removing a radiator - how do i shut the valve

[lorraine]

hi,

I am currently painting one of the rooms in my flat and want to get the radiator off the wall. So I went to b and q and watched the demo on how to get the radiator off. it looked fairly straightforward, shut both valves and then undo the nuts.

only problem is i don't know how to shut one of the valves off. I have managed to close the lockshield valve but i don't know how to do the other one?

the guy at b and q had a valve that you just tighten by hand to the "off" position. but mine looks like a valve with a kind of pin coming through the centre of a hex bolt. its got a green plastic shroud over the top of it and a small grey plastic screw in thingy on the end. (sorry i can't be more specific than that, I work in a bank )

anyone got any ideas?

lorraine

 

[kevplumb]

take the shroud off

 

[doitall]

Tihnk she discribes a thermostatic valve without the head on very well



An old Honeywell, leave the cap on screw the bit in the middle down,

That will be £35.00 please

 

[kevplumb]

knew the green cap was a giveway couldnt remember tho

 

[lorraine]

thanks kevplumb and doitall.

when you say leave the cap on and screw the middle down, do you mean the hex bolt inside or the splined things?

sorry for asking such newbie questions, i just don't want to flood the place.

Lorraine

 

[chrishutt]

I think the green shrouds came with Danfoss TRVs, until fairly recently. Screw down small grey plastic screw in green shroud - that will close valve by pushing pin down fully (assuming shroud is properly attached to valve body - if loose it wil not work).

 

[lorraine]

thanks chris,

i suspect I shall need a new valve, as the green shround is loose. when i screw the grey plastic, it isn't pushing on the pin

lorraine

 

[chrishutt]

You could try pushing the shroud back on - if you push down on it hard enough, it should "clip" back on, then you can use the grey screw.

 

[doitall]

Could alway's get the thermostatic head and fit it

or;

take a head off one of the other rads and use that .

Your probably right about the make Chris, that's the trouble with us west country folk, very short memory

 

[ChrisR]

If you're feeling butch, just loosen the radiator unions a bit , lift the rad off its hooks and "fold" it down to the floor. SOMetimes you can't lift the rad because of the pipes under the boards, but it saves some hassle if it works.

Vaillant trv innerds are green. Not a lot of people know that!

 

[chrishutt]

I didn't even know that Vaillant made TRVs! Any chance of Lorraine giving us more detail on the valve - what is written on the valve body? Maybe post a photo?

 

[doitall]

hows that

 

[chrishutt]

Thanks Doitall.

So is that a Vaillant TRV? It looks just like the old Danfoss type but without the nickel plating. Anyway we need Lorraine to say if it's the same as her's.

 

[doitall]

That is the old pattern danfoss trv

 

[lorraine]

hi everyone, thanks loads for the help. i thought the best thing to do would be to take a picture of it. So here it is

I tried pushing the green thing back on as hard as i could but its still popping off if i screw the grey thing in. I went to the plumb centre and they said it was best to drain the system down and change the valve.

I read up on this and I think i have a normal vented system, would it just be a case of closing the valve for the tank in the loft (I have two, so the smaller one). then undoing the drain plug? and then refilling is just closing all of the valves and letting the float go in the loft tank?

thanks once again for all your help. I have learned so much in just a few days that I have decided to enrol on a basic plumbing course in september. I hope i'm not the only woman on it

lorraine