How do I remove a radiator with a 'Drayton" TRV?
jak
I am helping my father redecorate his hallway and before paint/papering we
would like to remove a radiator. I have done this in my own house many
times, without draining the system, by just closing the lockshield valve and
TRV. However, I have just looked at my dad TRV and it does not appear to
have an "off" setting. The last setting appears to be a "frost" setting
symbol.
The TRV is a 'Drayton'.
Does anyone know how to turn a Drayton TRV off? Or is the 'Frost" setting
the 'off'?
Thanks
JAK
Derek
>The TRV is a 'Drayton'.
>
>Does anyone know how to turn a Drayton TRV off? Or is the 'Frost" setting
>the 'off'?
>
The TRV would have been supplied with a grey plastic handwheel which was
screwed on instead of the actuator head to achieve a 100% shut off.
Perhaps it's still around the house somewhere unidentified?
Mine is grey, about 3cms high, 3 cms diameter with grips moulded around
the outside. The inside is hollow with with a substantial plastic pip
up the middle like the top of a ballpoint which does the business on the
valve proper.
DG
jak
to check.
Any other suggestions if (as is likely) he can't find the cap. Presumably
the cap only twists 'something' shut in TRV, could it be done some other
way? Pliers maybe?
Thanks
JAK
"Derek" <use...@miniac.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1ievru8ilsmcdqju7...@4ax.com...
Peter Watson
says...
> I don't think he's got anything like that around the home but I will ask him
> to check.
> Any other suggestions if (as is likely) he can't find the cap. Presumably
> the cap only twists 'something' shut in TRV, could it be done some other
> way? Pliers maybe?
> Thanks
> JAK
>
The thermostatic head operates the valve by pushing a pin down (remove
the head and take a look). The plastic cap is used to push this pin in
to shut it off - The thermostic head pushes it down by expansion (not
twisting).
You may be able to shut the valve off using a suitable clamping
arrangement (G clamp and a couple of bits of wood?)
Peter
Derek
>I don't think he's got anything like that around the home but I will ask him
>to check.
>Any other suggestions if (as is likely) he can't find the cap. Presumably
>the cap only twists 'something' shut in TRV, could it be done some other
>way? Pliers maybe?
It's the "Bodger" in the middle of the plastic cap that pushes on a pin
to close off the valve.
The frost setting might work, especially if you warmed up the sensor
head. But there's a question of how well it will seal after a few years
of service.
I have a vague recollection of using a thin foreign coin on top of the
pin in the valve to get a bit of extra shutting effort.
DG
Andy Hall
>I don't think he's got anything like that around the home but I will ask him
>to check.
>Any other suggestions if (as is likely) he can't find the cap. Presumably
>the cap only twists 'something' shut in TRV, could it be done some other
>way? Pliers maybe?
>Thanks
>JAK
>
>
Be very careful. The operating piece is normally a thin plunger with
a very small travel (about 3mm). If you are heavy handed you can
bend the pin and then you've had it - drain down and new valve.
SOmething soft like a piece of wood with a small hole drilled to a
short depth and then clamped on carefully is the safest I can think of
without the cap.
Remember also that there may be a greater or lesser amount of sludge
at the bottom of the radiators and that this will come out when you
remove the radiator. Being a mix of iron compounds it is a very
effective dye so make sure you have plenty of items to catch the water
and grot and lots of newspaper and plastic sheet.
Alan Goodman
"jak" <j...@hoerbiger.co.uk> wrote:
Most, but all, TRVs allow you to remove the thermostatic head and
replace with a mechanical hood as described by the other posters in this
thead. I have just replaced a TRV while decorating that did not have
this option. I decided that it was worth the effort to drain the system
just to replace this abominable design failing.
On another occasion when we had supposedly professional plumbers in the
guy did exactly what you suggested and set the TRV on the frost mark
with the radiator removed. As you would have guessed it was very cold
that night, frosty even, and the valve opened and started flooding. My
only option on short notice was to plug in a hot air blower heater to
keep the TRV closed until the next morning. I initally used a hair dryer
while I hunted around the garage for the heater.
So check if you can replace the head as suggested.
If not then either (a) do this in the summer or (b) make sure that you
keep the valve warm with a hair dryer or equivalent. But you may be
better off just draining the system and getting a better designed TRV as
I did.
Alan
====
" There is hardly anything in the world that some one cannot make a
little worse, and sell a little cheaper ", John Ruskin (1819-1900)
raden
<j...@hoerbiger.co.uk> writes
--
raden
raden
<pe...@pwatson.org> writes
I would not trust a TRV not to leak (from experience). A Piece of 15mm
pipe with an end cap,. nut and olive would be your best approach
--
raden
Mike Tomlinson
<j...@hoerbiger.co.uk> writes
>The TRV is a 'Drayton'.
>
>Does anyone know how to turn a Drayton TRV off? Or is the 'Frost" setting
>the 'off'?
Yes, it is.
I have decorated two rooms in this house, which has Drayton TRVs, and
took the radiators off the wall to paper behind. The "frost" setting
shut off the water OK. This was during the summer though.
Count the number of turns it takes to shut the lockshield valve opposite
the TRV, and use the same number of turns to re-open it when you have
rehung the radiator. If you have microbore pipework, be very careful
not to damage the pipes while they are hanging loose, or twist the TRV
on its pipe and break the seal - it's easily done.
On a related subject - a couple of our Drayton TRVs jam closed
occasionally and they need a few whacks with a screwdriver handle, a
squirt of WD40 into the internals, plus some energetic working back and
forth to free them off. Does anyone know if this is a common fault?
--
Security-wise, NT is a server with a 'Kick me'
sign taped to it. -- Peter Gutmann
Mike Tomlinson
<hu...@nospam.huge.org.uk> writes
>If the temperature in the room falls below the "frost" setting, the valve
>will open and piss water all over the floor of the bathroom you're
>refurbishing. Believe me, I know.
Which is why I decorate in summer. :)
[jamming TRVs]
>Yes. I replace them when they do this.
ta.