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Tampered thermostat radiator valve control head

Hi,



One of my house mates has intentionally broke a couple of thermostat

radiator valve control heads, so that they are permanently on. I am rather furious

that he has done this because the rooms are hardly used and they leak a

large amount of heat. He has also done this on the sly hoping that i

wouldnt find out.



Fortunately, he has gone on holiday for a few weeks otherwise i would

have an argument with him and there would be tension in the house for

quite some time. I want to repair these valves before he gets back

without replacing them and without calling a plumber.



The control heads are Caleffi 200. The heads can completely rotate

between fully off and on but like i said, the radiator is always on

regardless of the setting that the valve is on.



This is a picture of the control head

<a href="http://www.caleffi.com/Resources/cale_immagini/200_th.jpg">http://www.caleffi.com/Resources/cale_immagini/200_th.jpg</a>



And this is the good piece of documentation i have i have been able to find.

<a href="http://www.caleffi.it/en_IT/Technical_brochures/01034/01034.pdf">http://www.caleffi.it/en_IT/Technical_brochures/01034/01034.pdf</a>

There is a good diagram of the control head on page 3.





Does anyone know how he might have broken the head? And does anyone

know how i can the remove plastic shell/housing without damaging it so i

can fix it?





Any help is much appreciated.



Rob

Comments

  • Shocker
    Shocker Member Posts: 5
    Also.....

    Might i add, that i have had a look at the control heads and i cant work it out.
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
    5 Bucks says....

    He loosened the knerled nut that holds the TRV operator tight to the valve body.



    Turn the thermostat setting to 0 or below. Lift the head of the TRV so it is square and plumb to the valve body. Tighten the nut finger tight.



    Turn the radiator to 2.5 to 3 and see how it controls the rooms comfort needs...



    Buy a book or a brick on your way out :-) And if that doesn't work, come back.



    ME
    It's not so much a case of "You got what you paid for", as it is a matter of "You DIDN'T get what you DIDN'T pay for, and you're NOT going to get what you thought you were in the way of comfort". Borrowed from Heatboy.
  • Shocker
    Shocker Member Posts: 5
    reply to mark

    Thanks for your post. I am unsure what a TRV operator is.



    I have found exactly what he has done, he has taken the control head off and removed the pin that presses down on the valve. The little rat!
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
    TRV =

    Thermostatic Radiator Valve. It's the big white thingy with the numbers on it.



    To the best of my knowledge, you can simply remove the pin. If you do, it will leak. He might have sawed it off with a hack saw or something.



    In any case, was it sitting loosely on the radiator? It shouldn't be loose.



    Got pictures?



    ME
    It's not so much a case of "You got what you paid for", as it is a matter of "You DIDN'T get what you DIDN'T pay for, and you're NOT going to get what you thought you were in the way of comfort". Borrowed from Heatboy.
  • Shocker
    Shocker Member Posts: 5
    Photos

    Here are some photos that i took of the tampered control valve, a normal valve, and how it all looks together.



    This is a picture of the top of control head removed off the radiator

    http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z106/Shockerr87/Random/P1020408.jpg



    This is a picture of the tampered control head showing that there is no pin

    http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z106/Shockerr87/Random/P1020410.jpg



    This is a picture of a good untampered control head showing that there is a pin

    http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z106/Shockerr87/Random/P1020411.jpg



    This is a picture of the radiator valve without the control head on it.

    http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z106/Shockerr87/Random/P1020414.jpg



    This is a picture of it all on the radiator.

    http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z106/Shockerr87/Random/P1020415.jpg





    The control head wasnt loose on the radiator valve although i found the nut or what ever its proper name was not tight. I think because of the design of the radiator valve, that the control heads can easily be removed and replaced without sacrificing the seal and therefore no leak.



    I tried pulling the pin out with some pliers on a good control head. It didnt seem to want to come out with only a small force being applied. I didnt want to apply a larger force because i didnt want to break the control head. Do you think my housemate could have knackered the head by forcing the pin out?
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
    edited December 2010
    Got them,

    It looks as though your roomy pulled the plastic actuator pin out of the valve actuator (TRV body). Never seen that before. You might look around and see if he saved it. If he did, you can put it back in and it should be fine.



    You can order a new replacement head and it should be OK. I don't think thye sell just the actuator link.



    I'd recommend you carefully chastise your roomy and explain to him that if he sets the TRV for 3.5 and the room still doesn't warm up, that the problem is someplace else, like the boiler room...



    I owe you 5 $ :-) But you'll have to come to Denver CO to collect. ;-(



    ME
    It's not so much a case of "You got what you paid for", as it is a matter of "You DIDN'T get what you DIDN'T pay for, and you're NOT going to get what you thought you were in the way of comfort". Borrowed from Heatboy.
  • Unknown
    edited December 2010
    Mark

    Those links work for me,,,,, it appears he removed the pin from the control head,,, not the valve body. ;-)
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
    edited December 2010
    Gotcha Dave...

    I went back and edited my post. When I first tried, it just hung forever... Finally made the connection.



    We agree,, the jerk jerked the pin link out of theTRV body :-)



    The house boiler is probably on a set back, as most European systems are,and he wanted heat when HE wanted heat....





    Some peoples kids...



    ME
    It's not so much a case of "You got what you paid for", as it is a matter of "You DIDN'T get what you DIDN'T pay for, and you're NOT going to get what you thought you were in the way of comfort". Borrowed from Heatboy.
  • Shocker
    Shocker Member Posts: 5
    Pin found?

    And that is exactly what i did. I think ive found the pins but im not 100% sure that they are them though and if they are i  have no idea to them back without breaking the unit.



    http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z106/Shockerr87/Random/Photo-0168.jpg



    It can be seen in this picture that there is a thread inside.

    http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z106/Shockerr87/Random/Photo-0169.jpg
  • Pin

    Never had one of those apart,, but anything`s possible!

    If he took-it apart without breaking anything, you should be able to do the same.

    Hot Rod is a Caleffi guy,,, maybe he could help steer you.
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