{"id":1458,"date":"2020-05-01T17:03:26","date_gmt":"2020-05-01T17:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/?p=1458"},"modified":"2020-05-01T17:03:26","modified_gmt":"2020-05-01T17:03:26","slug":"open-inflatable-plugs-550q-vs-550bp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/open-inflatable-plugs-550q-vs-550bp\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Inflatable Plugs: 550Q vs 550BP"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trying to decide between the 550BP<\/a> and 550Q<\/a> open inflatable plugs? These plugs both provide a versatile solution for inducing pressure into 1-1\/2″plumbing, but it can be hard to know which\u00a0style is the right choice for your application. \u00a0Each plug includes a\u00a0tire\u00a0valve attachment for inflating the plug itself and a male quick connect attachment for inducing pressure into the plumbing with your pressure tester<\/a>, but the way they\u2019re structured is different. Read on to learn about the key differentiating features.<\/p>\n

550Q (Q-Ball):<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"550Q<\/p>\n

Benefits:<\/em>
\nThe most prominent feature of this plug is that the inflation and induction attachments are on the end of 2\u2019 hoses, which allows the plug to be lodged farther into plumbing. It can be pushed past valves, through pumps, or past threads on return fittings.\u00a0Also, the bypass tube that runs through the plug for inducing pressure is made of flexible rubber, so the plug can be bent in order to move around 90 degree elbows or other tight spaces.<\/p>\n

Drawbacks:<\/em>
\nThe bypass tube on this plug is small, which means it takes a longer time to pressure up lines when using it. Since it\u2019s also flexible it can be pinched when the plug is over-inflated and prevent air\/water from flowing freely.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

550BP:<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"550BP<\/p>\n

Benefits:<\/em>
\nThe biggest benefit of this plug is that the bypass tube is made of metal instead of rubber. This allows water or air to pass through the plug at a higher volume, which saves time and produces clearer pressure testing results. The induction attachment is an \u201cL\u201d shaped quick connect right off of the top of the plug, which works especially well in pump bowls and valves. Both the flexible inflation hose and quick connect are attached to threads on the top of the plug, so they can be replaced with longer air or inducer hoses for added versatility.<\/p>\n

\"550BP
550BP-CPH plug with L-shaped quick connect replaced with an 18″ inducer hose.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Drawbacks:<\/em><\/p>\n

The connections between the rubber and metal bypass tube on this plug are slightly weaker, so these plugs are more susceptible to wear and tear.<\/p>\n

In general, inflatable plugs are more delicate than their mechanical, wing nut expanded counterparts. Their versatility and convenience make them an attractive option, but if you\u2019re looking for a more durable, less-expensive solution, mechanical plugs are preferred. For 1-1\/2\u201d pipe the O45 Standard Open Plug<\/a> or O45E Open Extender Plug<\/a> can be used.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trying to decide between the 550BP and 550Q open inflatable plugs? These plugs both provide a versatile solution for inducing pressure into 1-1\/2″plumbing, but it can be hard to know which\u00a0style is the right choice for your application. \u00a0Each plug includes a\u00a0tire\u00a0valve attachment for inflating the plug itself and a male quick connect attachment for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[45],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1458"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1458"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1469,"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1458\/revisions\/1469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leaktools.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}