Home DIY

Torx are good, as long as you line the heads up.

fairly moppable

Yes, no problem. I think you can apply some sort of wax if they go dull after a few years but I’ve had these in another house I lived in and they were pretty resilient generally.

I was more wondering about water getting between them

@rj do latham timber to cutting as well?

Typical domestic double socket is located into the box with 3.5mm cross head 'screws' that are more like short, thin bolts.
Not aware of a Torx equivalent.

I use Torx preferentially. Typically means others cannot interfere with my work.

The 6-fold symmetry helps.

You can definitely get security Torx versions, eg https://www.sparkswarehouse.com/products/scolmore-sp622-define-m3-5-security-screw-22mm-long-bag-100-chrome

Again, this forum and its wonderful contributors show the limit of my knowledge.
Tempted but £26 with shipping!

I don't think so, but would be worth checking

I'm just trying to swap over the thermostatic valve on my radiator with a Tado smart one.

Tado suggest you can usually unscrew or just pop off the top cap of the existing valve but it's not working too well on this one and I don't want to break it right now.

Any clues?

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Turn the knurled ring and the valve should come off. They are sometimes a bit tight and some waterpump pliers might help but you shouldn't need them.

I'd wait a few days until it is a bit warmer if you aren't sure, it's far too cold to be waiting for a plumber if it goes wrong.

I'd much rather have Torx heads. Although I expect everyone working on them after me would hate it.

Yes. Yes I would. You want to make me go back to the van to get a torx bit and then swap them out for normal 3.5mm slotted?

May our paths never cross. 😂

go back to the van to get a torx bit

And then back to the van to get the security torx bit!

You utter twat!

If the head doesn't go on the rad will just be open full so dont worry about it not working.

As has been said, the silver knurled ring will twist off but might be a bit tight/cruddy. I've fitted 7 of them now and all barring one used the most annoying of adaptors. The Tado instructions are pretty good at showing you which adaptor you'll need. Let me know if you have trouble and I don't mind having a crack.

Good idea to clean the threads of where the new TRV is threading on to as they could be a bit cruddy. One of mine ended up coming lose because of this so wasn't turning the rad off. Easily fixed. Also, the little nubbin that the TRV actually pushes down on to close the valve can be a bit sticky if old so you can just push that in and out a few times to loosen it. But the Tado app will tell you if something is fucky when it calibrates.

the little nubbin that the TRV actually pushes down on to close the valve can be a bit sticky if old so you can just push that in and out a few times to loosen it.

Every year most of mine need soaking in WD40 and encouraging in and out with some pliers before they move. They all seem a bit corroded from tiny amount of water getting out. Is that normal? They aren't that old, maybe 7 years.

Fuck knows. Mine are probably older and the actual valve bodies could do with being replaced really as I noticed the same. But there's no visible leaking outside the valve or dripping down the pipe so I've put it in the "when we replace the rads" folder.

Noob question.... And in sure it's been asked and answered before on here but I can't find.
I have a Google nest thermostat. Can I just get a pack of tado radiator thermostats and connect to nest or do I need the tado smart hub thing?

Mr Google will be along shortly to answer your question.

Thanks, infinitely helpful ;)

Is your nest just your wall thermostat that sends a signal to your heating controller? I'm not 100% sure but you might be able to get the Tado extension kit (not the thermostat) to replace your existing controller then get the TRVs and set those up so they speak to the extension kit. The nest then might just continue to act as your wall thermostat. Tado is compatible with Google Home so you might then be able to control it all through there.

The Tado community forum might be a good place to get a better answer though.

Lorra talk bout tado - anyone got hive rad valves ? Are they any good ? We have hive on the boiler

You might just be able to get the TRVs and the internet bridge and use them as traditional TRVs albeit wireless. That is, you can set them to shut off over a certain temp and change that temp through an app, but they won't call for heat themselves unless they are connected through either the Tado wall thermostat or extension kit.

Yes. We have the learning thermostat which wirelessly connects to the Heatlink which is wired to and controls the combi boiler. I'll have a go at the tado forum, thanks.