สาขานิคมฯ อมตะนคร ชลบุรี..
Map of Rent (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
@ Chonburi Branch (Amata Nakorn I/E, Phase
Tel : 038-079-970 (Auto)
Fax : 038-079-971

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

If there was a major leak, and the 3,000 baht excess I have been paying buys a lot of water, wouldn't the pumps stay on all the time? Once again thanks for all your valued advice.

Has your electric bill gone up as well? Hard on pumps that on off crap! Everytime the pump kicks in there's a voltage surge, hence higher electric bills no doubt.

I agree you must have a bleeder, but its location will not be known until it can be seen. You better get the stethoscope fast. Have you thought about buying a Gerbil to crawl through your piping with a camera? O.K. jut kidding...

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I just spent an hour searching the entire house using the screw driver hearing method and come up with nothing.

One thing that does confuse me is the pumps, and I have 2 only come on spasmodically and do not stay on all the time. They start up in intermittent bursts and then stop.

If there was a major leak, and the 3,000 baht excess I have been paying buys a lot of water, wouldn't the pumps stay on all the time?

Once again thanks for all your valued advice.

Nope, they'd do exactly what they're doing, the are a bleed down test on their own working exactly the same way..

Originally Posted by misskit

The pump will build pressure in the pipe and shut off. As the water leaks, the pressure is slowly released until the pump is triggered to come back on again. Most of us don't have continuous pressure pumps, so it wouldn't stay on all of the time while leaking.

The pump will come on more often as the your leak grows worse.

This.....Well done Miss kit.. Are you really a "Miss"??