No not really…
Since we have our radiators off when we leave home there are large dips.
But during the night between the 28 and 29th there is about 1.5-2 hours between the “on” periods.
The gap at 6 on the 30th was 3 hours.
I don’t think they regulate more than the TRVs we had before.
Yes the generic thermostat can be set to this behavior, you could also allow it to go slightly above set temperature.
It’s up to you.
I wouldn’t use an automation, use the generic thermostat.
I skipped a lot of your post above this since it talked about automation.
I really don’t recommend it.
Create a generic thermostat and then create an automation to set the thermostat.
Automations with heating is prone to fail.
But regarding what I quoted.
I assume you mean because of noise?
Thermal actuators are slow and are actuators. They move in and out, not spinning.
This means they move completely silent.
You only hear the sound from restricting the water, nothing at all from the actuator.
But they are slow. And I mean slow, like minutes slow. Ours probably take about 5-7 minutes to go on or off.
I agree, buy one to test with in one room. Preferably a room where you notice it so perhaps not a bedroom where you just are asleep in.
There are versions that can regulate it to a semi closed position but they are about 5 times more expensive.
So my recommendation is to test one and see how this works.
We bought one and got sold on the idea within a day.