Radiator Fitting - Problem With Valve Adapters

Tony Jaques · Apr 23, 2015

                 Radiator fitting problems

    I am sorry if my lack of experience results in my posing
stupid questions, but here goes:
1.
   My new central heating radiator has internally threaded
holes about three quarters of an inch in diameter at both
ends.
2.
   The Lockshield valve on the old radiator has an external
thread of about an inch in diameter (there being a nut on
the old radiator). Obviously this will not couple to the new
radiator. I am guessing, but there seems to be an adapter
between the valve and the old radiator, buried under several
layers of paint. If I am right then what is this adapter
called so that I may buy one - if I can't persuade the
original one to come off the old radiator?

3.
   At the other end there is a fairly new TRV. Here the
situation is similar, in that the external thread on the TRV
is about three quarters of an inch in diameter, again with a
captive nut on the radiator. Again there may be an adapter
but in this case it is buried in rusty paint!
   In case I can't persuade that off what do I ask for?

   Looking at the illustrations in the Screwfix and Tool
station catalogues it appears that when TRV and Lockshield
valves are bought they come with these "adapter" pieces, so
I suppose that I could buy these just for the adapters and
throw the valves away, but this leads to another question:

4.
   Are the parts that I need standardised - that is will
they fit my existing TRV and Lockshield valve?
   I am assuming that the 10/15mm is a reference to the
supply pipe and not relevant for me.

   So, sorry if I am a pain but as the experienced will
readily see, I need some help!

Thank you.
Tony...

NozSpark · Apr 23, 2015

I don't think you can buy the stubs as a seperate item,,, they come with new valves.

The old standard had a 1" fitting,,, the new ones are all 15mm

You may need to buy a tool to remove the old stub but new ones just screw in,,, use plenty of ptfe tape..

SPECIAL LOCATION · Apr 23, 2015

If you have just invested money in a new radiator, you are best getting new valves as well IMHO...

As Noz said new valves have the right bits to connect to the radiator....

But you should be able to remove the old ones if you really want to, unless they have corroded in!

The inner bore of the stub may have a hex profile to take a drain key (or chunky Allen key)..

Or there may be a flat profile on the stem that a narrow spanner can fit around.

But new rad & new valves is the best solution to avoiding leaky joints IMHO!

opcorn

kerching · Apr 23, 2015

Some of the older ones have a Hex hole AND two ribs sticking out...so you need a hex key with two grooves in it......PITA!

Of it was me I would swap the lot as they fail over time anyway

Just avoiding soggy carpets

Tony Jaques · Apr 24, 2015

Hello to all three of you.

     Thank you very much for taking the trouble to post those very helpful replies.

      Indeed I did find that the pieces that I needed were not available separately, but it only cost me £9 to buy

both valves from B & Q. Looking at the price of typical adapter bits that is barely more than the adapters

would have been if I had been able to buy them.

      Thank you for the tip about the allen key. As essentially an electronics man I didn't have one anywhere

near that big. But it was easy to find and quite cheap.

      I take the point about replacing the lot, but leaving the existing valves in place did enable me to do the job

without turning the water off, and of course it became just a "nut and bolt" job. I may regret the decision later

but I will see how it goes.

     So, thank you gentlemen; the help was much appreciated.

Tony...

kerching · Apr 24, 2015

Thank you for getting back to us.....

90% do not

We assume this is because they had "unpleasantness" in their attempts....or died failing

Just saying