Drayton TRVs

[Alfie25]

I'm going to be getting some new radiators fitted and have been looking at these Drayton trvs. Some places say they're one of the best trvs but quite a few say they become brittle after as little as two years and the base of the head shears off the knurled nut. So is it best to avoid these or have a few people just been unlucky? Or can anyone recommend another brand. My only experience is with a couple of cheap Alitech ones which make a bad ticking sound when closing the valve so I'm keen to get a better brand this time.

 

[TCCHeating]

Danfoss rasc2 are a good price and never had a problem with them. They are trully bi directional as well as you manually select the direction of flow.

 

[Whitespirit66]

+1 for rasc2.

Good comprimise between quality and price, from a proper manufacturer.

 

[Alfie25]

Do the Draytons and the Danfoss TRVs have a setting to shut fully off? (i.e. '0')

 

[Whitespirit66]

Just checked on the rad next to me, and the RASC has a definite off/'0' position.

 

[Steelmasons]

Just checked on the rad next to me, and the RASC has a definite off/'0' position.

Until you remove a rad without capping valve......it will pizz out if room temp drops.

Best valves on the market but if going on a filthy system then valve orifice is prone to blockages due to 8mm orifice , more often than not system doesn't require balancing when using these valves , although if system require a narrow temp differential then radiator outputs will be limited.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Just checked on the rad next to me, and the RASC has a definite off/'0' position.

Until you remove a rad without capping valve......it will pizz out if room temp drops.

No, it also has a '*' frost setting specifically for flooding the house.

Always best to cap though.

 

[Steelmasons]

No, it also has a '*' frost setting specifically for flooding the house. .

...and you trust it not to let-by??

Seen many TRV's that will leak on frost setting or 'off/low'

 

[Alfie25]

Funnily enough I visited a friend today who has the Danfoss ras c2 fitted throughout. We took a head off so I could have a closer look and uncovered the pin all scaled up as per the pic below. Had a look at another one and it was just the same. Looks like they're letting by/leaking??? They're no more than 5 years old.

Untitled

• Alfie25
• 13 Apr 2014
• 1

 

[Gasguru]

And I guarantee it's been overdosed with cleaner, not flushed properly or just a rotten system full of carp.

Historically the Draytons are far more prone to leakage around the spindles than the Danfoss and Honeywell TRVs.

 

[Agile]

I see a lot of Draytons and virtually never see any leaking at the spindle!

The TRV4s also virtually never have a sticking pin as the spring is much stronger.

Tony

 

[Terry lambert]

I've see loads of Draytons sticking

 

[Alfie25]

Well I'd have been tempted by the Drayton TRV4 were it not for the fact it cannot be totally shut off. They only go down as low as the frost setting.

 

[mogget]

I've got TRV4's, they do stick a little but always manage to work themselves open. They come with a decorator's cap which can be used to shut them off positively.

 

[DavidLewis]

I have TRV4s throughout my house, but I'm not happy with them. Many of them have leaked a sticky substance (luckily onto laminate flooring and dark carpet, not the cream carpets - yet!). Is this normal?

Six of the TRV4s were fitted in about 1998. We extended the house in 2008, adding seven new ones to cover all the radiators in the house.

In 2011 we noticed pools of sticky goo underneath two of the TRV4s. I removed the heads, and checked that the pins moved down and up freely - they did. So I fitted two new replacement heads.

In 2012 we noticed more sticky goo (one of them was under even one of the previously-replaced heads). I bought four further replacement heads.

Now, more of the heads are leaking goo.

Do they just do this? Or is there anything I can have done wrong? I'm inclined not to throw good money after bad by buying more TRV4 heads, so I'll probably replace all the valves with Danfoss ones if that's the forum's recommendation...

Thanks,