2 smart radiator valves in one room - how do they work?

Jas
Jas

Hi,

In my kitchen I have 2 radiators both fitted with smart rad thermostats. They are both in a tado room 'kitchen'. It seems one of the rads is coming on independent of the other.

In my understanding only one of the rad thermostats is used for temperature checking and will call for heat, so wouldn't they work together to heat the room? Or do they still work independently?

To be honest, I'd rather they work separately as it's a large kitchen and one of the rad's is closer to a external door.

Can someone confirm what the behavior is and can it be changed if I want to?

Cheers

Jas

Answers

  • samd
    samd ✭✭✭
    edited December 2020

    @Jas Check in Rooms and devices>arrow against Kitchen which rad is the measuring device. Where two or more tado TRVs are in the same room, one of them is auto-selected as the measuring device and that synchronizes the two devices.

  • So are you saying both devices come on together? Or independently of each other based on their own thermostat reading?

  • Hi @Jas,
    If you have 2 SRT's physically in the same room.....and they are 'linked' into the same Tado Room.....ie Kitchen, then if you have not selected 1 of the SRT's as the 'measuring device' then the App will have selected 1 of the SRTs as the controlling 'measuring device'.....therefore you cannot set individual temperature settings to each SRT.......because they are linked and operate as a 'unit'.
    When you set/alter/increase/decrease the Room temperature or schedule timings, then it is applied to both SRT's.
    The only way that they will not be working together is if there is an issue with either the (non functioning) SRT or the actual TRV on the radiator is not functioning properly (valve stuck).
    Check in "Rooms & Devices" to see if both your SRT's are in your 'Kitchen' ROOM.
    If they are both allocated to the 'kitchen'.....then you should try swapping the SRT's from 1 radiator to the other and see if your issue is switched to the other radiator......also check that the TRV pin is free to move, it's not uncommon for the TRV pin to jam in one position.
  • Yep, I think you've hit the nail on the head. I reckon one of my trv pins is sticking open thereby leaving it open far longer than it should be. Which is why 1 of them is on and other not. I will replace the trv and report back, in case it helps someone else.

  • Would the app report an error if the TRV cannot be closed?

  • Hi @Jas

    I think in an ideal world it might ?? report a fault.....but sometimes the way Tado operates is a little bit 'skittish' (to coin a phrase)

    Don't rush out and purchase a new TRV until you have confirmed exactly what is at fault. Sometimes the TRV pin sticks, but can be 'freed' by pressing it down a few times to free it up......use the flat of a screwdriver or equivalent......the pin operates a spring and can be a bit of a 'push'.

  • If you want them to work independently give them different names, e.g rear kitchen, front kitchen

  • Thanks for all the replies. I've split the kitchen into 2 rooms as suggested, and i'll monitor the temperatures and how often the rad's are on.

    I'll admit so far I am very happy with my Tado system, the temperatures seems to be correct, no issue with reading too high. The app is decent too.

  • As an update to this (in case it helps someone in the future), I had a sticking TRV. Once changed, and the room split into 2 rooms as suggested, it all worked perfectly!