TRV causing radiator vibration
I have been having huge problems with the TRV on one of my radiators. It is installed using a M28x1.5 adapter which I had to cut the pin down a little to shorten as it was too proud. I have two radiators using this adapter. One is fine but the other one sporadically causes a loud vibration that sounds like drilling, it is irregular and hard to reproduce. Has disturbed the neighbours! Have tried all combinations of tightening and reinstalling but after a day or two it always comes back. I suspect this is an issue more with radiator than the tado, I don’t want to replace the valve head and am not sure if that will help.
Does anyone have any idea to help dampen these vibrations?
Many thanks
Ed
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https://ibb.co/gtyj0y30
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Might be worth checking if the trv's flow direction ( the way the water flows through it) if this is not correct it can cause the noises you mention.
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Thank you.
I do wonder if this the problem. The end of the radiator with the lock shield valve warms up before the end with the TRV, which means the TRV is on the flow rather than return side?
I understand most new TRVs are bidirectional now but although this radiator is fairly new there is no arrow market I can see on the TRV.
Have put the old Manual head back on the TRV and can elicit the grinding noise intermittently so it’s not the tado. Sounds like a plumber is in my future!
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Pretty sure thats your problem, try adjusting the flow by adjusting the lock shield valve and see if it makes any improvement. Bear in mind if the system has been balanced then any adjustments will make it 'unbalanced'.
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Would you open up the lock shield valve it close it?0
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Close it all the way down noting how many turns ( put back to this after experimenting) then open half turn or so, keep incrementing by 1/4 turn until sound stops.
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Have you solved your problem? How? I am having the same issue as well. Thanks
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I've experienced this and can confirm that, in my case, it is due to the one way valve being fitted the wrong way round on the return from the radiator instead of the flow. So much for professional installers. However, with the installation now being 34 years old, it is only since fitting Tado that the problem has emerged.
I've cured one radiator by replacing theTRV with a bi-directional valve. I still have one misbehaving radiator, but that is in a seldom used room, so I just leave the radiator turned fully off for now instead of at low temperature of 16C. I will fix it at some point. Options are -
1) replace the valve with a bi-directional version
2) swap the valve to the other end of the rad
3) reverse the valve itself at the same end of the rad
The downside with option 3 is that the Tado SRT would then stick out horizontally instead of vertically. There are pros and cons to that, functionally superior, aesthetically inferior. I will probably swap ends over summer.
Most of the time the problem does not occur, but when Tado almost closes the valve it can cause hammering as the valve jitters with the water flowing in the wrong direction for the design of the valve. So this is not a fault of Tado, it is a fault of the valve body installation beneath the Tado head. Tado just creates the unfortunate condition to provoke the noise from the poorly fitted valve.
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I recorded a video of my problem before replacing the valve. Is this anything like the sound you hear?
FWIW the other troublesome radiator (dining room) can send its vibrations through the pipework so that it can sound as though the problem is still in the living room, but the living room is definitely fixed.
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I needed to change my valves to fix it.0
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I too get really loud random hammering sounds on some of the rads, which only stops when I press down hard on the top of the tado valve or switch off that radiator. Tado was installed with these new radiators , replacing very old rads. Are the valves part of the new radiators? Should I go back to my installer and what should I say. Thanks.0
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The valve is not part of the radiator, but it is the part where water enters and leaves the radiator.
Some are designed so that water can pass in either direction without problem, so it doesn't matter which end of the radiator they are fitted.
Others, possibly older designs, must be fitted with the water flow in a specific direction. If they are fitted the wrong way round (at the wrong end of the rad) they can make a hammering sound at certain opening positions.
You should see an arrow on the side of the valve to indicate the designed flow direction. Bidirectional valves will have a double arrow to show flow allowed in either direction. Example below.
If you have a unidirectional valve fitted the wrong way round you need to reverse it, swap ends or replace it with something more appropriate.
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