I have a job were another crew installed 400' of 12" ductile water line. The line is leaking out about 8 trash barrels of water in about 30 min.It leaks only from 200psi to 150psi then stops. It holds static pressure. So a pretty sizeable leak. The boss had the leak detectors come out with there high tech gadgets and cant find the leak.
I am left with the task now of trying to repair this thing. We have the leak isloated between two gate valves and there is one mechanical joint in the run. I have already dug up one of the gate vavles and had to put 8 turns on the bolts noone tighten them but that wasnt the leak. Then i dug up the 3 bells behind it and the 45 bend and still no leak. The other gate is located in the middle of the street and I did that tie in. First bell is on the shoulder of the road so it will be tough to dig up.
The leak detector think it might be a split in a length a pipe and thats why he cant pick it up.
I dont want to remove the dirt from the whole main at once due to it might buckle and blow the joints apart. So do I dig the rest of the bells up and hope its a rolled rubber or expose the whole thing a lil at a time and hope i find it. I have a pump on hand to keep at 200 psi while we look for it.
Any suggestions?
I am left with the task now of trying to repair this thing. We have the leak isloated between two gate valves and there is one mechanical joint in the run. I have already dug up one of the gate vavles and had to put 8 turns on the bolts noone tighten them but that wasnt the leak. Then i dug up the 3 bells behind it and the 45 bend and still no leak. The other gate is located in the middle of the street and I did that tie in. First bell is on the shoulder of the road so it will be tough to dig up.
The leak detector think it might be a split in a length a pipe and thats why he cant pick it up.
I dont want to remove the dirt from the whole main at once due to it might buckle and blow the joints apart. So do I dig the rest of the bells up and hope its a rolled rubber or expose the whole thing a lil at a time and hope i find it. I have a pump on hand to keep at 200 psi while we look for it.
Any suggestions?