How to control towel rads?

[Sunshine12]

Sorry, can’t figure out how to post photos?

I have a silver valve box alongside the tank & boiler which that says towel rads on - the cable from this leads to a plain white Honeywell electrical box.

The only way for the towel rads to come on is for me to manually pull the little silver piece back & leave it there.

Is it possible to add some sort of timer so that I can have some control over the towel rads?

If so, what sort of thing would I need?

I presume this is a job for an electrician?

I have taken photos but can’t get them to uploads.

thanks in advance

 

[sxturbo]

Does the valve look like this

Or this

 

[Sunshine12]

 

[sxturbo]

I think there is a timer setting in the programmer you have on the wall

 

[Sunshine12]

That timer only controls hot water & pump for kitchen tap

is it possible to put another timer on for the towel rads? If so, what sort of time clock would he need? Thanks

 

[sxturbo]

It should be automated already, likely with the heating.

It might just need a new motor unit on the top.

It needs someone to work out exactly how it's wired and what operates what.

It most certainly hasn't been wired for you to manually control, the valves are designed for that

 

[Sunshine12]

Thanks for the reply. It has never been automated as it has no time clock & was never wired up when it was all done for some reason.

what sort of thing would be needed? Thanks

 

[sxturbo]

If you remove the valve completely the towel rads will come on with your heating

 

[Sunshine12]

Ok, would I need an electrician or a plumber to sort this out?

I was hoping to be able to still have the towel rads on even when the central heating isn’t on. Is that possible? Thanks

 

[sxturbo]

You can install a 2nd programmer.

 

[Sunshine12]

2nd timer like what is already there? Is this for an electrician?

 

[sxturbo]

This will do what you need it to.

https://www.toolstation.com/honeywe...uZNCfdttEn2QXnL1i2RoCicIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

If your not confident in electrics then I would say it would be for a heating engineer. Electricians are usually useless when it comes to wiring for plumbing/boilers

 

[ianmcd]

Just latch the valve in the manual position and when your heating or HW is on the towel rads will also heat up, slide the lever over, then you will see a little latch, move the lever up and hold for a few seconds till the spring returns it slightly, and as it has never been wired up it will stay like that unless you manually release it

 

[Sunshine12]

Thanks Ian, tried that and it did work this morning.

Any recommendations for a time clock that I can have put on. Are there any compatible with wifi/app based? Or is that just gimmicky for towel rads?!

electrician said no problem to wire up, but my job to choose which timer…