Commissioning forms one of the most important factors to be considered when completing a new appliance installation or repair and yet is still something many plumbers or gasfitters fail to do.
Far to often do we attend to a reported fault from a gas cook top, dep fryer, room heater or gas fired hot water service and find that the label covering the screw which is removed for commissioning is still in place and never been removed meaning that the appliance has never been commissioned since initially installed.
Why is commissioning so important?
When installing a new gas appliance there are high and low gas pressures which an appliance will operate at and these should be checked. To do this the right a digital manometer is required to be attached to the test point and the appliance should then be turned on and used both in high and low flame modes (simple terms).
It also vitally important to do this with a repair also for example a water heater when the thermostat is replaced on an older model such as the Bosch 13P or Water Wizard hot water service. The flow rates will need to be adjusted with a flow cup through a tap inside the property and then the gas pressures adjusted according to the flow rates being delivered through the faucets.
What happens if this is not done?
If an appliance is NOT commissioned it can lead to the following issues:
- Inconsistent delivery of heated water
- Potential exposure to water born disease
- Sooting of the burners jets
- Dangerous levels of carbon monoxide being produced
- Room temperatures not being achieved
- Failed manufacturer’s warranty
- Deep fryer not heating the oil properly leading to poor food qualities
- Inefficient operation of the appliance in general
- Decreased life of the appliance
In our video below, you will see an example of how the correct pipe sizing allows for the new Rinnai B16 hot water service to fire up when the cold-water inlet valve is turned on and keep constant gas pressure well above the manufacturers recommended gas pressure and flow rates of a minimum of 1.13kpa. This shows us that the continuous flow hot water service will work to its maximum potential during times of high demands and comply with all manufacturers warranties that relate to the gas side of the units installation.