Symbols on TRV Valve

[RJH]

Just noticed one of the TRVs leaking - from the pin. Tried various thumps,
twists and tightenings, but it's still weeping a little. In my spares box I've
got a number of TRVs that I've 'improved' over the years, but they have
different markings and part numbers.

They both have arrows in both directions, so bidirectional I'd guess. But they
have different part numbers (that resist google), are marked 'GB', and
different symbols. One looks like a comb (radiator?), and one looks like an
inverted 'U':

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0z5idkMwmb0Bb

Are they the same thing? They were fitted at the same time by a plumber who,
when fitting a new boiler, uprated the valves to comply with regs.

I'm going to try a quick swap without draining the system down - just emptying
the radiator and taking out as much pressure as I can. Wish me luck :-)

--
Cheers, Rob

[Matthias Czech]

Am 14.03.2021 um 12:34 schrieb RJH:
> Just noticed one of the TRVs leaking - from the pin. Tried various thumps,
> twists and tightenings, but it's still weeping a little. In my spares box I've
> got a number of TRVs that I've 'improved' over the years, but they have
> different markings and part numbers.
>
> They both have arrows in both directions, so bidirectional I'd guess. But they
> have different part numbers (that resist google), are marked 'GB', and
> different symbols. One looks like a comb (radiator?), and one looks like an
> inverted 'U':
>
> https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0z5idkMwmb0Bb
>

For the 'comb':

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keymark

[RJH]

On 14 Mar 2021 at 12:06:43 GMT, "Matthias Czech" <matthia...@t-online.de>
wrote:

Ah, thanks. Looking at the other one more closely, it's not 2 people about to
hug in a pre-Covid sort of way?!
--
Cheers, Rob

[Matthias Czech]

Am 14.03.2021 um 14:36 schrieb RJH:
[TRV]
..

>>>
>>> https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0z5idkMwmb0Bb
>>>
>> For the 'comb':
>>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keymark
>
> Ah, thanks. Looking at the other one more closely, it's not 2 people about to
> hug in a pre-Covid sort of way?!
>

Dunno. Never seen that symbol.

BTW: The stamps look very similar to the ones on this valve:
https://www.pegleryorkshire.co.uk/EN/Brands/Terrier/Terrier_3/Terrier%203/product/Angle_Pattern_TRV

Zoom in!

[John Rumm]

On 14/03/2021 11:34, RJH wrote:
> Just noticed one of the TRVs leaking - from the pin. Tried various thumps,
> twists and tightenings, but it's still weeping a little. In my spares box I've
> got a number of TRVs that I've 'improved' over the years, but they have
> different markings and part numbers.
>
> They both have arrows in both directions, so bidirectional I'd guess. But they
> have different part numbers (that resist google), are marked 'GB', and
> different symbols. One looks like a comb (radiator?), and one looks like an
> inverted 'U':
>
> https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0z5idkMwmb0Bb
>
> Are they the same thing? They were fitted at the same time by a plumber who,
> when fitting a new boiler, uprated the valves to comply with regs.

Look pretty similar from here. Both obviously TRVs, which is a good start!

> I'm going to try a quick swap without draining the system down - just emptying
> the radiator and taking out as much pressure as I can. Wish me luck :-)

You need to dump the pressure from the pipework as well - only normally
takes a few litres to do that (depending on the size of the expansion
vessel).

I normally find pushing the body of the valve against the pipework[1]
while you get the lock nut fully undone helps control any leakage, then
you can whip it off fast and get a thumb over the end of the pipe (or
swap directly to the new one).


[1] If the rad tail comes up through a suspended floor there is always
the chance it will drop down when no longer supported by the connection
to the rad - that can introduce an extra element of "complexity" to the
process of a live swap. So I normally clamp my vice grip spanner on the
pipe at floor level so that it can't move down.


--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

[Robert]

A WET (& DRY) Vacuum cleaner can do wonders in capturing any escaping water.

[RJH]

On 14 Mar 2021 at 15:06:28 GMT, "Robert" <rob...@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> On 14/03/2021 15:02, John Rumm wrote:
>> On 14/03/2021 11:34, RJH wrote:
>>> Just noticed one of the TRVs leaking - from the pin. Tried various
>>> thumps,
>>> twists and tightenings, but it's still weeping a little. In my spares
>>> box I've
>>> got a number of TRVs that I've 'improved' over the years, but they have
>>> different markings and part numbers.
>>>
>>> They both have arrows in both directions, so bidirectional I'd guess.
>>> But they
>>> have different part numbers (that resist google), are marked 'GB', and
>>> different symbols. One looks like a comb (radiator?), and one looks
>>> like an
>>> inverted 'U':
>>>
>>> https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0z5idkMwmb0Bb
>>>
>>> Are they the same thing? They were fitted at the same time by a
>>> plumber who,
>>> when fitting a new boiler, uprated the valves to comply with regs.
>>
>> Look pretty similar from here. Both obviously TRVs, which is a good start!
>>

It's the bit just below the letters GB.

>>
>>> I'm going to try a quick swap without draining the system down - just
>>> emptying
>>> the radiator and taking out as much pressure as I can. Wish me luck :-)
>>
>> You need to dump the pressure from the pipework as well - only normally
>> takes a few litres to do that (depending on the size of the expansion
>> vessel).

Remarkably painless. Took the pressure out, after isolating the boiler and
rads, using the bleed screw. Went to a dribble after about 10 minutes, maybe 2
pints.

>>
>> I normally find pushing the body of the valve against the pipework[1]
>> while you get the lock nut fully undone helps control any leakage, then
>> you can whip it off fast and get a thumb over the end of the pipe (or
>> swap directly to the new one).
>>

Ah, you say that now :-) Although it wasn't that bad, considering this is GF,
with 2 floors above. Maybe 1/2 a pint.

>>
>>
>> [1] If the rad tail comes up through a suspended floor there is always
>> the chance it will drop down when no longer supported by the connection
>> to the rad - that can introduce an extra element of "complexity" to the
>> process of a live swap. So I normally clamp my vice grip spanner on the
>> pipe at floor level so that it can't move down.
>>

Good idea - although this was 10mm looped behind the skirting, so relatively
easy to get everything lined up. Less than an hour to do, fingers crossed,
heating's on, no leaks so far.

>>
>>
> A WET (& DRY) Vacuum cleaner can do wonders in capturing any escaping water.

Yes - I see (on youtube) a lot of the trades people use them. But really,
there wasn't much water, and it was all caught using the paint roller tray.

--
Cheers, Rob