TRV's with least pipework disruption

Thought it about time to fit some TRV's, have not yet decided if it will be a blitz on the whole system, or done in an orderly planned (and approved by SWMBO) fashion. Not yet decided on make/model so happy for recommendations. Also looking for TRV's which require minimum (or no alteration) to pipework. Are any available which have same dimensions as bog standard vavles? TIA..

Reply to
aserghdfghdfgh
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Avoid cheap ones from places like Screwfix, I bought a load of Heatline TRV from them and they don't really work. Very quick to turn off but really slow to turn back on.

I have had very good experiences with Danfoss Ras-C2 TRVs and am going to swap out the Heatline ones in the spring.

I haven't come across any that do require pipework changes assuming your existing values are nor unusual size or design. For ease, just ensure that you buy ones that match your current style of radiator tail, either union or compression (olive). I prefer a union fitting on the radiator tail rather than the compression type, but the compression type do offer more adjustability in terms of width.

BraileTrail

Reply to
BraileTrail

I fitted Drayton TRV4's on all my rads a couple of years ago, and thoroughly recommend them. They fitted in place of the manual valves with no pipework modifications being necessary. These are bi-directional and, because they have compression fittings on both inlet and outlet, can be fitted either way round - i.e. with the sensor unit either vertical or horizontal. Because most of my old valves had union-type connections to the tails, I *did* have to change most of the tails (new ones supplied with the valves). Also, because some of my old valves had non-standard threads on their compression fittings, I had to remove some of the nuts and olives on the feed pipes, and replace them with the ones supplied with the valves - but that would have happened with almost any new valves.

TRV4's are regarded as among the best - but they ain't cheap! You can get them on Ebay for much more sensible prices than are charged by the likes of Screwfix - often including a new lockshield. One such example is:

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Reply to
Roger Mills

TRV outside the cover?

Reply to
hugh

You'd be much better off doing the whole lot altogether, as otherwise you'll need to drain the system down each time (which also means losing all that precious corrosion inhibitor each time). So best to do it in the summer when the heating can be off for a good long while, and SWMBO won't be bending your lug hole.

David

Reply to
Lobster

Least disruption would be to do it next summer when you can play around all you want fitting the valves with a fully drained system

Unless you are really lucky then none will fit without some work. I'd use Drayton or Honeywell valves. The rest are IMHO crap :)

Reply to
The Other Mike

Er why do you need to drain down?

With an open vented system block the feed and vent pipes at the expansion tank(*) and remove one valve at a time. Shut the lockshield of the raditaor you are working on but that isn't essential. Water can only get out if air (or water) can get in, with the feed and vent pipes blocked the only other place air can get in is at the open ends of the removed valve and as they are at the same pressure not a lot will happen and there is no "circuit" with the lockshield closed. There will be a bit of loss but nothing an old towel can't handle.

With a pressurised system just depressurise it, by definition it is sealed.

This time of the year would not be a good one for "breaking" the heating system...

(*) Drayton market a couple of rubber bungs for just this purpose:

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Reply to
Dave Liquorice

+1 for the RAS-C2s here too. Despite being all plastic they seem rock solid and to do what they say on the tin.

One gotcha with them though is that if the pipework to the rad is very tight you'll need to trim a few mm off the top of the pipe going into the valve as they have slightly less room inside the compression inlet than most valves they replace.

Other than that it's just a case of Sod's Law the original valves will have different threads to modern compression fittings so you have to remove the old olives to fit new nuts, and the tails going into the rads will be locked in solid with jointing compound turned to granite and the type with internal lugs that the common L-shaped keys don't fit, so you'll wish you'd bought the £20 1/2" square drive handle and stepped key tool ... ;-)

Reply to
YAPH

Same here. I fitted them throughout with a new heating system 10 years ago, and no leaks. Must admit, I don't use them much, because it seems I very accurately sized the rads for each room.

I noticed Drayton still sold replacement heads for much earlier and long obsolete valves, and that type of longevity of support is something I considered when choosing.

I fitted the valves vertical in most cases, as I thought they looked better. However, my parents wanted theirs fitted horizontal so it's easier for them to read the setting from above without having to stoop down near the floor.

Yes, they've gone up a lot. 10 years ago, they cost me £10 each in bulk, purchased with the radiators. Got a couple for my parents a few months ago, and they're generally over twice that price today.

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Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

they were what the proper suppliers shop i got my tiny radiators from recomended, says they are the only ones the plumbers dont moan about or have hassle with, and like someone else mentioned, you can still get new heads for obsolete valves they sold ages ago,

{if anyones interested}....

my tiny radiators were something like 400 x 200 double, 700 x 300 single, and a 500 x 300 double, (think i got that the right way round, height then width) put them in me motorhome when i converted to wet central heating, had a job finding anyone who sold them that size, but a place up in grimsby had them in stock, he even checked my 'room' sizes and boiler would work well enough with them (2 meter square bathroom, 2 x 2 meter kitchen and 3 x 2 living area, all 2 meters high, plus a 20 litre hot water tank and a heater matrix with fan under the bed for the dog), Boiler is 5KW @ 85*C, (on a litre and a half of (red) diesel an hour... but it usually cycles 10 mins on 25 off once the motorhome is upto temp)

I've had no problems with the drayton trv's, and they are subjected to quite a bit more vibration, knocks and bumps than they would experience in a house,

Reply to
Gazz

I found that by going to a tiny independant plumbers merchant which held no stock, they effectively had every size, since anything you wanted was picked up from the manufacturer next morning. That included a full choice of single, 1.5, double, and triple panel radiators, and a variety of pipe connection options. I actually used 4 triple panel radiators, two with bottom entry connections, and one is only 400mm high - they were all stock items at the manufacturer. If you wanted something that wasn't a stock item (there were a few sizes made only to order), I believe it would have taken about 3 days.

These were Ultraheat compact 4 and Ultraheat compact 6 radiators. (They've still got just as crappy web page as they always have, sadly. It can be quite hard to find the links which aren't broken...)

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

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