Thermostat

2012paddy2012

Hi I got these put on all my rads couple of years ago never used them once complete waste of time !
2 things what is correct name of them?
Can I whip them off easily and just stick the turn on/off white cap switches you see on most rads ? Is it a big job? Mindful of leaking etc thanks

Paddy

Effects

If you don't bother using them then what's the point in replacing them?

2012paddy2012

Effects wrote: »

If you don't bother using them then what's the point in replacing them?

Sell em

Effects

They aren't worth the price of a standard valve now, never mind cost of labour replacing them.

freddyuk

They will work if they are not blocked with dust and dirt and also not switched off. So grab the serrated/knurled ring and undo this anti clockwise. This removes the complete white thermostat. It will not leak. On the valve left on the radiator check the small pin can be pressed in freely - it is spring loaded.
Clean the thermostat so air can freely move through the white housing. A vacuum hoover and brush is good for this.

Replace the thermostat and tighten the knurled ring firmly hand tight . Make sure the Arrow is facing forward/up so you can see the setting.

Turn the thermostat housing until the arrow points to the 5 lines. Switch on the heating and the radiator should get hot. Very hot. Then turn the thermostat housing until the arrow points to number 1 and the rad will turn itself off when the temperature in the room gets to maybe 16 - 17c. You need to check the instructions to find the temperature set points. You can adjust by hand and when the room gets to the temperature you want you then set the thermostat to switch off at this point so trial and error but very simple to do. Thus now you can set all your radiators to switch off in each room at a temperature that suits if the boiler is running. Your room thermostats, if you have any, will over ride these units but if you only have one room thermostat then the bedroom radiators can be set to switch off at a lower temperature while the lounge is still getting warmer. Very simple and effective basic control of your heating system.

2012paddy2012

freddyuk wrote: »

They will work if they are not blocked with dust and dirt and also not switched off. So grab the serrated/knurled ring and undo this anti clockwise. This removes the complete white thermostat. It will not leak. On the valve left on the radiator check the small pin can be pressed in freely - it is spring loaded.
Clean the thermostat so air can freely move through the white housing. A vacuum hoover and brush is good for this.

Replace the thermostat and tighten the knurled ring firmly hand tight . Make sure the Arrow is facing forward/up so you can see the setting.

Turn the thermostat housing until the arrow points to the 5 lines. Switch on the heating and the radiator should get hot. Very hot. Then turn the thermostat housing until the arrow points to number 1 and the rad will turn itself off when the temperature in the room gets to maybe 16 - 17c. You need to check the instructions to find the temperature set points. You can adjust by hand and when the room gets to the temperature you want you then set the thermostat to switch off at this point so trial and error but very simple to do. Thus now you can set all your radiators to switch off in each room at a temperature that suits if the boiler is running. Your room thermostats, if you have any, will over ride these units but if you only have one room thermostat then the bedroom radiators can be set to switch off at a lower temperature while the lounge is still getting warmer. Very simple and effective basic control of your heating system.

Thanks for that very interesting reply. I didn't realise this. I wasn't told anything about them when they were fitted. This may help me in a problem I have ! In my kitchen I have three big rads. I always want them on every morning however I want these 3 in the kitchen to switch off (without having to physical turn each one off )in evening when I have the multi fuel stove on. Really I want the rest of the house rads on for kids ... Except kitchen (when stove on) ... There is a thermostat in hall... I'm sure I could connect it to controls (boiler) in kitchen and disconnect hall altogether .... Could I manipulate the heating sine way this way (if you folow) heating only zone HW @ CH .... To work as I say above! Thks

freddyuk

If you set the rad thermostats correctly then the rads in the kitchen will switch off when the stove is lit as the room temperature rises and this is what they measure individually. They do not care where the heat actually comes from.
Thermostat is in the hall because it is the least affected area to measure "ambient" temperature and is normally cooler then other rooms. It should not be near a radiator or doorway. So set this to 17-19c. It is likely the rooms will be warmer than this as you are living in them giving off heat, the kitchen will be giving off heat from cookers etc. and computers, TV's etc. all give off heat.
The bedroom rads will be set to switch off at about 16c so will never get too hot.
If the hallway is up to temperature then the rest of the rooms should be at the temperature you want/need and then the boiler is switched off by this room stat.
You can play around until it is all comfortable. Buy a simple thermometer to get room temperatures.
Ensure at least one radiator does not have a Radiator thermostat fitted. Normally the bathroom or towel rail? This ensures that if all the rads are switched off as the rooms are up to temperature but the room stat is "on" the bolier can still pump the water round the system.
Installing programmable room stats is better but you need to re plumb system to get different heating zones in the house and control them separately.

2012paddy2012

freddyuk wrote: »

If you set the rad thermostats correctly then the rads in the kitchen will switch off when the stove is lit as the room temperature rises and this is what they measure individually. They do not care where the heat actually comes from.
Thermostat is in the hall because it is the least affected area to measure "ambient" temperature and is normally cooler then other rooms. It should not be near a radiator or doorway. So set this to 17-19c. It is likely the rooms will be warmer than this as you are living in them giving off heat, the kitchen will be giving off heat from cookers etc. and computers, TV's etc. all give off heat.
The bedroom rads will be set to switch off at about 16c so will never get too hot.
If the hallway is up to temperature then the rest of the rooms should be at the temperature you want/need and then the boiler is switched off by this room stat.
You can play around until it is all comfortable. Buy a simple thermometer to get room temperatures.
Ensure at least one radiator does not have a Radiator thermostat fitted. Normally the bathroom or towel rail? This ensures that if all the rads are switched off as the rooms are up to temperature but the room stat is "on" the bolier can still pump the water round the system.
Installing programmable room stats is better but you need to re plumb system to get different heating zones in the house and control them separately.

Thanks would that not mean that when stove is off / in mornings / and boiler is set to come on at 7am would the kitchen rads not be very cool ?

freddyuk

If the kitchen is cool the rads will be "on" if the boiler is on. They are measuring the kitchen room temperature so in the mornings the valves are fully open until the kitchen is warm (depending on the setting you have on the stats) when they will switch off.

2012paddy2012

freddyuk wrote: »

If the kitchen is cool the rads will be "on" if the boiler is on. They are measuring the kitchen room temperature so in the mornings the valves are fully open until the kitchen is warm (depending on the setting you have on the stats) when they will switch off.

R u a plumber

Effects

He's telling you how thermostatic valves work. I had assumed you knew but just didn't want them. I had a few fitted to rads in my house. One in a bedroom that I added 60mm of insulation to the floor. It's warmer than the rest of the bedrooms so wanted to control it. Another I fitted to the sitting room with open fire. That way when the fire is on the room heats a lot from that and the valve turns down the output from the radiator automatically. Works really well for me.

2012paddy2012

Effects wrote: »

He's telling you how thermostatic valves work. I had assumed you knew but just didn't want them. I had a few fitted to rads in my house. One in a bedroom that I added 60mm of insulation to the floor. It's warmer than the rest of the bedrooms so wanted to control it. Another I fitted to the sitting room with open fire. That way when the fire is on the room heats a lot from that and the valve turns down the output from the radiator automatically. Works really well for me.

Oh ya great reply I am going to print it out and give it a bash tonight thks all