1116.1 Factory Tests — 2025 California Mechanical Code
California Mechanical Code (Title 24, Part 4) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-09-25 · California
CBSC: official editions, supplements and errata
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
Cite as: 2025 California Mechanical Code (Title 24, Part 4) § 1116.1 · Effective January 1, 2026 · Official source: Building Standards Commission
Refrigerant-containing parts of unit systems shall be tested and proved tight by the manufacturer at not less than the design pressure for which they are rated. Pressure vessels shall be tested in accordance with Section
1117.0. [ASHRAE 15:9.14.1]
1116.1.1 Testing Procedure. Tests shall be performed with dry nitrogen or another nonflammable, nonreactive, dried gas. Oxygen, air, or mixtures containing them shall not be used. The means used to build up the test pressure shall have either a pressure limiting device or a pressure reducing device and a gauge on the outlet side. The pressure relief device shall be set above the test pressure but low enough to prevent permanent deformation of the system’s components.
Exceptions:
(1) Mixtures of dry nitrogen, inert gases, and Class 1 refrigerants shall be permitted for factory tests.
(2) Mixtures of dry nitrogen, inert gases, or a combination thereof with Class 2L, Class 2, or Class 3 refrigerants in concentrations not exceeding the lesser of a refrigerant weight fraction (mass fraction) of 5 percent or 25 percent of the LFL shall be permitted for factory tests.
(3) Compressed air without added refrigerant shall be permitted for factory tests, provided the system is subsequently evacuated to less than 0.039 inch of mercury (0.132 kPa) before charging with refrigerant. The required evacuation level is atmospheric pressure for systems using R-718 (water) or R-744 (carbon dioxide) as the refrigerant. [ASHRAE 15:9.14.1.1]
1116.1.2 Applied Pressure. The test pressure applied to the highside of each factory-assembled refrigerating system shall be not less than the design pressure of the highside. The test pressure applied to the lowside of a factory assembled refrigerating system shall be not less than the design pressure of the lowside.
1116.1.3 Design Pressure of 15 psig or Less. Units with a design pressure of 15 psig (103 kPag) or less shall be tested at a pressure not less than 1.33 times the design pressure, and shall be proved leak-tight at not less than the lowside design pressure. [ASHRAE 15:9.14.3]
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