tesing watertightness...

[Redux]

so im starting to get my season underway and im wondering...

if i assemble my column upside down and fill it with water... should any get out?

it sounds like an odd question but im not sure that my column was sealing 100% last season.... i couldnt find anything untoward using mirrors but there was a slight alcohol smell and my total %alc output per wash was a bit varied..

ideas lads?

[Boardy62]

Redux after my first run I thought I had leaks and I think yourself or someone suggested filling the column with water, I tried that and it did not leak, on my next run I got a small mirror and checked joins it showed up easily a leak on second tee sightglass, so my experience fill with water didn't help,rest assured a slow pass with a mirror will mist up to detect the leak, my last run went well with no problems! :handgestures-thumbupleft:
,

[mudsta]

I just used an air fitting and 5psi to leak test my new boiler build.
Bit of dish soap and water in a spray bottle on all joins...worked a treat!

Safety wise I wouldn't advise using this method if sight glasses are involved, blank caps instead and good to go

:D

[Boardy62]

I just used an air fitting and 5psi to leak test my new boiler build.
Bit of dish soap and water in a spray bottle on all joins...worked a treat!

Safety wise I wouldn't advise using this method if sight glasses are involved, blank caps instead and good to go

:D

Yeah I tried dishwasher in a spray bottle as well with still at temp it did not show anything ( I presume because it was hot and steamed up too quick aside from that cleaning the nice shiny still after it was a bugger ;-)

[aussiebrewer]

if you can change the angle of the PC then make it as verticle pointing upwards as you can. meaning instead of it turning the vapour down like we see in all those FSD bubbler pics keep it going up. then fill the whole thing from the Pc down and watch for a leak. easy peasy

higher you can get the PC outlet the higher the preasure which is needed. and leave it for a couple of hours to see slow leaks. dont just look over 10 mins. let it sit

as for the mirror. i have built a few now and mirrow failed more than filling with water. you can try wrap paper towel around clamps and watch for moistyre but i still think fill it with water and watch it for a few hours