Balancing, is it needed with TADO.

What’s the definitive answer?


do we need to balance radiators if you have TADO TRV’s or do TADO TRV’s do the equivalent by throttling the passage of hot water as it opens and closes?


for context I have 2 floors, 10 rads with tado valves and valiant ecotec 630 unvented with vsmart, TADO only does the trv’s not the boiler.


there was a question a while ago asking of tado is just open / shut or if it modulates the throughput of water but there was never a definitive answer.

Answers

  • Yes, you still need to balance. The tado TRV still opens the valve fully like a mechanical TRV so balance is still important
  • Analogue mechanical valves where not binary certainly the danfoss ones we had where gradual.


    There are numerous posts by Tado that the smart valves do modulate


    if Tado is modulating on the output, do I need to modulate on the input? Or perhaps use less modulation on the input?

  • Balancing is important, not just for even heat distribution when multiple radiators are requesting heat, but also to control the return water temperature. If a radiator is allowing water to pass through too easily then the returning water will be hotter than it needs to be. With a condensing boiler the lower the return temperature the greater the efficiency.

  • I get that, but TADO isn’t on/off, Tado support say they modulate and certainly it sounds like it given whistling noises I get.


    so if they modulate on the out, why do I need to modulate on the in?


    if the out was either open or closed then yes balancing on the in makes sense but, tado say they modulate etc so…….

  • I don't think you're understanding why rads need to be balanced.

    Balancing is done with the TRVs (smart or dumb) in their fully open position so all rads in the system are wanting full flow at the same time. The lockshields are adjusted so all rads heat up equally and as @GrilledCheese2 says, you also want to limit the return temps on condensing setups

    It has nothing to do with the modulation that the TRV gives