New Radiator for living room

[spiidey]

We'd like to purchase a new (bigger) radiator for our living room, we currently have 2 radiators in there but the room never feels quite as warm as it should, therefore would like to replace the smaller of the two radiators with with a bigger one.

We'd like therefore to be able to keep the heating at, say 20 degrees on the main thermostat in the hallway but for the living room to be a bit warmer.

We have thermostatic valves on each radiator, apart from the radiator in the hallway.

If we did replace the small radiator in the living room with a bigger one, would this actually work (i.e. how do the thermostatic valves work in relation to the main thermostat)?

 

[Armo74]

Firstly you need to calculate the heat loss for the room to ensure you get the right size radiator otherwise you will never be happy with it's performance, there are heat loss calculation websites that you can use which are pretty accurate. The TRV's have nothing to do with the main thermostat they measure the room temperature in the room that they are situated in,they are either filled with wax or a liquid which expand's with the room temperature as the room get's hotter the wax expand's and closes the valve and as the temperature drops the wax retract's and open's the valve. It is normal practice now to have the room stat in the living room now because that is the room that usually people want to be the most comfortable.

 

[spiidey]

Firstly you need to calculate the heat loss for the room to ensure you get the right size radiator otherwise you will never be happy with it's performance, there are heat loss calculation websites that you can use which are pretty accurate. The TRV's have nothing to do with the main thermostat they measure the room temperature in the room that they are situated in,they are either filled with wax or a liquid which expand's with the room temperature as the room get's hotter the wax expand's and closes the valve and as the temperature drops the wax retract's and open's the valve. It is normal practice now to have the room stat in the living room now because that is the room that usually people want to be the most comfortable.

Thanks for the reply.

So how do the TRV's work then if they're not linked to the main thermostat?

Say example 1 I've got the main thermostat in the hallway at 20 degrees. What do the TRV's do / limit the temperature in the Living Room to?

Then say example 2 I've got the main thermostat in the hallway at 25 degrees. What do the TRV's do / limit the temperature in the Living Room to?


I'll have a look for the heat loss calculator, if anyone has any links to the best available then that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Armo74]

The TRV's control the temperature in the room which they are in. You can adjust this by turning the valve which has numbers on it the higher the number the hotter the room temperature. Try radcalc.com.

 

[spiidey]

The TRV's control the temperature in the room which they are in. You can adjust this by turning the valve which has numbers on it the higher the number the hotter the room temperature.

Yes I do understand that, they have a dial from 0/off to cool to 1 to 5.

My query is if they are set to 5 (i.e. hottest), then what do the TRV's do to the temperature in the living room when the main thermostat in the hallway is set to 20 degrees and what do they do (different) to the temperature in the living room when the main thermostat in the hallway is set to 25 degrees?

 

[denso13]

If the hall stat is set lower than the TRVs then the heating will shut off as the hall stat is satisfied. In this case the TRVs will not reach their set temperature as the whole heating will be shut off by the hall stat.

If the TRVs are set lowere than the hall stat then they will shut off the living room radiators before the hall stat is satisfied. In this case the heating will stay on but the living room rads will be off.

 

[spiidey]

If the hall stat is set lower than the TRVs then the heating will shut off as the hall stat is satisfied. In this case the TRVs will not reach their set temperature as the whole heating will be shut off by the hall stat.

If the TRVs are set lowere than the hall stat then they will shut off the living room radiators before the hall stat is satisfied. In this case the heating will stay on but the living room rads will be off.

That makes sense. So what temperature do the numbers 1 to 5 on the TRV's correspond to?

 

[Armo74]

Living room one's are usually set to about No 4 which is approx 21 degrees.

 

[spiidey]

Living room one's are usually set to about No 4 which is approx 21 degrees.

Is there anywhere that I can get guidance on TRV values/settings?

 

[denso13]

Example here http://www.honeywelluk.com/Documents/Reference-Guide/pdf/919.pdf but it will depend which ones you have and how they are fitted. They won't be exact figures.