Which side to feed? All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[CanDo]

I am replacing a bedroom single panel radiator with a double panel double convector because the previous rad was not sufficient. I also want to fit a TRV, there was none fitted before and with the larger radiator it is now needed.

Lots unexpected problems have been delaying this, such as plaster falling off a wall and a wall practically unsupported on floorboards due to cement breaking out over the last 46 years. The house is very cold so I need to get it finished quickly.

The left side of the rad is on a wall less than 3 feet from another wall at right angles so it is very close to a corner and I plan on putting a bed next to the rad which would box in a TRV quite badly. I therefore want to put it on the right hand side where it will have more air flow and be less restricted by the bed.

The new Rad is slightly wider too, 950 compared with 1m so pipework needs to be changed.

Here is the issue. The feed is usually on the left where I intend having the lockshield valve and the TRV on the right, closer to the centre of the room.

The TRV is bi-directional. Should I put the feed pipe to the left where the lockshield valve will be or the right with the TRV? Go with convention for piping, feed to the left, but have the lockshield valve on the feed side or have the feed on the right with the TRV?

[plumbbob]

There is no hard and fast rule which side the feed is on. In the past, it was purely down to personal preference. The only consideration was to put the TRV nearest the centre of the room so as to give it the best chance of accurately controlling the temperature.

Now since TRV's are bi-directional it matters not which side the feed is. It should be purely down to easiest pipework layout. The TRV is still fitted on the side best to give control. Many heating engineers will try to put the valve on the same side for all radiators simply for cosmetic purposes.

[CanDo]

Thanks for posting your opinion plumbbob. I think I will go with the feed on the right. There is not further pipework after the rad and I had already removed the pipes back to the main feed/return pipework. I did need to re-route it anyway to allow me to insulate the pipework because there was insufficient space previously.