On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 18:47:59 GMT, fred wrote:

In article , Frank Z
writes

I am fitting a new radiator in the living room. In the other rooms I
have used TRVs to control the room temprature. In this room, however,
a TRV would be ineffective because the TRV would be covered by a
floor-length curtain, due to the position of the rad.. What other
method can I employ to control the temerature of the room? I know you
can buy in-line electric-powered valves which can be controlled by a
standard room thermostat, but is there any other method - perhaps
something that doesn't require an electric supply? How about an
in-line TRV? Are there such things?
You can get in-line rad valves, a quick look shows one in srewfix, code
35602, at http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=35602

Alternatively, all the major manufacturers make TRVs with remote sensors
which let you site the sensor up to 2 or 5m away from from the rad. Try
finding a plumbers' merchant with one in stock tho ;-), but you could order
one and that seems like a good bet. Btw, they are non electric & work via
a fine capillary tube connected to small remote sense capsule.

Bear in mind that when you close those lovely floor length curtains that
you won't get much heat into the room from the rad. For my big rooms I
have a small rad at the windows to cover the loss there plus other rads to
heat the room proper. Smaller rooms just have a rad _near_ the window, to
cover the window loss & heat the room.

HTH
--
fred

Fred - thank you for your help. Yes, I have puzzled over the rad
positioning question for this room. Under the window seems the only
place whare I can afford to take up wall space with a rad. So I have
put venetian blinds on the wiindow. The floor-length curtains are for
looks only (to prevent the room looking too stark), and will not be
drawn closed - not during winter, anyway. Only the ends of the rad
will be covered by the curtains. It's not an ideal situation - but
life is often like that - a compromise. Warm air heating would have
been best for this room, in an ideal world. Thank you for the info on
remote TRVs.

Frank