At what line pressure is the 3 gph leak specified for automatic line leak detectors?

At what line pressure is the 3 gph leak specified for automatic line leak detectors?

• A. 5 psi
• B. 10 psi
• C. 15 psi
• D. 20 psi

Answer: (B)

Line pressure sets the reference point for how leak rate is measured with automatic line leak detectors. The 3 gph leak rate is defined at a line pressure of 10 psi, meaning that at this pressure a leak is considered at the threshold of 3 gallons per hour. This standardization matters because leak flow through a defect increases with pressure, so tying the specification to 10 psi ensures consistent detection criteria across tests. If the pressure were higher, the same defect could appear to leak more than 3 gph; if it were lower, smaller leaks might not be detected. Therefore, 10 psi is the required line pressure for the 3 gph leak specification.

Line pressure sets the reference point for how leak rate is measured with automatic line leak detectors. The 3 gph leak rate is defined at a line pressure of 10 psi, meaning that at this pressure a leak is considered at the threshold of 3 gallons per hour. This standardization matters because leak flow through a defect increases with pressure, so tying the specification to 10 psi ensures consistent detection criteria across tests. If the pressure were higher, the same defect could appear to leak more than 3 gph; if it were lower, smaller leaks might not be detected. Therefore, 10 psi is the required line pressure for the 3 gph leak specification.