Replacment TRV /head

[MickyMann]

We've a utility room radiator with 10mm pipework; fitted about 6 years ago it has a BOSS TRV which has failed (sensor plunger just flops around as if the wax sensor has leaked) and the radiator is always "on".
I don't consider 6 years a reasonable life so I'm reluctant to buy another BOSS head (or whole valve) only to have to replace it in another 6 years.
Alternative 10mm valves seem thin on the ground so I was tempted to change to a 15mm valve with a suitable pipe adaptor and use a known "good" brand TRV, but because the 10mm pipes come out of a stud wall about 35mm below the valves via a 90 degree elbow and within the wall the 10mm copper couples to plastic pipe, unsoldering the 10mm elbow & resoldering a 15mm adaptor may well damage the concealed plastic/copper coupling.
Using a big-name valve with a 10/15mm fitting is out of the question because the short stub of 10mm pipe above the elbow would need the olive removing and cutting the pipe off below the olive wouldn't leave enough pipe for the adaptor & a new olive.
An unwelcome solution would be to cut a hole in the plasterboard to access the copper/plastic coupling before unsoldering and then make good the wall (wife extremely unhappy with this idea!).
A far easier/cheaper option (but no so practical for comfort) would be to leave as is and simply use the lockshield to limit the flow.

My questions are....
1. Are BOSS reliable and have I just been very unlucky? (and I can simply replace the head with another BOSS one!)
2. Does anyone know of a reliable brand whose sensor-head would be directly interchangeable?

 

[CBW]

Plenty of 10mm TRV’s on the market. Decent Brands are: Pegler, Drayton, Danfoss, Myson, Honeywell. You may be able to get a head swap, but could fall unlucky with that too. 6 years isn’t too bad, I’ve replaced some valves that are 2 years old.

 

[MickyMann]

Thanks

 

[ericmark]

I used eQ-3 electronic bluetooth heads which cost me £15 each and came with a pack so will fit many makes of TRV valves.

 

[Mister Banks]

Do TRV's have a finite working life, the ones on my radiators are 26 years old.

 

[ericmark]

Do TRV's have a finite working life, the ones on my radiators are 26 years old.

In the main they fail when they stick due to non use. I know my TRV's exercise once a week for the ones 12 noon Saturday which is claimed to stop them sticking.

Old house must be some 30 years old, need changing as the screw head is not M30 x 1.5 mm, but larger so can't fit electronic heads, but they still work OK. There is an adaptor kit with the new electronic heads, but not for very old heads.

 

[Mister Banks]

My TRV's are all Honeywell and I can still buy replacement heads.

 

[MickyMann]

All the other radiators in the house are fitted with bayonet-type fitting15mm Danfoss TRVs; they're all still working after at least 27 years. Not impressed with BOSS!

 

[Madrab]

One thing you do need to be careful about, not all TRV heads are made equal.

Some TRV heads wont work properly on other TRV valves, in effect they won't close down the valve fully. This is usually down to either the centre pin on the valve or the actuator don't project the same distance as some and therefore can't shut the valve off.