Pressure Regulator

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

Is There A Way To Test The Water Regulator In Your House To See If It Has Failed.

[fourth yearParticipant]

Put a gauge on a hose faucet and see what the pressure is, then open a bathtub faucet and see if the pressure goes down or stays at the original pressure. Then turn off the bathtub and see if the pressure goes up. If the pressure stays the same all the time and it is less than the pressure the city is supplying then the valve is operating properly.

[GuestParticipant]

Under good plumbing practices (This leaves out the helpers) you install a gauge before and after the regulator so you can actually see the pressure drop

Now if everyone thought like a helper you could imagine putting on a gauge on a hose bib connection which is a globe type of valve and offers lots of restriction and then having a home owner run like a mad man though the house turning on ONE faucet to see if it does cause any type of drop.

Great advice from a person who has no clue to plumbing piping size and or materials.

Suppose the piping is galvanized and had mineral deposits then watching a gauge will show you nothing.

Checking by the device is ALWAYS the proper thing to do.

hopefully the instaler did provide you with a by pass so you can repair this if needed without disruption in service Good luck

[racefanoneParticipant]

good advise Sylvan.A BRAIN IS AWOUNDERFUL THING.

[GuestParticipant]

If he used his brain in a social, skillful manner, instead of a condescending one all of the time, life would be a wonderful thing too!!

[kenny bParticipant]

when checking static pressure at a hose bibb or faucet you will get a fluctuation of pressure at the gauge when opening another faucet. this dose not mean the prv is faulty as stated.
and while were on the subject restrictions or type of valves have no bearing on checking static pressure. your both mixing apples and oranges here.

[GuestParticipant]

quote:

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Originally posted by bungie1:
If he used his brain in a social, skillful manner, instead of a condescending one all of the time, life would be a wonderful thing too!!

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Bungie, I do stand corrected BUT I honestly do take plumbing-gas fitting – fire suppression piping systems and drainage very seriously.

I cannot cope with incompetence in workmanship or advice given.

I am sorry I should refrain from reading these boards so I don’t get agrivated.

Thankfully most of the posters on here do know the proper job.

Sorry YOU ARE 1 million percent correct. Sylvan

[GuestParticipant]

quote:

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Originally posted by racefanone:
good advise Sylvan.A BRAIN IS AWOUNDERFUL THING.

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Thank you,
I hate seeing folks wasting their valuable time running around like a chicken without a head.

If this house has hard water and lots of mineral deposits inside the piping wouldn’t this also cause a severe drop in volume and pressure?

Having TWO simple gauges by the PRV is a sure way to see at a glance if this device is working and how much friction loss it is causing.

I guess I think like a welder as when using my gauges I not only like to know my tank contents I like knowing my actual working pressure when the diaphragm is in the on position so I can adjust my pressure and flame accordingly.

I CERTAINLY would not turn on the fuel Or Oxygen and run the entire length of the torch to see my actual working pressure.

COMMON sense is the key to plumbing as well as most other trades.

Asking a home owner to run though his building like a mouse in a maze just doesn’t sit right with me.
I guess it takes a certain mentality to even suggest this huh?

Sorry for being sarcastic I guess being a skilled craftman has its draw backs.

[GuestParticipant]

quote:

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Originally posted by kenny b:
when checking static pressure at a hose bibb or faucet you will get a fluctuation of pressure at the gauge when opening another faucet. this dose not mean the prv is faulty as stated.
and while were on the subject restrictions or type of valves have no bearing on checking static pressure. your both mixing apples and oranges here.

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Kenny, you are correct static pressure is NO FLOW reading and you don’t need a gauge for that all you need is to know how high the highest water line is and times that by .434 for STATIC head.

For a flow reading you need an in line pressure or compound gauge if your looking for vacuum or pressure readings.

Opening one house bib was the answer BUT without knowing the actual service piping size this answer did not make any sense.

For example my water main is 11/2 with pressures going from 65 to 50 PSI all from street pressure. I am sure if I put a gauge on the water main test tee and opened a 1/2 hose connection I would not see any depreciable drop in pressure.

Thank you for pointing out the word static….

[Author]

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