hot water tank bypass??? where is it

Hello Folks, I am looking for help to find my hot water bypass on our unit so I don't have to fill the hot water heater with that much plumbing antifreeze. I removed the anode (and got soaked) applied about 20-30lbs of air pressure through a valve I rigged to the city water connection and blew out all the lines and black flush...I hope...? I and am ready to fill the lines with antifreeze. Also do I have to take the screen apart on the water pump or is filling that with antifreeze enough? and if I don't install a bypass on my water filter is it ok to have that full of antifreeze for the winter. (we are first timers so any help would be great)

On my unit (28RKBS) the hot water tank is next to my kitchen sink. I access it thru the cabinet under the sink. I filled my water filter holder with anti freeze (after removing the filter). Had no problems in the spring.

Great question! I've only winterized my Cat one season (owned a different 5'er for 4 years prior to this one) and I couldn't/can't find it either!!!

Here's what I did:
- Blow out the lines
- Add antifreeze to the system (make sure the hot water heater is plugged and ready to take on water)
- Remove the water filter first, then replace the housing.
- Once the lines are filled with antifreeze remove water filter housing and dump the excess. I left my housing off for the winter, not sure it matters though?

Now, the messy part. . .. Since I couldn't find the hot water heater bypass I needed to get the antifreeze out of there. I released the pressure on the tank then removed the anode rod to drain (I used a bucket to catch as much as I could, but it was a mess). I used a hose to rinse out the water heater as best I could. I stored my water heater with OUT the anode rode allowing the tank to dry out prior to winter.

Hope this helps! I'll be looking this fall again for the H2O heater bypass, if I find it I'll let you know! Also, one more tip that I do (again, not sure it matters) but I store the camper with all faucets open. I've never had any issues with the way I do things.

Good luck! And !!!!!!

The bypass valves should be close to the water heater. You need to look at where the water lines come into, and out of the water heater. The valves should be on those lines. On my 28 RKBS I have to remove a panel under the kitchen sink to access the two valves.

Also, don’t forget there is water in the lines leading to the low point drains, so open those when draining the water from your system. Don’t forget to close them when you pump antifreeze into the plumbing. Once you add the antifreeze to your plumbing open those low point drains again until you see the pink antifreeze coming out and then close them again.

On my 25RL the water heater is under the kitchen sink and the bypass is built into the water lines within 12" of the water heater itself. There is no sign pointing to it but if you look closely at the lines you will see the valves and how it re-routes the water around the water heater without water going into or out of it.

I don't understand why you need to blow the lines out with air and then fill them back up with antifreeze, wouldn't filling it with antifreeze push the water out ?

I just blow mine out and leave them empty, but i'm not in the subfreeze most of you snow birds are in.

I blow out the lines first because, 1...the pump will not push anti-freeze into the line between the city water connection and the pump, and 2...I blow out the no fuss flush line.

The pump will inject anti-freeze in the city line if you push the check valve in, but you run the risk of the valve never working again.

John

All those comments make sense, I will check that location tomorrow. I had taken the anode out and had located the pressure relief valve and thought for some reason it would all be in the little compartment together. I did find that the asembly folks don't clean up much at the factory, I found chocolate bar wrapper tinfoil in the heat exchanger tube for the water heater. I guess they keep their workflorr area clean by stuffing their garbage back into the units. As for the low point drains, the ONLY one I can find is the fresh water drain at the back of the unit next to the overflow tube of which I am thinking of putting a valve on, but I don't want water backing up somewhere if it needs to get out.

Gus

Do Not Forget the Outside Shower

If you blow out all the water lines with air, do you really need to use antifreeze in the lines I would have thought that empty water lines can not freeze.
Sean

Years ago on another trailer I just blew the lines out. Somehow there was water left in the pump and I had to replace the head. Ever since then I do both compressed air and anti-freeze.

John

Thanks Frank I WOULD have forgot that since I never use it.

I am standing in front facing the trailer to help you figure out left and right. I have a 30RLBS. The bypass for mine is accessed by opening the left pass thru door. I stick my head inside, remove the laundry basket to my left and there is my one valve. That is all you need. Turn it to bypass and you are set. I drain my filter and that takes care of the water between the pump and the city water connection.

I found it!! I guess in my haste last fall I didn't look good enough, it wasn't obvious enough for me so I assumed incorrectly that it didn't have one!! Sure enough it's there. Under the sink behind the false wall seperating the sink area from the H2O heater. very bottom next to the heater a very small valve that blends in with the fitting. Saved me some time this fall!! yipee!!!

GustheUsher wrote:As for the low point drains, the ONLY one I can find is the fresh water drain at the back of the unit next to the overflow tube of which I am thinking of putting a valve on, but I don't want water backing up somewhere if it needs to get out.

Gus, I have a 32QBBS which is very close to the same layout as yours. Look for your hot water heater bypass underneath the sink. As mentioned previously, you will have to remove the half wall panel. Mine has 2 screws in the bottom and two on the side. For the low point drains, mine are located just in front of the entry steps. You can't see them just looking under the trailer... you need to crawl underneath as they are on the outside of the frame and only extend a couple of inches down. I had a hard time finding them also!! I winterized mine last weekend. Good luck.

Thanks ALL, I found the bypass just as stated, thanks for that, but I am unable to find any low point drains, the only ones under my unit anywhere are at the back for the fresh water and the overflow for that. It appears that the way my unit is plumbed, the water heater is the lowest point. My unit has a totally enclosed underbelly and I don't want to start cutting holes or pulling off panels looking for water lines unless I know exactly where they are. There is no pipes coming through the floor towards the frame by the water heater, everything seems to be piped above the floor. If anyone knows my unit and is aware of a low point drain could you let me know, I understand the pex pipe is able to expand 1 1/2 times its outside diameter as I use it daily at work but the fittings won't so I would like to get ALL the water out of all spots.

Gus, did you look under the trailer in front of the steps as I mentioned in my previous post? Mine is a 2009, but I'm guessing there's a good chance the plumbing remains unchanged from year to year.

North7 wrote:For the low point drains, mine are located just in front of the entry steps. You can't see them just looking under the trailer... you need to crawl underneath as they are on the outside of the frame and only extend a couple of inches down. I had a hard time finding them also!!

Hi Jeff, I have a inclosed underbelly, it goes from the frame rail on one side to the other from front to back the only thing I see when I look under is the gas line and a bulge where I'm guessing the 3 or 4 inch main drain line goes to the holding tanks. I climbed the entire underside looking for anything. There is 2 lines going from the filter/pump area over to feed the kitchen sink/hot water heater, and they don't loop back or appear to be "t"ed off with a low point drain in that area undern the unit? I don't want to start pealing the underbelly off if there is nothing there if I don't have to, but I think I will have to do some exploring.

I have a different model but suggest you look carefully near and below the location of your water heater. You might even try looking inside the space where your water heater resides to see if there are any lines headed down from there. Just my 2 cents and that may be all they are worth!

Gus, my underbelly is also enclosed, but if I remember correctly, there is a space about a foot wide between the frame and the outside of the trailer. My low point drains are there and probably only 2-5 inches from the side of the trailer. As mentioned before, they are between the entry steps and the front storage compartment and hard to notice if you're not laying right below them on your back looking up.

Hi Folks, thanks to you insite and me actually getting a tarp to lay on and look in the exact position for the low point drains I have indeed found them, right there where I thought I loked but oviously missed them. Thanks again,