leaking radiator valve

[grabber]

My towel radiator valve is leaking. From the outside it looks like this
http://tinyurl.com/bmdkcnm
and from the inside like this http://tinyurl.com/cemrwnp - this shows where
it's leaking from.

Looks to me as though the brass valve body is faulty and that I should be
able to replace it with a new one. How standard is this part? I don't want
to have to take it out before I go round shopping for a replacement, so what
are my chances of being able to pick out a suitable part armed with the
photo?

I'm kind of hoping that if I find a suitable part, I can put a bucket under
the tap, and swap them quickly without bothering to drain the system. Is
this realistic?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Roberts]

It may be stating the obvious but make sure the heating is switched off so
that the pump cant work!
Robbie

 

[grabber]

:"Roberts" wrote in message
:It may be stating the obvious but make sure the heating is switched off so
:that the pump cant work!
:Robbie

Good point and one that I'll certainly take into account! Thanks for the
reply.

 

[Andrew Gabriel]

My towel radiator valve is leaking. From the outside it looks like this
http://tinyurl.com/bmdkcnm
and from the inside like this http://tinyurl.com/cemrwnp - this shows where
it's leaking from.

Looks to me as though the brass valve body is faulty and that I should be
able to replace it with a new one.

Almost certainly just needs a new O-ring which forms the shaft seal.
The shaft will need cleaning up too, or the new O-ring won't seal
against it as the leak will probably have left dried crud stuck to
it. (Descaler normally cleans that up.)

How standard is this part?

Don't know - there are probably fewer than there are different types
of valve. If you can work out the make, you will likely find the guts
from a model with a cheaper finish is the same.

I don't want
to have to take it out before I go round shopping for a replacement, so what
are my chances of being able to pick out a suitable part armed with the
photo?

You'll quite easily find a white finish towel rail valve.
You might find it harder to find a valve which matches so the
innards can be swapped.

I'm kind of hoping that if I find a suitable part, I can put a bucket under
the tap, and swap them quickly without bothering to drain the system. Is
this realistic?

There's a signifcant risk you'll fail. What would be the
consequences if gallons of dirty water spewed out onto the floor?

BTW, you can probably stop the leak at that point by turning off
the valves at both ends on the towel rail, if you don't need it hot.