Forum Discussion

njtony's avatar
njtony
Explorer
Apr 21, 2019

water heater bypass

After my first time winterizing last fall, I questened the placement of the water heater shutoff and bypass valves. My hot and cold valves are placed before the bypass valve. Is this correct?
  • Yes,my apologizes for derailing thread.

    It helps the less experienced to return all cutoff/bypass valves back to there home position while memory is fresh.lol

    Prevents frying an element in the spring or asking " what happened to my water pressure ".....yes some rinsing required.
  • 4x4van's avatar
    4x4van
    Explorer III
    kellem wrote:
    On a side note:

    Something I always tell other RV's and friends I actually winterize for.

    As soon as you winterize your trailer you can instantly de-winterize and return all valves back to operating position as all your really doing is displacing water.

    Yes,I'm saying run RV antifreeze through all the lines then simply drain it back out.
    Been doing like this for over 20 years.
    Now that's an interesting point. Once all of the water has been displaced by anti-freeze, that anti freeze can then be drained. Still have to rinse the residual anti-freeze come time to start camping again, but...
  • On a side note:

    Something I always tell other RV's and friends I actually winterize for.

    As soon as you winterize your trailer you can instantly de-winterize and return all valves back to operating position as all your really doing is displacing water.

    Yes,I'm saying run RV antifreeze through all the lines then simply drain it back out.
    Been doing like this for over 20 years.
  • Had a repair man out and yes water heater was plumbed wrong from manufacture. Reworked plumbing and all is working as should be. Guess the person who installed had an ass backwards moment. And me out $150.00. And now I have a recall on my defective furniture fabric. Coachman is short on quality. And life goes on.
  • 4x4van's avatar
    4x4van
    Explorer III
    BB_TX wrote:
    There are multiple configurations for WH bypass. One uses two 3 way valves instead of three basic shutoff valves. And other variations.
    Very true. Mine has just a single bypass valve (along with a one-way check valve on the "out" line at the WH).
  • There are multiple configurations for WH bypass. One uses two 3 way valves instead of three basic shutoff valves. And other variations.
  • njtony wrote:
    After my first time winterizing last fall, I questened the placement of the water heater shutoff and bypass valves. My hot and cold valves are placed before the bypass valve. Is this correct?

    The illustrations Posted are the way it should be and about the only way it would work. Did you have antifreeze in the hot water tank?
    Let us know what you find.
    Bill
  • When Cold Inlet is closed....water can not flow into WH Tank
    When Hot outlet is closed ...water can not flow out or into WH Tank
    With Bypass OPEN..water flow from cold water line to hot water line

    If water supply is turned on 'bypass mode'...cold water will flow out hotside of faucets---bypassing the WH Tank

    3 way system