Valencia valve leaks and types

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  • DorrisMancer
    Automated Home Guru
    • Nov 2017
    • 129

    Valencia valve leaks and types

    I had an unpleasant surprise when I removed an HR92 head and adapter yesterday - water started to come out, as did the valve pin. Replacing, and screwing down, the adapter stopped the leak but I need to solve whatever is wrong.
    There's a thin white plastic ring around the pin but I can't tell whether it's broken off from something inside or whether it needs to be screwed back into the valve body. I can't find a drawing of the valve innards so I'm hoping that someone here has had one apart and can explain.

    Also, while looking for a replacement, I see there's a V120-15 and a -15a but I can't find an explanation of the difference ... ?
  • DBMandrake
    Automated Home Legend
    • Sep 2014
    • 2361

    #2
    The Valencia have a plastic balancing insert which screws down around the pin - although I was pretty sure on mine it's black plastic not white... in any case, this plastic piece can screw down or be completely removed.

    The idea is that when you screw it down it partially closes the valve and acts as a balancing valve, however I don't like to use this feature as it reduces the operating range of the HR92 as you lose some pin travel, so I have mine screwed mostly out. While you can remove it it should stay fitted as it also acts as a support bush for the pin.

    The pin won't come out or leak if you do remove the plastic insert though so if you have an actual water leak then the top o-ring inside the valve body has failed and it will need to be replaced.

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    • DorrisMancer
      Automated Home Guru
      • Nov 2017
      • 129

      #3
      Thanks for the reply. I've just had a look at another valve and what I called a thin plastic ring is actually a white plastic bush with a hex nut moulded onto it, which fits in a metal nut. There's no branding on the valve so I'm beginning to wonder whether the installers used cheapo valves (this is the second that has failed since the system was fitted, about 3 years ago) - I've found lots of other bodges so it wouldn't surprise me.
      I can't find a V120-15a valve locally but screwfix have a VTL120-15a valve+head - does anyone know whether the valve on this is actually a V120? (seems a fair guess)

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      • DBMandrake
        Automated Home Legend
        • Sep 2014
        • 2361

        #4
        If you check the picture in post #10 in the following thread, the far left and far right valves are the Valencia's I fitted, with the balancing insert screwed in different amounts to illustrate the pin position. (The middle valve is a Peggler Bulldog) The inserts in mine are black with a small hex on the top as the picture shows.

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        • DorrisMancer
          Automated Home Guru
          • Nov 2017
          • 129

          #5
          Hmm, mine are similar but slightly different. I've ordered a V120-15a so will investigate further once I've got the old valve off. At the moment I've stopped the leak by leaving the head off and screwing the wheel fully down, which was quicker than digging-out a decorating cap. Fortunately this is the only rad (towel rail, actually) with isolating valves under the floor so it should be a quick job (any bets on whether the isolating valves will leak once I disturb them?)

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