I have had a 3 valve system and a one valve system but I have never had a two valve system. I am beginning the process of winterizing and want to bypass the hot water heater and am a little perplexed.Cold line in on the bottom, Hot line on the top. If I shut the cold line valve it would stop water from going into the hot water tank but wouldn't it stop the water from circulating?What are your thoughts

Mine is like that. There is a check valve in the hot line coming out of the tank. Stops backflow into tank.With the valves set to bypass cold water will still circulate to everything except the water heater tank.

The bottom is a two way valve, it either lets through straight or shuts off straight and sends it the other way like it should. The top valve is an on/off valve only. If you send water upward with the bottom valve, you want to make sure the top valve is shut off.Once you have them set to go up on the bottom, and not go into the HWT on the top, you will send cold water to all your taps, both hot and cold. HWT will be bypassed.

both handles point up for bypass

newman fulltimer wrote:both handles point up for bypassWhat ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ he said! (Or, the top valve may POSSIBLY point down instead.)

I never thought of the cold valve being a two way valve I was thinking of and off and on. Thanks for the input.

Hot Water Heater Bypass | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

allen8106
Explorer
Nov 16, 2017
Bottom valve is likely a three way valve.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Nov 13, 2017
CarnationSailor wrote:
Ever wonder why we call it a "hot water" heater when its function is to heat "cold water"?

I have. :)

Nope.......

I just call it a 'water heater'........heater already implies heat which refers to HOT

Just like a furnace. It isn't called a hot air heater although that is what it's function is.....to heat air

:B

Some folks get in a tizzy over calling it a 'hot water heater' just like they do about a thread posted in the 'wrong' forum. :H

This past week I was real happy we had a hot water heater and a hot air heater....it was a tad cool up in the mtns boondocking.
Looked forward to those 'HOT' items :B
afidel
Explorer II
Nov 09, 2017
dalenoel wrote:
You will bypass when winterizing so you do not need to fill the HW tank with the pink stuff.

Or so that you don't have to fill a 6 gallon reservoir with air to blow out your lines =)
DrewE
Explorer III
Nov 09, 2017
CarnationSailor wrote:
Ever wonder why we call it a "hot water" heater when its function is to heat "cold water"?

I have. :)

Obviously because it's function in heating the cold water (which soon ceases to be cold water, becoming lukewarm, warm, and finally hot) is to make hot water. It distinguishes it from other heaters, I guess.

I have an oil-fired hot air furnace in my house. It isn't a cold air furnace; and if for some reason it becomes one, I need to phone a repairman pronto or suffer the consequences. I guess it doesn't bug me in the least that a hot water heater is similarly named.
Lynnmor
Explorer II
Nov 09, 2017
wa8yxm wrote:
On that system you close the HOT valve and Switch the COLD (Lower) the lower valve is a 3-way.

On SIngle valve systems, the top valve is replaced with a check valve that limes up and fails to either open or close.. Making your 2-valve much better.

In addition, you don't have the annoying check valve squeal.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Nov 09, 2017
On that system you close the HOT valve and Switch the COLD (Lower) the lower valve is a 3-way.

On SIngle valve systems, the top valve is replaced with a check valve that limes up and fails to either open or close.. Making your 2-valve much better.
westend
Explorer
Nov 08, 2017
CarnationSailor wrote:
Ever wonder why we call it a "hot water" heater when its function is to heat "cold water"?

I have. :)

I was thinking about that, right after I meditated on "giant shrimp" and "drunken lady". :B
CarnationSailor
Nomad
Nov 08, 2017
Ever wonder why we call it a "hot water" heater when its function is to heat "cold water"?

I have. :)
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Nov 08, 2017
No check valves used in that set up

Just a '3-way' valve on cold inlet/bypass and a shutoff valve in hot out
1L243
Explorer II
Nov 08, 2017
Artum Snowbird wrote:
The bottom is a two way valve, it either lets through straight or shuts off straight and sends it the other way like it should. The top valve is an on/off valve only. If you send water upward with the bottom valve, you want to make sure the top valve is shut off.

Once you have them set to go up on the bottom, and not go into the HWT on the top, you will send cold water to all your taps, both hot and cold. HWT will be bypassed.

This worked perfectly. It's amazing how much clear water comes out of the shower line (further-est from the pump) before the pink stuff comes out...
Thanks for the help everybody...