On 14/02/2014 08:31, harryagain wrote:
"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Vir Campestris writes:
On 12/02/2014 19:37, Derek F wrote:
We live in a Block with a communal heating and hot water system.
It has been suggested that residents at their own expense have TVR's
fitted to their radiators to cut down on the communal heating bill.
Some have previously replaced their radiators and have TVR's.
To my very simple mind I'm not convinced that it will work.... but I
will soon be corrected. At the moment if I have a valve full on or turn
it down to barely on the radiators stay at the same heat.
Derek
(cross-posted)

It seems to me if the radiator doesn't cool down the valve isn't off.

TRVs should cut down the costs - you won't get people having to open the
windows to control heat.

A very common misunderstanding is that a TRV is a *radiator* thermostat.
It is not - it's a *room* thermostat.

The radiator will variously go hot/warm/cold, as the TRV maintains the
*room* temperature.

The big problem with communal heating systems is that people just throw
the windows open when it gets too hot. With my home automation, the
heating in that zone is switched off if an outside door or window is
opened for 5 minutes or more.


The big problem is they don't work very well.
They are more influenced by the nearby radiator temperature than the room
temperature.
Unless you have one with a remote sensor.


We have 51 flats. The penthouses and ones in an annexe have their own
systems as do a few others. Probably about 35 use the communal heating.
This year the estimated gas cost is £38,500. Less than when we had the
old oil fired boilers.
Now my Thicko bit again. I don't understand how the water flows between
the ones in our flat or round the building. How does an individual
thermostatic valve reduce a radiator heat when water of a certain
temperature leaves the boiler?
If does it by reducing the flow would not less water be leaving the rad
to go on to the next rad as it must be continually flowing round this
huge building.
Mind you I didn't understand it when we had our own system in a house
and a flat but at least then I could hear our pump going.
Answers and diagrams n the back of a fag packet please:-)
Derek