Hot water problem

Got everything off. All I need to get things back together is a sharkbite coupling. Had to cut the cold water inlet line. I got the check valve out and gutted. I might just put it back together the way it is and worry about things next winter. If I know myself, I'll forget about it until the day I need to winterize and it won't be ready.

Question 1. If I use compressed air to blow out my lines, will I even need the check valve? I don't see a need for it unless I want to put antifreeze in the lines. I've never done that to this coach and we just had the "winter from hell" (sounds a little backwards!).

Question 2. How does a check valve here and nothing holding back water from the cold inlet keep water out of the tank?

Now my new predicament. I have one pex compression fitting that I am having a problem getting apart. Should I use a lot of force getting it loose?

remember it could take a few minutes for the tank to fill after closing the bypass you should hear air coming out and then the water will start to flow. You can also make sure the heater is filling by loosening the drain plug on the tank and checking for flow

You are so right! I was about to dismantle the wrong end. Glad I got on here 1st!! I thought the check valve would be in the inlet because it doesn't have the bypass valve. The top hot water side is easier to get off without undoing any pex lines. And from the looks of the fittings, I'm not the 1st to be unscrewing them.

vanzuilekom wrote:
Before you rip anything apart, please check to be sure that your
outdoor shower (hot and cold) are turned off.
If open you will have no hot inside the RV.
Let us know please.

No outside shower.

Fifty4F100 wrote:
Here's where I am. I took out the floor in the bathroom vanity (hot water tank behind this). There is a line going into the bottom of the tank that has a brass or copper fitting that makes a 90 degree angle where it is tied to a PEX line. There is the typical crimp on this side of the fitting. Hopefully there is a workaround that I can find at my local Home Depot/Lowe's or my plumber friend at work can recrimp something I have to cobble together.

OK....
Line going into bottom of tank is COLD water inlet.
You stated you opened the PRV and got water out so that bottom line (Cold inlet) is letting water into tank.


Now what about the TOP line (HOT out)
It probably has a check valve in the nipple that is screwed into tank.
That check valve is probably jammed closed/crudded up or has failed and is NOT allowing the hot water to flow out the top line when you open the hot side of a faucet.

Before you rip anything apart, please check to be sure that your
outdoor shower (hot and cold) are turned off.
If open you will have no hot inside the RV.
Let us know please.

Here's where I am. I took out the floor in the bathroom vanity (hot water tank behind this). There is a line going into the bottom of the tank that has a brass or copper fitting that makes a 90 degree angle where it is tied to a PEX line. There is the typical crimp on this side of the fitting. Hopefully there is a workaround that I can find at my local Home Depot/Lowe's or my plumber friend at work can recrimp something I have to cobble together.

With bypass OPEN you will get cold water from hot side of faucet.

With bypass CLOSED and you get NO FLOW from hot side of faucet....then check valve on hot outlet of WH tank is stuck closed, jammed/plugged.

Water supply off
Relive pressure on WH tank by opening PRV until water stops flowing out
Disconnect hot water outlet line
Remove nipple on tank (check valve inside nipple).
Gut the nipple-remove check valve parts.
Install nipple
Install another shut off valve on hot water out line and do away with the cheap piece of junk check valve (Only needed when bypassing WH tank to winterize----new shut off valve makes it easier)

I did have the bypass closed while it was winterized. I opened it up and filled the tank before turning it on. I guess air came out as it was filled. The reason I know it was filled was 1) I shut the low point drains as the water came on because it was spewing out. , 2) pushing the relief valve had hot water coming out.

Could there be a check valve on the tank that is stuck? With the bypass closed, I get cold water out the hot tap.

There is only 1 bypass valve on my MH. Another 5th wheel we had did have 3 valves that had to be flipped, 2 (1 on both sides of the hot water tank) and 1 on the line that was to be inserted in the RV antifreeze bottle.