Pressure testing should be a relatively quick and straightforward job but it can sometimes turn into a frustrating and laborious task with the wrong tools. Here are a few top tips that should help.

Keep up the pressure

Firstly, and most importantly, choose a pump that gives the maximum pressure and the appropriate pressure gauge range.

Buy a good quality pump that you can rely on for years to come. At Sarum Hydraulics, our high pressure pumps can be used right down to 0.3 bar – you may just need to pump more strokes for a larger volume, low pressure system.

Standardise the hose

Finding the right hoses and fittings can often prove very time consuming, even on the simplest test. You can overcome this by standardising your hose – for example a three-metre -4 bore terminating in G1/4 or a -6 jic female swivel.

Avoid too large a hose bore as this will need filling and the fittings can be awkward. The hose will invariably prove more bulky to store and expensive, and it won’t give high pressure ratings.

Buy in a range of hose fittings

Ideally, it’s best to buy in a range of fittings and store them in a multi-compartment box where you can see your parts at a glance. Always put the parts back in the box after use too!

As you make up fitting assemblies for connection with the free end of your hose, try to keep them assembled rather than broken down and pirated for other parts.

Quick disconnects can help you to switch quickly between test fittings but take care to avoid damage to seals and leakage. The more connections you have in a test hose assembly, the higher the risk of an annoying leak – always buy in a one-piece fitting if possible!

Invest in stainless steel

Think clean – you should store test fittings in a sealed box rather than a container that is open to the atmosphere.

It is worth investing in stainless steel fittings as these won’t corrode. Plated steel fittings are cheap and disposable, but they quickly become tatty after repeated use.

Thinking about this purely in business terms, it’s better to invest a little cash in your fittings now – and save yourself a great deal of time and expense further down the line.

Sarum Hydraulics has been designing and manufacturing high-quality Micropac® pressure test pumps for 30 years. 

For further information, go to: www.sarum-hydraulics.co.uk

You can also buy pumps and spares in our online shop: www.pumpshoppro.com