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nwbearcat1998's avatar
nwbearcat1998
Explorer
Sep 18, 2014

Water heater Bypass???

I'm getting ready to winterize my TT in the next few weeks and I've been reading about a lot of recommendations on "bypassing" the Water Heater.

I'm a newbie to this and my questions is in the below pictures does this appear to be a water heater bypass?? There is a valve before the cold water intake but I don't see a valve up top around the hot water so I am confused on this setup.

Thanks in advance for any help on determining what I am looking at here.

image by gary.nwbearcat1998, on Flickr



image by gary.nwbearcat1998, on Flickr
  • bsinmich's avatar
    bsinmich
    Explorer
    Sep 19, 2014
    I have gone to just blowing the system out with an air compressor. My bypass valves get left in normal all the time. In the Spring I just add water and go. I don't have to flush pink stuff out and play with valves.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Sep 18, 2014
    You have a single valve system The valve is a 3-way valve in the COLD water line, In the photo you see the cold water inlet, coming to that is an elbow, coming to that a length of pex and that gets water from a 3-way valve, which can send water either INTO the water heater or UP to the hot line (Where it is connected with a common "T")

    There is a check valve in teh HOT outlet. (the brass fitting most likely)

    This is not my favorite bypass system, but it is still a good one.

    Side note: if you ever find you get good cold water flow but no hot, Yet the tank is hot and if you manually open the TPR valve water gushes forth.

    The afore mentioned check valve is the cluprit.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Sep 18, 2014
    nwbearcat1998 wrote:
    Thanks everyone for the great help!! I was unaware of the check valve that doesn't allow hot water to flow into hot water tank from the hot side....

    What i plan to do is put a valve on the intake of the water pump and then blow out the lines with an air tank. Then pump the RV Antifreeze into all of the lines until they run pink. Then, drain the Hot water heater last.....Sound good??


    Drain and flush WH tank prior to bypassing....I turn water supply back on after removing drain plug to blast crud out drain hole.

    With WH bypassed pump the anti-freeze thru system (Hot and cold sides) then check if any got into water heater. if so check valve leaked
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Sep 18, 2014
    path1 wrote:
    (off topic just a little) What type or what is the name are these fittings?

    Looks like it would be easy to assemble or fix. Compared to my fittings that have a compression band that has to be mashed together with pliers type thing.


    Flair-It
  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    Sep 18, 2014
    path1 wrote:
    (off topic just a little) What type or what is the name are these fittings?

    Looks like it would be easy to assemble or fix. Compared to my fittings that have a compression band that has to be mashed together with pliers type thing.


    I dont want to highjack the op's thread but those fitting are a type of compression fitting. The nut goes onto the pipe then the pipe is shoved onto the barbed fitting then the nut is tightened and compresses onto the pipe.

    My older jayco had the metal bands and had a leak at the water heater. Since it takes a special tool to install the aluminum or copper rings I opted for a third style of coupler which is like the Shark Bite brand sold at Home Depot. The shark bites are brass and pretty pricey. The same style can be bought at some hardware stores and almost always at RV stores and are made of plastic. There is a simple release tool that compresses the fitting to release a barbed style retainer. I like that one best. Very easy to use and I have never heard of them blowing off.
  • korbe's avatar
    korbe
    Explorer
    Sep 18, 2014
    nwbearcat1998 wrote:
    ....Then, drain the Hot water heater last.....Sound good??

    I drain the HW tank as soon as my valve gets turned to bybass the tank. When I pump antifreeze through the lines I will open the bypass valve for a moment to allow that short section of pipe between the tank and bypass valve to get a little pink.
  • path1's avatar
    path1
    Explorer
    Sep 18, 2014
    (off topic just a little) What type or what is the name are these fittings?

    Looks like it would be easy to assemble or fix. Compared to my fittings that have a compression band that has to be mashed together with pliers type thing.
  • nwbearcat1998's avatar
    nwbearcat1998
    Explorer
    Sep 18, 2014
    Thanks everyone for the great help!! I was unaware of the check valve that doesn't allow hot water to flow into hot water tank from the hot side....

    What i plan to do is put a valve on the intake of the water pump and then blow out the lines with an air tank. Then pump the RV Antifreeze into all of the lines until they run pink. Then, drain the Hot water heater last.....Sound good??
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Sep 18, 2014
    You have a 1 valve system

    The valve is a 3 way valve. When valve handle is parallel to cold inlet line it allows water into water heater tank. When you turn valve 1/4 turn and handle is perpendicular to cold inlet line it 'bypasses' water heater tank. (water flows from cold inlet to hot outlet thru connecting line).
    Hot water outlet has a check valve in it so water can only flow out of tank but not back into tank when bypassed.

    Change current position of valve (as shown in picture) and WH tank will be bypassed.
  • korbe's avatar
    korbe
    Explorer
    Sep 18, 2014
    The plastic valve near the cold water tank inlet is to be turned up to direct water away from the tank inlet

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