Water Heater Bypass Location

I may have (hopefully) located the bypass valve. The location was as described above but it was a different kind of valve I'm not familiar with on an RV, instead of it being quarter turn like a ball valve it appears to be a twist valve on the lower cold water inlet for the water heater. It is in T with the bypass tube so I'm assuming this is the valve. I'll have to experiment to see which direction of the twist has it open into the water heater of to the bypass,
I'll report back after I connect the TT to water at a local campground.
I may consider cutting in a better access opening to get to this valve.
Thanks again

One valve system for water heaters

Cold water inlet is also bypass

A 3 way valve is used.

With handle parallel to supply line, cold water flows into WH
Turn handle 1/4 ---handle now parallel with line connecting cold/hot, valve is in 'Bypass'

Check valve used in HOT outlet to stop backflow when bypass is used.




Another example of One 3-way valve being used with Suburban WH

If you can reach your hand in there perhaps you can take a photo and see what it shows you when you pull the camera out.

There is a tube that goes up and down but no valve on that either.

There should be one small valve at the bottom of that vertical tube.

If there is no access under the bed, you can cut a hole there to make an easy access. Then simply put a 1/4 inch sheet of plywood over the opening. Its under the bed, no one will ever see it.

I looked at a couple YouTube dealer videos for your Outback model. I have the Outback 298RE, there are many similarities. Here's what I think. The water pump is on the Driver Side of the trailer beside the bed under that box. Mine is in the same location. The water heater is forward of that.

When you look in the pass-through under the bed, you can see the framed in boxed area that surrounds the water heater. My water heater is in my kitchen area.

I can see the 3 screws you mentioned, and it looks like they just hold on trim. I think to access the water heater from the other side, you have to get to it from under the bed.

Raise the bed, and see if there is a panel on the side of the bed frame that is removable.

By the way, your water heater will have only 1 valve. It uses in line check valves when in bypass position. You will NOT have 3 valves.

Look under the bed beside the water heater. See if the access is there.

By the way, that's a nice trailer. I love the Outbacks. I'm not prejudiced in any way ... nah! not one bit!