Decorative TRV Caps?

Chunky · Feb 19, 2020

Does anyone know a good source for decorative chrome TRV replacement caps?

I'm slowly working my way through a property, putting all the rads on to a manifold system with local thermostats, manifold flow meters, adjustment for balancing and electrical actuators for each room. So the TRV heads now need to come off and be replaced by something just to acts as a decorative cap. Not the service cap type that closes the valve, but something that will leave it fully open without looking an eyesore. Replacing them with chrome lockshields is a non-starter, the old valves need to stay.

I know I've seen them somewhere, but can't for the life of me remember where? I imagine soemwehre like B&Q will ahve them but they'll cost a fortune for a bit of shiny plastic.

ShaunCorbs · Feb 19, 2020

Change the trvs for lockshield only way im afraid also less chance of them leaking later on

Chunky · Feb 19, 2020

As per original question - changing isn't an option. Not sure what the leak issue is, but there's more chance of a leak with a changed valve on old olives, I would have thought.

ShaunCorbs · Feb 20, 2020

May I ask why it isn’t an option ?

Gasmk1 · Feb 20, 2020

why not just take the actuator out of the heads and leave looking like a TRV if you cant change them

Chunky · Feb 20, 2020

Of course you may ask.

Reason 1 - I've got better things to do with my time than part drain as necessary and replace valves on 17 rads, even if I could get locksheilds to match the existing ones on the other side.
Reason 2 - Most of the valves are corner style, exiting from the wall and pipework is plastered in, also many are big & beefy column rads not your average Stelrad jobbie. Most are too tight to wall and rad to get an olive splitter in place. So replacing valves is not a five minute job (see reason 1) and my knees and back no longer need the hassle.
Reason 3 - Why shell out for a load of new chrome lockshields and risk new leaks (see reason 2) when a chrome cap will do the job?

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Gasmk - yeah, thanks for the suggestion. I thought of that and it's the fallback option but if at all possible I'd prefer to make it look a bit crisper.

ShaunCorbs · Feb 20, 2020

Good luck as to my knowledge they don’t make anything that looks nice only option is something like this but good luck as it might not fit as nothing’s standised

Wheelhead Cap for TRV or Manifold - Heating Controls Online for TRVs, Motorised Valves, Programmers, Radiator Valves and Underfloor Heating

www.heatingcontrolsonline.co.uk

king of pipes · Feb 21, 2020

Hear you go these may fit if you have got time to order em 😂 kop

Chunky · Feb 24, 2020

king of pipes said:
Hear you go these may fit if you have got time to order em 😂 kop

Many thanks! I knew I'd seen them somewhere.

They look like decorator caps but if they press the valve stalk I'd just trim it down. Ten seconds with a Dremel is time well spent

Chuck · Feb 24, 2020

Chunky said:
They look like decorator caps but if they press the valve stalk I'd just trim it down.

That might be a problem in future when the place needs decorating or maintenance is needed. Could you remove the guts from the existing chrome caps so that they never closed? Alternatively, drill a small blind hole in the decorator cap so it no longer presses on the pin.